ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Distinguished Alumni Award

Congratulations to our 2026 Awardees

David Woodward, James Jones, Garrett Carter, Kursat Calgiltay, and Shameem Farouk* received the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award given to an alumnus of the school.

2026 Distinguished Alumni Award winners

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø the Distinguished Alumni Award

The Indiana University School of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed upon an alum by the School. The award was founded in 1977 to recognize alumni who have enhanced the reputation of the school by distinguishing themselves in their careers and have made significant contributions to their community, state and nation through professional service, public service and civic activities.

This year's awards are given in four categories:

2026 Awardees

Kursat Cagiltay

Kursat Cagiltay (Ph.D. ‘02)

Outstanding Alumni Award

Kursat Cagiltay serves as Dean of the Faculty of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø at TED University in Ankara, Turkiye, where he leads a comprehensive transformation of teacher education through learning engineering, artificial intelligence, and technology-enhanced learning. His work focuses on redesigning teacher preparation for the digital age by integrating learning sciences, human-centered engineering methodologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration into educational practice.

David Woodward

David Woodward (M.S. ‘96)

Excellence in PreK-12 ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Award

David Woodward is an accomplished educational leader and nationally recognized school safety professional with more than three decades of experience in education, student services, and public safety. He currently serves as Director of Student Services for Carmel Clay Schools, where he oversees districtwide safety initiatives, emergency preparedness, mental health collaboration, and the coordination of school resource officers and nursing services across 15 school buildings.

Garrett M. Carter

Garrett M. Carter (Ph.D. ‘20)

Early Career Achievement Award

Dr. Garrett M. Carter is an award-winning educator, best-selling author, and educational leader dedicated to preparing students for the future. With more than 15 years of experience in education, he has served as both an educator and leader across K–12 and higher education settings, bringing a broad perspective to teaching, leadership, and student success.

James E. Jones

James E. Jones (Ph.D. ‘93)

Excellence in Higher ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Award

Dr. James E. Jones is a distinguished educator, researcher, and leader whose career has made a lasting impact on pediatric dentistry, health sciences education, and Indiana University. Jones earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky, a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Louisville, and later completed his specialty certificate in pediatric dentistry and Master of Science in Dentistry at Indiana University.

Shameem Farouk

Shameem Farouk (Ph.D. '10)

Outstanding Alumni Award (2025)

*2025 award recipient, recognized this year

Shameem is the Executive Vice President and Human Capital Director at Maybank Group in Malaysia, where she leads workforce transformation, the democratization of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology capabilities, and the development of innovative talent and business solutions for a digital-first workforce. Her initiatives emphasize education equality, particularly for minority and traditionally disadvantaged workforce groups. Through programs she designed, over 50% of participants certified in AI have been women, reflecting her commitment to advancing diversity in technology.

Past Awardees

Jeffrey A. HendrixEXCELLENCE IN PREK-12 EDUCATION AWARD
Jeffrey A. Hendrix (Ed.D. '03)
Retired Administrator and Teacher
Kokomo, Indiana
Ryan N. GoodwinEXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD
Ryan N. Goodwin (B.S. '09)
Senior Assistant VP for Strategic Initiatives; Chief of Staff
Division of Student Success and Well-Being
University of Central Florida (UCF)
Meina ZhuEARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Meina Zhu (Ph.D. '19)
Associate Professor, Learning Design and Technology
Wayne State University College of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Rebecca BersaniEARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Rebecca Bersani (B.S.'18)
STEAM teacher, Blue Academy Elementary School
Indianapolis, Indiana
Mary Lee SeibertEXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD
Mary Lee Seibert (B.S.'63, M.S.'73, Ed.D.'79)
Evansville, Indiana
Sharon Johnson ShirleyEXCELLENCE IN PREK-12 EDUCATION AWARD
Sharon Johnson Shirley (B.S.'77, M.S.'90)
Superintendent, Lake Ridge New Tech Schools
Calumet Township, Northwest Indiana
Debra Tica SanchezOUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD
Debra Tica Sanchez (B.S.'92)
Senior Vice President of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøal Media and Learning Experiences
Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

Pam FischerEXCELLENCE IN PREK-12 EDUCATION AWARD
Pam Fischer (B.S.'88, M.A.'99)
High School Scholarship Committee Co-chair
Tucscon, AZ
Gene TempelEXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD
Gene Tempel (M.A.’74, Ed.D.’85)
Founding Dean Emeritus, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Indiana University
Dawn WhiteheadOUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD
Dawn Whitehead (B.A.’97, M.S.’03, Ph.D.’07)
Vice President, Office of Global Citizenship for Campus, Community, and Careers
Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)

Eddie ColeEARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Eddie R. Cole (M.S.’09, Ph.D.’13)
Associate Professor
University of California, Los Angeles
Frank SanchezEXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD
Frank D. Sánchez (Ph.D.’03)
Senior Fellow
Interfaith America
Paola SztajnOUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD
Paola Sztajn (Ph.D.’95)
Dean, College of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
North Carolina State University
Rosemary Wolf RehakEXCELLENCE IN PRE-K–12 EDUCATION AWARD
Rosemary Wolf Rehak (M.S.’77, Ed.D.’86)
School Administrator, retired
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation

