Anna Johnson-Winegar '76

A microbiologist who is an expert in chemical and biological defense, Anna Johnson-Winegar is a deserving recipient of the Distinguished Alumna/us Award for Career Achievement, which is given to an alumna or alumnus who has made significant professional contributions to society. Anna has represented the U.S. government as part of two U.N. inspection teams in Iraq; was a member of the NATO Panel for Human Factors and Medicine; was a member of the Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding; and served on several government panels and advisory groups to Israel, Chile, Great Britain and Canada on community health and military matters. She has testified before Congress on numerous occasions on chemical and biological matters, homeland defense and public health.

In 1998 Anna was honored by Women in Science and Engineering with the Lifetime Achievement Award and with a certificate of appreciation in 1991 from the Joint Chiefs of Staff for her contribution during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Of her role during the two Middle East operations, Colin Powell said, “The Nation owes you a debt of gratitude.”

In addition to her distinguished government service career, Anna has been a volunteer with the American Cancer Society for more than 30 years, including serving as president of the Maryland and mid-Atlantic divisions, secretary and treasurer of the national board of directors and vice chair of the national organization. She will become chair of the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society in November. For her efforts, she was awarded the St. George Medal, the most prestigious honor afforded to American Cancer Society volunteers. John R. Seffrin, the society’s chief executive officer, described Anna as a “tireless advocate of our efforts to eradicate cancer as a major public health threat on a global scale.” Anna has served in numerous leadership roles in her church, is a member of the Torch Club of Frederick and is a member of the Hood President’s Club.

Anna holds a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Hood and a master’s and doctorate in microbiology from The Catholic University of America.

The Distinguished Alumna/us Award is awarded annually to an alumna or alumnus who has made significant professional and/or volunteer contributions to society.

Eleanor Gambrill Bowers '46

A Distinguished Alumna/us Award for Community Service is presented to Eleanor Gambrill Bowers ’46 for her significant volunteer contributions to the Frederick community. She was nominated for this award by 22 of her classmates, including Ann Brandenburg Walsh who said, “Eleanor is loyal, considerate, loving and giving of herself, her time and her talents. She upholds and nourishes the values of home, family and community, and exemplifies the qualities stipulated for this award.”

Since 1969 she has been active with Frederick Memorial Hospital, serving as a trustee on various committees and in leadership positions, including vice president. Carl Weakley, chair of the FMH Board of Trustees from 1973-1981, said, “Eleanor was deeply committed to the hospital and to its role in the community. I would have loved to have had a whole board of Eleanor Bowers to work with.” Eleanor is also a lifetime member of the Garden Club of Frederick and has served as the club’s president, as chair of the board of the Record Street Retirement Home and as a longtime member of the church council and pulpit committee for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick.

Her vision and skills have been instrumental in the successful restoration and rejuvenation of several important buildings in downtown Frederick, including: Brewer’s Alley Restaurant and Brewery, formerly the Opera House; Isabella’s, formerly Hendrickson’s department store; and Acacia, as well as G. Hunter’s Restaurant and Raw Bar at the VFW Country Club. All have been showcases for Eleanor’s professional design and decoration skills.

In addition to her volunteer contributions to the Frederick community and her design work for the family businesses, she has served Hood by leading reunion planning efforts on behalf of her class. She and her husband have often opened their home during reunion weekend to entertain class members.

Eleanor and her family have been active and generous supporters of Hood. Two of her children, Virginia and Philip, are Hood graduates and are the first brother and sister to graduate in the same year; her sister, niece, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are all Hood alumnae; Eleanor, her mother-in-law, grandfather, father, husband and father-in-law served on the board on trustees; and Philip now serves on the board of associates.

Eleanor earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She has five children, most of whom live in the Frederick area, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

The Distinguished Alumna/us Award is awarded annually to an alumna or alumnus who has made significant professional and/or volunteer contributions to society.

