“Award/Recognition” Class Notes
Steven Lowe (Col ’72)
Steven Lowe (Col ’72) has been appointed to the board of directors of American Atheists. He is a longtime member of the board of directors of Washington Area Secular Humanists. After graduation from the University, he served in the Peace Corps in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He later earned an MBA from George Washington University and worked for U.S.-based telephone companies for 20 years. Mr. Lowe is active in the freethought/humanist movement and has published articles about “The Great Agnostic” Robert Ingersoll. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Joseph Cipp (Educ ’72)
Joseph Cipp (Educ ’72) was inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his decorated career as football coach for Bellport High School in Brookhaven, on Long Island. He also received the National Football Foundation Honor Award in 2007. Mr. Cipp retired as head coach in 2011.
James Broder (Col ’68 CM)
James Broder (Col ’68 CM) was recognized in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA for his energy and natural resources practice. Mr. Broder is a shareholder in the law firm of Bernstein Shur. He works in the firm’s Portland, Maine, office, focusing on energy transmission and microgrid development, in addition to affordable housing.
Donald Slesnick (Col ’65 CM)
Donald Slesnick (Col ’65 CM) has received the 2016 American Bar Association Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Slesnick is managing partner of Slesnick & Casey in Coral Gables, Florida. He has been in private practice since 1976 and has held labor relations positions with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Miami-Dade Police Department. Mr. Slesnick has received numerous other awards, including the ABA Distinguished Service Award and the U.S. Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Award. In 2011, he concluded 10 years as the mayor of Coral Gables.
Edward Bedford (Col ’79 CM)
Edward Bedford (Col ’79 CM) has been named a “hometown hero” by radio station WCHL in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was recognized for his volunteer work as a director and former president of Extraordinary Ventures, a charity that provides vocational opportunities for adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, and for his volunteer work as scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 820.
James Terpening (Col ’87)
James Terpening (Col ’87), a special agent with the U.S. Department of Justice, received an On-the-Spot Award for his innovative “Active Shooter Response” training course. Mr. Terpening, who has been with the DOJ since 1992 and is assigned to the Richmond office, first qualified as a firearms and tactical instructor in 2005, and was a member of the Rifle and Pistol Club at the University.
Brian Drummond (Col ’81 CM)
Brian Drummond (Col ’81 CM) received a 2016 Golden Gavel Award from the Fairfax Law Foundation. The awards recognize exceptional service to the Northern Virginia community.
Shawn Carter (Col ’82 CM)
Shawn Carter (Col ’82 CM) received the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Lifetime Achievement Award in January 2016 and the organization’s Silver Star Award in April 2016 in recognition of her 34 years of community service and commitment to excellence in scholarship and communication. Founded in 1908, AKA is the first Greek-lettered sorority established in America by black college women. In spring 2016 Ms. Grain Carter was a visiting scholar and professor in China, where she taught digital marketing strategies for global fashion brands. She teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Karen Snyder (Col ’83)
Karen Snyder (Col ’83) received the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association. The designation is conferred on professional speakers with a strong record of speaking experience, as well as a commitment to ongoing education, outstanding client service and ethical behavior. Ms. Snyder is the founder of Concordia Consulting, a human resources consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.
Barry Morris (Engr ’80 CM)
Barry Morris (Engr ’80 CM) has received a 2016 Charles Pedersen Award from DuPont. The award recognizes outstanding technical achievements and innovation. Mr. Morris works in polymers and process modeling for DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware, and has developed predictive models for films used in food packaging that let clients minimize the cost and weight of product packaging while maintaining function.
Wayne McGrew (Col ’80 CM)
Wayne D. “Dan” McGrew III (Col ’80 L/M) was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers during the Oct. 24, 2013, ACTL meeting in San Francisco. He is a partner in the Atlanta office of Carlock Copeland & Stair, a civil litigation defense firm, where he specializes in medical malpractice, nursing home liability, products liability, premises liability, construction and motor vehicle and trucking claims.
Mary Ann Della Valle (Grad ’74)
Mary Ann Lafferty Della Valle (Grad ’74) received Salve Regina University’s Alumni Achievement Award during the school’s 2013 reunion weekend. In 2010, she retired as an associate professor from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, where she dedicated her career to teaching nursing students and conducting research in the department of genetics. She received numerous awards for her innovative teaching and commitment to her students, including the University of Pennsylvania Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. Ms. Della Valle also helped establish a scholarship for nursing students in Penn’s residential Pre-Freshman Program.
Laurie Abeel (Educ ’99, Grad ’89)
Laurie Bassin Abeel (Grad ’89, Educ ’99) received the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award from the University of Mary Washington. She is an associate professor of graduate education and program director for advanced licensure. She is also the affiliate director of Destination ImagiNation Virginia.
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