The IU South Bend Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award presented by the IU Alumni Association South Bend Region. This award recognizes outstanding IU South Bend alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities and professions. Any living IU South Bend alum is eligible for nomination. The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented at IU South Bend's Night of the Titans.
Recognizing outstanding alumni
Alumni are invited to make nominations for IU South Bend's Distinguished Alumni Award
Make a nominationAward recipients
2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
Howard Dukes Jr., B.S. '91, M.L.S. '15
Howard Dukes Jr., B.A. '91 Journalism, M.L.S. '15 Liberal Studies, has spent his career sharing the community benefits of the arts. He worked as a reporter for the South Bend Tribune for more than 30 years and is senior writer and reviewer for Soultracks.com, a web site focusing on R&B music. Dukes has been involved with the South Bend alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi, the Civil Rights Heritage Center, the mentoring group "Leaders and Positive Role Models" and is founder of the community arts organization The Urban Arts Company.
Read More About Howard
Past recipients
2020s
2024 Randall E. Foster, B.S. '81
2023 Charles F. Nelson, M.S.Ed. '74
2022 Charlotte D. Pfeifer-Gillam, B.A '76, M.P.A. '81
2021 Diane Dudek Parmelee, B.S.N. ’84
2020 Michael L. Blakesley, B.A. ’74 (Mathematics)
2010s
2019 Robert H. Johnson, B.S. '79 (Business)
2018 Joseph A. Mancini, B.S. '78 (Business)
2017 Emil “Lucky” Reznik, M.S.B.A '76
2016 Frank K. Martin, M.S.B.A. '78, M.B.A. '92
2015 Jerry L. Thacker, M.S. '75 (Education)
2014 Isaac P. Torres, M.B.A. '00
2013 Christopher L. Craft, B.S. '89 (Business)
2012 Cheryl Little, B.A. '85 (Political Science), M.L.S. '09
2011 Christine Lauber, B.S. '70 (Business), M.S.B.A. '73, M.B.A. '89
2010 Michael J. Wargo, A.S. '81 (Criminal Justice), B.G.S. '82
2000s
2009 A. Bruce Burkart, B.S. '72 (Business)
2008 Kirk A. Root, M.S.B.A. '84, M.B.A. '89
2007 John J. Voorde, B.S. '68 (Business)
2006 Marsha P. Brook, M.S. '77 (Education)
2005 Larry E. Lentych, B.S. '69 (Business)
2005 Andre L. Anderson, B.A. '99 (Psychology)
2004 Charles R. Niemier, M.S.B.A. '83
2003 Jonathan W. Housand Jr., B.S. '69 (Business), M.B.A. '72
2002 Phyllis Wezeman, B.G.S '84, M.S. '90 (Education)
2001 Kurran Strunk, M.S. '98 (Education)
2000 Thomas N. Frederick, B.A. '70 (Political Science)
1990s
1999 Alma C. Powell, B.S. '70 (Education), M.S. '72 (Education)
1998 David Bloss Sr., B.S. '73 (Business)
1996 Katie Humphreys, M.S. '74 (Education)
1995 Fred S. Kahn, M.S.B.A. '75
1994 Michael P. Kube-McDowell, M.S. '81 (Education)
1993 Alan H. Hall, M.D., B.A. '73 (Sociology)