Lily AlbrightEXCELLENCE IN PRE-K-12 EDUCATION AWARD
Lily Albright (B.S.’00, M.S.’06)
Principal
Unionville Elementary School
Janice BrownOUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD
Janice Brown (Ed.D.’81)
Superintendent (Retired)
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Gene JongsmaOUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD
Gene Jongsma (B.S.’64, Ed.D.’71)
Retired Educator
Lynda WiestEXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD
Lynda R. Wiest (Ph.D. ’96)
Professor, College of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Human Development
University of Nevada, Reno

EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD
Harold "Pete" Goldsmith, Ed.D. (Ed.D.’75)
Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, retired
Indiana University Bloomington
EXCELLENCE IN PREK-12 EDUCATION AWARD
Naomi B. Searle, M.Ed. (B.S.’85)
6th Grade Teacher, English Language Arts
South Middleton School District
EARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Susie L. Gronseth, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’11)
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Houston
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD
William H. Parrett, Ph.D. (B.S.’72, M.S.’73, Ph.D.’79)
Director Emeritus, Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies
Boise State University

David A. Ambler, Ed.D. (Ed.D.'66)
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Emeritus
The University of Kansas
Carole Ames, Ph.D. (M.S.’68)
Dean Emerita
Michigan State University College of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Marilyn Friend, Ph.D. (M.S.’78, Ph.D.’81)
Professor Emerita
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Karen Schuster Webb, Ph.D. (M.S.’73, Ph.D.’80)
President
Union Institute & University

Dena Cushenberry-Burrello (Ed.S.’09, Ed.D.’12)
Retired Superintendent of Schools
MSD Warren Township
Judith A. DeMuth (Ed.D.’99)
Superintendent of Schools
Monroe County Community School Corporation
James B. Luther (Ph.D.’92)
Owner & President
Luther Consulting, LLC
Frederick A. Taylor, Jr. (B.S.’73)
Administrator
Zephyrhills Health & Rehabilitation Center

Brady Barr, PhD (BS’87)
Children’s Book Author & Educator/herpetologist/owner
Eco Adventures Nature Center
Saisuree Chutikul, EdD (MS’57, EdD’62)
Chairperson/Member of multiple National Committees in Thailand
Country of Thailand
Ted S. Hasselbring, EdD (BS’71, EdD’79)
Professor of Special ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Vanderbilt University
Edson W. Sample (MS’71)
Retired Director for Financial Aid
Indiana University

Kimberly L. King-Jupiter, PhD (MS’93, PhD’98)
Special Assistant for Research Initiatives
Division of Research and Sponsored Programs
Tennessee State University
Angela M. McNelis, PhD, RN (MS’90)
Professor and Associate Dean for Scholarship, Innovation, and Clinical Science
George Washington University School of Nursing
A.Y. “Fred” Ramirez, PhD (PhD’99)
Professor of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, Concordia University, Irvine
Executive Director of EdActs Global
Elizabeth J. Whitt (PhD’88)
Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Professor in Sociology
University of California, Merced

Robert E. Draba, PhD, JD (BS'68)
Trial Attorney, Antitrust Division
United States Department of Justice
Washington, DC
Peggy A. Hinckley, EdD (BS'74)
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøal Consultant, School Improvement
Retired Superintendent
R. Elizabeth Odle (MS'74)
Retired Program Director, Bridges to Success
United Way of Central Indiana
Pat Wilson (BS'71, MS'77)
Department Chair and Teacher
Bloomington High School North

Richard E. Bishop, EdD (BS'61, MS'71, EdD'77) Retired, Executive Assistant to the President
Indiana University Foundation

Shaun R. Harper, PhD (MS'00, PhD'03)
Associate Professor and Executive Director
Center for the Study of Race and Equity in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

Jann Keenan, EdS (MS'79, EdS'80)
Instructional Designer for Health Literacy/Health Equity
The Keenan Group, Inc.

Stanley Warren, EdD (EdS'71, EdD'73)
Retired Dean, Academic Affairs and Professor of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
DePauw University

Abdul Farouk Ahmed (MS'79)
Consultant, Human Resources and Organizational Change & Managing Director, ICC Consultants Centre

Maurice C. Daniels, EdD (BA'72, MS'75, EdD'82)
Dean and Professor, Senior Researcher and Executive Producer, University of Georgia, School of Social Work

David A. Lepkojus (BS'74)
Head Teacher/Supervisor, Counselor, Administrator, Bureau of Indian ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, United States Department of the Interior, Many Farms High School

Dr. Victor A. Smith (MS'72, EdD'77)
Retired, Associate Director, Indiana Urban School Association

Patricia A. Payne (BS'64, MS'75)
Director, Crispus Attucks Museum

Gerald O. Thompkins, Ph.D. (BS'70, MS'77)
Director, STEM ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Research Center, Kent State University

