DETROIT, Sept. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Marygrove College will award six alumnae with the Distinguished Alumni Award and a 2018 graduate the Distinguished Alumni of Tomorrow Award at the institution’s annual Distinguished Alumni Ceremony on Friday, September 16, at 7:00 p.m., in the Marygrove Theatre. This event is free and open to the public.

The recipients of these awards are Alice Baker, IHM (’59); Peggy (Margaret) Devaney, IHM (’64); Barbara Jean Nienstedt Buttell (’65); Kathleen Alessandro (’72); Lou (Koss) Moss (’73); and Camryn A. Washington (’18), who will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni of Tomorrow Award.

Alice Baker, IHM is a third generation Immaculate Heart of Mary nun, educator, co-founder of the Epiphany Education Center, and peace advocate. As a result of her peaceful demonstrations at the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance’s annual rally in Tennessee, she was jailed and held twice at the Anderson County Jail. Sister Alice lives in Harper Woods, MI.

Hamtramck resident Peggy (Margaret) Devaney, IHM, is the first female chaplain of the Oakland County Jail. She has chaired the National Catholic Correctional Chaplains Committee on Certification and updated and renewed the certification criteria for Catholic correctional chaplains in the United States.

Barbara Jean Nienstedt Buttell is the former president of the International Reading Association and has been nominated for the Christa McAuliffe Award for her work with special-needs students. Barbara lives in Las Vegas, NV.

Kathleen Alessandro is president of Energized Solutions LLC and serves as executive director for Great Start Collaborative-Wayne. She has provided technical assistance to program staff from Canada, Europe, Russia, and to members of the 1994 G-7 Economic Conference. She resides in Allen Park, MI.

Shelby Township resident Lou (Koss) Moss has served Clintondale Community Schools as both an educator and director of communications. She founded the Clinton Township Area Optimist Club and was appointed by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to the Macomb County Commission of Higher Education.

Camryn A. Washington was awarded Marygrove College’s DeVlieg Scholarship, the S. McCombs-Frederick P. Currier Writing Award, and the 2016 St. Catherine Medal/Marygrove College Scholarship. She lives in Southfield, MI.

Founded by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in 1905, Marygrove College is an independent liberal arts college and a Catholic institution of higher learning. 

 

CONTACT: CONTACT:
Renée Ahee
Phone: 313-927-1438
Email: [email protected]