Susan Peters Roetzel Wirths '56

Described by a fellow classmate as “our most loyal alum,” Susan Peters Roetzel Wirths ’56 is most deserving of the Excellence in Alumnae and Alumni Service Award, which is given to an alumna or alumnus who has shown continuing loyalty and outstanding service to Hood College. For 50 years Sue has volunteered for the Frederick Hood College Club, the Class of 1956 and for the College in many capacities. She has held a variety of offices and chaired many projects for the Frederick County Hood College Club. She has been indispensable to her class serving as the treasurer and class reunion chair for many of their reunions. For the alumnae and alumni association, she served on and chaired the Awards Committee and the Alumnae Headquarters Committee, provided hospitality for Reunion Weekend and made countless calls for phonathon. For three years she worked with Nancy Nolf on Hood’s centennial committee, where her expertise in antiques and textiles was instrumental in developing the impressive centennial displays in Rosenstock Hall. She also assisted with the installation of the Claire McCardell exhibit at the Maryland Historical Society and the Frederick Historical Society.

A biology major, Sue returned to Hood to work on a certificate in early childhood education, which she earned in 1969, and in 1979 she earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from the College. Initially hired by Frederick County Public Schools to substitute for a first grade teacher on maternity leave, she taught kindergarten through second grade for more than 20 years. Since retiring, she has substituted extensively in the county schools and has done some private tutoring.

She has been active in the Frederick community with her church, including serving as the chair of the committee to hire a new priest and working with home-bound parish members. When her children were young, she volunteered for the scouts and 4-H, two of the many community organizations that have benefited from Sue’s knowledge, organization and generous service.

The Excellence in Alumnae and Alumni Service Award is awarded annually to an alumna or alumnus who has shown continuing loyalty and outstanding service to Hood College.

Rachel Paine Caufield '95

As this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Recent Alumna/us Award, Rachel Paine Caufield ’95 is an example of an alumna or alumnus who has demonstrated competence and achievement in either professional or community life within 15 years of leaving the College. Rachel was selected on the basis of her work as an assistant professor of politics and international relations at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and as the research and program consultant for the American Judicature Society’s Hunter Center for Judicial Selection.

A native of Scotia, N.Y., Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and political science from Hood and a doctorate from The George Washington University’s Department of Political Science in Washington, D.C. In 2000-2001, she was awarded a prestigious research fellowship at the Brookings Institution, also in Washington, D.C.

Since arriving at Drake in 2001, Rachel has been actively engaged in teaching, scholarship, mentorship and service. She has been awarded several research grants at Drake and has served on several of the College’s committees, including the Honors Advisory Board; the Law, Politics and Society Advisory Board; the Arts and Sciences Council; and the Faculty Cabinet. As an active scholar, she has presented papers at numerous academic conferences and has had articles published or under review for publication in several academic journals and law reviews. She is also the author of two forthcoming book chapters and is currently working on a book manuscript. She often serves as a media commentator and is frequently called upon to address conferences and symposia around the country about issues surrounding judicial selection and judicial selection reform. In 2004 she was a moderator on an academic panel along with the former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. In her spare time she volunteers for the Iowa Democratic Party, the Animal Rescue League of Central Iowa and Planned Parenthood of Central Iowa.

Rachel credits Hood with helping her choose a career and models her teaching style after those of her undergraduate professors at Hood. She says, “The biggest professional criticism my colleagues make is that I spend too much time with students.” But Rachel is intent on giving back to the academic community what was given to her at Hood. “I know, firsthand, the value of meaningful, one-on-one interaction, and I know that it can have a significant impact on a student’s life,” she explains. A classmate, writing in support of her nomination, says Rachel has “devoted most of the last decade to striving to become the kind of professor of excellence that inspired us both at Hood.”

The Outstanding Recent Alumna/us Award is reserved for an alumna or alumnus who has demonstrated competence and achievement in either professional or community life within 15 years of leaving the College.