James E. Weigand (EdD'64)
Dean Emeritus, School of Continuing Studies, Indiana University

Christine O. Cheney (EdD'84)
Dean and Professor of Special ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
University of Nevada College of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

W. Rob Foshay (PhD'77)
Director, Research for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøal Technology Group
Texas Instruments

James D. Mervilde (MS'81, Spclst'86, EdD'00)
Retired Superintendent
MSD of Washington Township, Indianapolis

Douglas Harris (MS'64, EdD'68)
Retired, Vice President, Knight Ridder Corporation

Earlene Holland (EdS'80)
Retired, Associate Provost, Oakland City University

Keith Jepsen (EdD'84)
President, Global Student Loan Corporation

Youngsoo Kim (PhD'83)
Director, Institute for Teaching & Learning, Ewha Women’s University, Seoul Korea

YoungHwan Kim (PhD'94)

Joseph Russell (MS'68, EdD'70)

H.A.R. Tilaar (MA'66, EdD'67)

Dennis C. Hayes (BS'74, JD'77)

Rodney P. Kirsch (MS'82)

Hazel R. Tribble (MA'75)

B. James Dawson (EdD'84)

Michael Hanes (BS'70, MS'72, PhD'73)

Nathaniel Jones (BS'73, MS'77, Spclst'82)

Patricia Lather (PhD'83)

Bonita S. Beaumont (BS'76)

Carole L. Hahn (EdD'73)

Sharon Robinson Kurpius (PhD'78)

Victor Boschini (EdD'89)

Dale Fuqua (PhD'80)

Sivasailam Thiagarajan (PhD'71, MS'70)

Rick Crosslin (MS'81)

Bonnie Litwiller (MAT'65, EdD'68)

Cynthia Witterhold Cleveland (BS'74, MS'76)

Thomas D. Oakland (MS '65, PhD'67)

Toby Strout (MS'74, PhD'91)

Yvonna S. Lincoln (EdD'78)

Nancy L. Roser (MS'70, EdD'70)

Adeng Chaedar Alwasilah | PhD'91, MS'87

Sue Marquis Bishop | PhD'83, MS'67
Arthur W. DeCabooter | EdD'71, MS'69

S. Kern Alexander | EdD'65
E. Scott Huebner | BS'76, MS'77, PhD'83
Earline Rogers | BS'57 MS'71
Jimmy Ross | EdD'76

Joan Kowal | MS'74, EdD'86
Charlie Nelms | MS'71, EdD'77

James Chung - Yuan Wang | MS'77
Judith A. Fraps | BS'69
Lynn Luckow | MS'74
Paula M. Rooney MS'75, EdD'78

Jack Humphrey | MS'56, EdD'62
Ronda Talley | PhD'79

James Lyons | MS'56, EdD'63
Sylvia Swinton | MS'42, EdD'56
Lawrence Tyree | EdD'72

Myron Coulter | MS'59, EdD'59
Francis Mustapha | MS'73, Spcist Ed'79

Jerrold Kemp | EdD'56
Samuel Robinson | EdD'74
Beverly Simone | MS'73, EdD'86

Ida G. Medlyn | BS'49, MS'66, EdD'79
Louis C. Stamatakos | BS'50, MS'51, EdD'58
Valora Washington | PhD'78

James D. Beck | BS'50, MS'51, EdD'59
Margaret Ellen Jay | BS'68, MS'69
Beeman N. Phillips | MS'50, EdD'54
Doris A. Trojcak | MS'68, EdD'69
Janice Farmer Weaver | BS'53, MS'57, EdD'64
Kenneth Woodruff | BS'55, MS'56

Madeline Marcelia Garvin | BS'73
Thomas L. Good | MS'67, PhD'68
G. Thomas Houlihan | BS'72
Sharon Burmeister Lord | MA'68, PhD'70
Anita Medsker | BS'75, MS'78

Karl Hertz | EdD'73
James Mecklenburger | EdD'75
Maggie Samudio | BS'76, MA'82

Harmon Baldwin | EdD'68
Jacqueline Greenwood | MS'72
Gary Quehl | MS'62, EdD'65

Russell L. Abel | EdD'71
Helen Layman Hollingsworth | MS'63
Mohammad Abdulqadir Yousuf | MS'54, PhD'56

H. Dean Evans | EdD'66
Marilyn Sue Kesler | EdD'64

Emily Feistritzer | PhD'73
W. James Popham | EdD'58

K. Forbis Jordan | EdD'61
WesleyJ. Lyda | PhD'43
Sue Hays Talbot | BS'66, MS'71, EdD'92

Helen Blackledge | BS'30
Phil Eskew | MS'33
Robert Freeman | BS'57, MS'59, EdD'65

Gene Schwilck | EdD'56

Dolores Hernandez | EdD'60

Philip Peak | PhD'55

Austin Walker | MS'48

Harry Davidson | MS'37

Fay Arganbright | MS'46