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Perspectives
Perspectives
by Becky Allen ‘07
Living the mission with distinction

Alumni Awards

(Photo: (l. to r.) Dr. Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D. '17, Martha Rohde, O.P. '69, Elizabeth Dunn, O.P. '70, Eileen (Dhooghe) McIltrot '78, Diane Ballweg '75, MA '07.)

2019 Alumni Awards

These five extraordinary individuals were honored recently at the 2019 Alumni Awards Ceremony, held on campus in October. Prior to the ceremony in Anderson Auditorium, the five toured campus and visited with students – and in some cases reconnected with friends and fellow alum who they hadn’t seen in decades.

The Distinguished Alumni Award acknowledges the accomplishments of an alum who has achieved excellence in his or her professional career and has demonstrated a commitment of ethical leadership, service, and search for truth. The Dominican Mission Award recognizes an alum who has shown a commitment to social justice or a history of extraordinary volunteer service in the community, country, or the world. The Promise Award recognizes an alum, 40 years of age or younger, who is an emerging leader and has achieved a high level of success through professional accomplishments and service to his or her alma mater or community.

Diane Ballweg ’75, MA ’07

Diane Ballweg ’75, MA ’07 received the Distinguished Alumni Award. Ms. Ballweg has served all corners of Greater Madison through engagement on more than 30 nonprofit boards—organizations ranging from those advancing support for women, to serving local arts and culture programs, to educational initiatives.  She was previously honored at Edgewood College when benefactors and friends named the “Diane Ballweg Theatre” in her honor for her leadership and generosity to so many cultural and arts organizations across Madison.

Eileen (Dhooghe) McIltrot '78

Eileen (Dhooghe) McIltrot ’78, received the Distinguished Alumni Award for a professional life marked by her devotion to compassionate care and social justice. She helped introduce early ideas of hospice care to nursing home settings in Wisconsin and in Minnesota. Her ministry led her throughout the eastern half of the United States, and ultimately to Florida where her work with immigrant populations brought Catholic Charities to the community, a new multi-dimensional social services center, and established innovative programs for advocacy, education, community collaboration, and direct services. She is in private practice as a licensed psychotherapist, serves on numerous nonprofit boards, works with families in high conflict divorce cases, and is a health care proxy for the Lee Health System in Fort Myers, Florida.

Martha Rohde, O.P. ‘69 and Elizabeth Dunn, O.P. ’70

Dominican Mission Award recipients are Martha Rohde, O.P. ‘69 and Elizabeth Dunn, O.P. ’70. Sr. Rohde and Sr. Dunn have committed their vocation and lives to the education of children of migrant and service industry labor in Florida. Together, in partnership, they put their strengths to tremendous benefit at Hope Rural School in Indiantown, Florida; Sr. Rohde serves as Principal of the school, Sr. Elizabeth as Director. As lifelong educators, they have also started an endowment fund for their graduates to afford to attend a local community college. The fund generates enough each year to support students seeking help with tuition, books, and room and board.

Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D. ’17

The Promise Award recipient is Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D. ’17. Dr. Senn-Carter is a Professor of Homeland Security and Criminal Justice at Anne Arundel Community College, and serves as a Councilmember of the City of Bowie, Maryland. He is a nationally recognized leader with more over 15 years of comprehensive experience including K-12 education, higher education, and public and private sector work.  He serves as an advisor, volunteer, and mentor, and is the founder of three scholarship awards. More recently, he is the recipient of the League of Innovations Excellence Award for academic leadership and innovation, given by the League for Innovation in the Community College, an international nonprofit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment.

Do you know of a graduate of Edgewood College who should be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Dominican Mission Award, or the Promise Award?

Please let us hear from you by filling out this simple online form. Please submit your nominations for the 2020 Awards by February 14, 2020.