The following alumni have been recognized with the Alumnus of the Year Award in recognition of the honor they bring to the Alumni Association and George Mason University through his or her professional or personal achievement, outstanding service to the community, involvement in the life of the university, and recognition with awards and honors.
2007 |
Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda
MEd '73, MA English '79, PhD Education '83
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Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda is a painter, sculptor, and educator. As a poet and painter, her work has earned widespread recognition across the Commonwealth and beyond. As an educator, she taught in Fairfax County Public Schools for 31 years before her retirement. In 1983 Kreiter-Foronda received the first doctoral degree awarded by Mason. In 2006 she was appointed Virginia's poet laureate by Governor Timothy Kaine. Prior to that, in 1992, she was named a Virginia cultural laureate by then-Governor Douglas Wilder for her contributions to American Literature. Among her many honors are three Artist-in-Education grants and an Arts-on-the-Road grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, three Pushcart Prize nominations, an Edgar Allan Poe first place poetry award, a National Scholastic Teacher Portfolio Award, and an Outstanding Scholarship and Service Award from Mason. Her poems and writings appear in such publications as Nimrod International Journal, The Ledge, Dominion Review, Hispanic Culture Review, Prairie Schooner, Antioch Review, and The Journal of Teaching Writing. She has four books of poetry to her credit: Contrary Visions, Gathering Light, Death Comes Riding, and Greatest Hits. In addition, her paintings have been exhibited throughout Virginia in schools, libraries, universities, and public and private art galleries. Kreiter-Foronda and her husband, Patricio, live in Hardyville, Virginia. |
2006 |
D. Jean Wu
MS Information Systems '87
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D. Jean Wu serves as group vice president with Anteon, a company that in 2002 acquired an information technology company, Integrated Management Services Inc., that she founded. She had previously served as a manager with Irving Burton Associates, a management consulting firm and, before that, she was a staff assistant to the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Wu came to the United States from Taiwan at age 14. She earned her undergraduate degree in marketing at the University of Virginia and her master’s degree in information science at Mason. Wu has been actively involved with Mason since 1998. She serves as secretary of the Board of Trustees of the George Mason University Foundation and as a member of the university’s Minority Advisory Board. She has been a member of the university’s Board of Visitors since 2005. In addition, Wu has been a long-standing supporter of charitable and educational organizations in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including the Close Up Foundation, Virginia Hospital Center, Heads Up, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, and Best Friends Foundation. Her past honors include the Immigrant Achievement Award from the American Immigration Law Foundation and the Virginia Small Business Person of the Year from the U.S. Small Business Administration. |
2005 |
Edward J. Newberry
BA Communication '84
BS Business Administration '84
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Edward J. Newberry received both his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication, with recognition and distinction from George Mason University in 1984. Since then Mr. Newberry has excelled in his support of the university as well as achieving excellence in his career. He co-chaired the Annual Fund Committee from 1998 to 2003, served as chair of the President's Circle from 2001-2002, and chaired the Alumni Leadership Campaign Steering Committee from 2002 to 2003, helping to engage a significant number of alumni in the university's first comprehensive campaign. In addition, he has served on the Advisory Board of the National Center for Technology and Law through Mason's School of Law. Mr. Newberry's commitment to Mason has not only shown through his personal service but through his exceptional ability to create new advocates for the university. |
2004 |
Zainab Salbi-Atallah
BIS Individualized Studies '96 |
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Ms. Salbi received her Bachelor’s of Individualized Studies in 1996. In 1993, while still a student at Mason she created Women for Women International, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women victims of war move from crisis and poverty to self-sufficiency. Under her leadership, this organization has flourished. Assisting women in 10 countries it has provided nearly $10 million in direct assistance and loans to more than 20,000 women and 90,000 family members. Continuously recognized for her outstanding work she has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and was honored by President Clinton for her humanitarian work in Bosnia. Ms. Salbi has given time back to the university as well by serving as a guest lecturer in Women’s Studies courses. |
2003 |
J. Gregory Bedner
BS Business Administration '76
JD '83 |
2002 |
Michael G. Anzilotti
MBA '83
LHD '03 |
2001 |
Julie A. Holdren
BS Computer Science '94 |
2000 |
Teresa M. Klaassen
BS Business Administration '77 |
1999 |
Jonathan C. Thacher
JD '80 |
1998 |
Thomas J. Webb
BS Business Administration '74
MBA '77 |
1997 |
Lovey L. Hammel
BS Marketing '88 |
1996 |
Katherine K. Clark
MBA '95 |
1995 |
Susan Rook
BA Communication '81 |
1994 |
Barbara Esstman
MFA Creative Writing '87 |
1993 |
Rob Muzzio
BS Decision Science '87 |
1992 |
Camille T. Barry
MSN Nursing '86
PhD Nursing Administration '89 |
1991 |
James S. Corrigan
BIS Individualized Studies '81 |
1990 |
S. Anna Kondratos
MBA '81 |
1989 |
Jay W. Marsh
BS Business Administration '73 |
1988 |
Ray F. Smith
BA Business Administration '70
BS Business Administration '70 |
1987 |
James W. Hazel
JD '84 |
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Bruce Johnson
BS Biology '70 |
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Mariann Johnson
BS Biology '71 |
1986 |
Richard C. Bausch
BA English '74 |
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Dennis C. Daley
BS Social Work '75 |
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Judith M. Garcia
MEd '77 |
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Kathleen S. Katz
BA Government & Politics '79 |
1985 |
M. Constance Bedell
BA Government & Politics '79 |
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Nancy Zimmerman
BA English '70 |
1984 |
Frances F. Batchelder
MEd '78 |
1983 |
Gilbert L. Sager
BA History '69 |
1982 |
Carl F. Henrickson
BS Business Administration '74 |
1981 |
Joann P. DiGennaro
JD '80 |
1980 |
Elizabeth G. Clements
BA Government & Politics '79 |
1979 |
James W. McCarthy
BS Public Administration '75 |
1978 |
Elbert J. Jarvis II
BS Business Administration '74 |
1977 |
Anita L. Capps
BA Sociology '72 |
1976 |
Michael A. Alexander
BA Biology '69 |
