Award Ceremony set for April 14
The SDSU Alumni Association has announced 11 winners of this year’s prestigious annual Monty Awards. They will be honored at an April 14 gala dinner and awards presentation at downtown San Diego’s US Grant Hotel. Emcee for the evening will be Steven Luke (’99), news reporter for San Diego’s NBC television affiliate, KNSD.
The Montys are a time-honored tradition at SDSU, sponsored by the SDSU Alumni Association. They were first given out in 1971 in recognition of those who have made significant contributions to the university, the San Diego community or California, nationally or internationally.
The Monty is a symbol of achievement and success presented to distinguished alumni from each of SDSU's seven academic colleges, Imperial Valley Campus and Library and Information Access. Distinguished service awards also are given to an exceptional alumni volunteer and an outstanding university employee.
Honorees for 2012 include:
 College of Arts and Letters
Lilly Cheng, Ph.D.
Lilly Cheng (’84,
Ph.D., teacher education), Ph.D., serves as managing director of the
Confucius Institute in the SDSU College of Arts and Letters and as a
member the Campanile Foundation Board. Internationally recognized in
her profession in terms of teaching, research and community service, her
contributions to the internationalization of SDSU include three decades
of building collaboration between the university and major partners in
China and Taiwan.
|
 College of Business Administration
Craig T. Stevens
Craig T.
Stevens (’82, finance) is founding principal and chief executive officer
of Mar West Real Estate with a career encompassing the commercial real
estate, financial, and technology industries. In addition to his
involvement with the university’s Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, he
serves on both the College of Business Advisory Board and Corky McMillin
Center for Real Estate Advisory Board and is head of the Orange County
alumni chapter.
|
 College of Education
Joe Fulcher, Jr., Ph.D.
Joe Fulcher, Jr.
(’83, psychology, ’86 MS, school psychology, ’02 Ph.D. special
education), Ph.D., chief student services officer for the San Diego
Unified School District, has had a major impact on education and
services in San Diego-area school districts over the past 25 years. His
leadership as an innovative administrator positively influences school
district policies and procedures affecting thousands of students and
their families.
|
 College of Engineering
Richard Kerr
Richard Kerr (’74, physics,
’83 MS, electric and computer engineering) is a noted technologist and
wireless communications executive who holds seven patents in the area of
wireless communication. As executive director of the Zahn Center for
Engineering Innovation, he fosters collaboration among entrepreneurial
SDSU students from technical fields and business fields to accelerate
and incubate real ideas from concepts into functioning real companies.
|
 College of Health and Human Services
Vicki L. Shepard
Vicki L.
Shepard (’73, social work, ’74, MSW) is senior vice president of
strategic and government relations for Healthways, a global health and
well-being improvement company. A former Deputy Assistant Secretary at
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she has an extensive
record of accomplishment in national, state and local health and human
services and community service programs as well as policy development
for health care reform.
|
 College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Scott W. Allison
Scott
W. Allison (’86, journalism) is president and chief executive officer
of Allison & Partners, one of the fastest growing public relations
and public affairs agencies in the nation. Instrumental in launching the
university’s Bay Area Regional Council, his success has led to
recognition as a finalist for both the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of
the Year award and the American Business Awards Communications
Executive of the Year.
|
 College of Sciences
Robert M. Kaplan, Ph.D.
Robert M. Kaplan
(’69, psychology), Ph.D., has a widely recognized history in high
priority behavioral health areas such as tobacco-induced lung disease.
Currently the director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Research at the National Institutes of Health, he is known for his
commitment to evidence-based behavioral research and broad knowledge of
health services research and epidemiology.
|
 Library and Information Access
Harold K. Brown
Harold K. Brown
(’59, physical education, speech), a noted civil rights and community
and economic development leader, fought racial discrimination in an
effort to bring social and economic opportunity to underserved areas of San
Diego. He embodies the university’s mission by using his education for
the betterment of others, contributing to knowledge, and seeking
solutions to the world’s problems through excellence in teaching,
research and service.
|
 SDSU Imperial Valley
John Renison – Imperial County, California District 1 Supervisor
John
Renison (’97, MPA) is the District 1 supervisor for Imperial County,
California. A former Calexico mayor and city council member, he is also
a former director of development for SDSU’s Imperial Valley campus,
where he was instrumental in raising the visibility of SDSU and in
securing funding for the establishment of the university’s Brawley
satellite campus.
|
 Distinguished Alumni Service Award
Margo Kasch
Margo Kasch (’67,
mathematics) has been active since her student days in many aspects of
the university, particularly the SDSU Alumni Association. Involved for
decades in a variety of programs, boards, enterprises and supportive
roles on campus, she is known for her generous commitment of time,
talent and personal resources to affect a positive influence on SDSU
students, faculty and staff.
|
 Distinguished University Service Award
Steve Fisher
Steve Fisher,
SDSU’s men’s head basketball coach, has led the elevation of the
Aztecs’ program to national prominence, helping to bring prestige to the
university and its athletics department. As his teams have galvanized
the campus, community and alumni everywhere, he has welcomed notoriety
to enhance and advance important initiatives ranging from cancer
screening to student scholarships. |
For tickets to The Montys, sponsorship availabilities and additional information, visit
www.sdsualumni.org/montys or contact Jen Ranallo at 619-594-ALUM (2586) or
jranallo@mail.sdsu.edu.