Distinguished Alumni Award
The 2021 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award is Valerie Saxton Sharpe '76, P'09.
Valerie was nominated for this award by a former student, a former peer at Frostburg State University, and her fellow Hood classmates. All cited her incredible dedication to teaching special education curriculum, and her focused career growth through the achievement of advanced degrees in the arena of K-12 special education. In addition to her extensive teaching career, including here at Hood from 1994-2008, Valerie’s active participation in multiple professional societies and government education agencies, as mentor, administrator, and advisor clearly demonstrate her dedication to bettering the educational opportunities for society’s most marginalized learners. Additionally, Valerie has co-authored a book on the topic of the brain’s executive function and its role in student success, and has had many articles published in educational journals. Though retired, Valerie continues to use her leadership skills in service to her neighborhood as VP of her community board, overseeing multiple projects to enhance the quality of life for all her neighbors.
2021 | Valerie Saxton Sharpe, '76, P'09 |
2020 | Linda J. Allan '70, M.S.'78 |
2019 | Cynthia F. Nofziger '79 |
2018 | Kim F. Hall '83, Ph.D. and Leslie A. Hawkins '73 |
2017 | Ellen B. Drogin Rodgers ’82, Ph.D. and Ashley Norris Barthlow ’92, DVM |
2016 | Peter W. Cha ’81, D.D.S. and Martha Thomas, M.D., ’71, P’99, P’09 |
2015 | Rev. Margaret Muncie '70 and Professor Aldan Weinberg '75 |
2014 | Mary Jo Sottile Manning '64, J.D., and Carolyn Cantagalli Dumaresq '69, Ed.D. |
2013 | Christine L. McHenry, M.D. '73 |
2012 | The Honorable Donald E. Beachley '77 and Lt. Colonel Virginia Procino Hartmann '72 |
2011 | Patricia Chapple Wright, Ph.D. '66, H '90 and Joan B. Gillece, Ph.D. '76 |
2010 | Ruth Whitaker Holmes, Ph.D. '55, H '93 and Portia Whitaker Shumaker '55 |
2009 | Carol Lumb Allen '59, Martha Shortiss Allen '59, Gayle Hamilton Blakeslee '59, Janet Hobbs Cotton '59, Edith Howard Hogan '59 and Nancy Rogers Huntsinger '59 |
2008 | Susan Warshaw Stinson '68, Ed.D., Harriet Fox Riehl '68 |
2007 | Susan Gearey Van Pelt '79, Judith Stohr Gavaler '61 |
2006 | Eleanor Gambrill Bowers '46, Anna Hart Johnson-Winegar '76 |
2005 | Nancy McAdams Baggett '65 |
2004 | Lois White Lowry '54 |
2003 | Phyllis Chamberlin Hutson '55 |
2002 | Jane Kulla Boorstein '49 |
2001 | Lois Vars Mason '51 |
2000 | Ruth Whitaker Holmes '55 |
1999 | Georgia Shank Vance '32 |
1998 | Doris Reininger DeHart '48 |
1997 | Bonnie Kloeblen Hagerman '66 |
1996 | Helvise Glessner Morse '46 |
1995 | F.Baird Wigton Lloyd '57 |
1994 | Dianne Beebe Barske '66 |
1993 | Patricia Kienzle Ross '65 |
1992 | Betty Pickell Cleaver '44 |
1991 | Ruth Duff Eager '41 |
1990 | Adamadia Deforest '55 |
1989 | Nancy Tressel Brown '57 |
1988 | Beryl Ann Pfizer '49 |
1987 | Eva Sayegh Teig '65 |
1986 | Anna May Wilson Hughes '39 |
1985 | M. Jacqueline McCurdy '55 |
1984 | Sally Herman Lunt '52 |
1983 | Mary Edith Tatem Williams '45 |
1982 | Margaret Grim Smith '28 |
1981 | Esther Hottenstein '29 |
1980 | Charlotte Baker King '10 |
Are you ready to say Hello?
Choose a Pathway
Information will vary based on program level. Select a path to find the information you're looking for!