Alumni Awards
The Alumni Relations Office celebrates the accomplishments and dedication of individuals who embody the mission of the university. The annual alumni, staff, and faculty awards of Cornerstone University and Cornerstone Theological Seminary recognize outstanding members of our community who have achieved success in their personal and professional lives and who have distinguished themselves through service to the university, their communities and throughout the world.
Alumnus of the Year
The Alumnus of the Year Award is intended to recognize the faithful service of a Cornerstone alumnus or alumna. This award is presented to alumni who have made significant contributions in the world for Christ and who are graduates of at least 10 years.
Recipients of the Alumnus of the Year award must also meet these requirements:
- Profession: The Alumnus/a of the Year award is intended to honor the achievement and service of alumni from a variety of professional fields. Careful consideration will be given to alumni of all professions and fields of ministry.
- Influence: The influence that an individual has through his and/or her faith and calling are priority considerations for this award. Generally, candidates will have demonstrated the ability to influence society, having reflected values of academic excellence and community investment.
- Character and Reputation: Candidates for the award possess a reputation for godly character, with a daily pursuit of Christ-centered thinking and living.
- Achievement: Individual achievements and professional influence are given careful attention, having made such accomplishments while maintaining a Christ-honoring perspective in every aspect of life. This includes academic achievement, professional positions, ministry roles, board service and other forms of leadership.
Faculty Hall of Honor
Established in 2002, the Faculty Hall of Honor recognizes the contribution of current and previous faculty members. The impact of these “life-changers” is still felt by their students, and God has been glorified in all of it, the most significant measure of success.
Inductees of the Faculty Hall of Honor must meet these requirements:
- Minimum 15 years of service.
- Significant achievement in field of study and advancement in learning.
- Faithful support of Cornerstone.
- Ability to effectively communicate in the classroom.
- Active involvement in students’ lives.
- Active involvement in campus activities.
- Demonstrated leadership involving positive change at Cornerstone.
- Involvement in the community.
Staff Hall of Honor
Established in 2016, the Staff Hall of Honor recognizes individuals who have been made significant contributions to the success of this institution throughout its history. The Staff Hall of Honor pays tribute to past and longtime current administrators of staff members for their uncompromising dedication, tireless service and unfailing commitment to the school and its students. Current or former presidents of these institutions and current or former faculty members are not eligible for this award.
Inductees of the Staff Hall of Honor must meet these requirements:
- Minimum 10 years of service.
- Significant achievement in their area of service to the university.
- Faithful support of Cornerstone.
- Impact in students’ lives.
- Active involvement in campus activities.
- Demonstrated leadership involving positive change at Cornerstone.
- Involvement in the community.
Award Recipients
The Cornerstone Alumni Association annually honors individuals who have been the backbone, and the heart, of this institution throughout its history. Presented during Commencement, the awards recognize the accomplishments of distinguished Cornerstone University and Cornerstone Theological Seminary faculty members and alumni.
Year | Award | Honoree |
---|---|---|
2024 | Alumnus of the Year | Chaplain (Brigadier General) Jack J. Stumme (BRE ’91, M.Div. ’94) |
2023 | Traditional Undergraduate Alumnus of the Year | Jim Sprague (B.A. ’84) |
2023 | Grand Rapids Theological Seminary Alumnus of the Year | Dr. William J. Amstutz (MRE ’75) |
2022 | Traditional Undergraduate Alumnus of the Year | Kevin Shuneson (B.S. ’83) |
2022 | Grand Rapids Theological Seminary Alumnus of the Year | Rev. Samuel Greer Jr. (M.R.E. ’00) |
2022 | Professional & Graduate Studies Alumnus of the Year | Mark Johnson (MBA ’09) |
2021 | TUG Alumna of the Year | Dr. Stefanie Wise (B.S. ’06) |
2021 | GRTS Alumna of the Year | Anne Parpas (M.A. ’13) |
2021 | PGS Alumna of the Year | Shana Lewis |
2021 | Staff Hall of Honor | Kay Landrum |
2021 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Ned Keller |
2019 | GRTS Alumnus of the Year | Dr. Christopher Brauns (M.Div. ’93) |
2019 | Staff Hall of Honor | Carol Carpenter |
2019 | PGS Alumna of the Year | Carolyn Koole (B.S. ’99) |
2019 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Bill Riter |
2019 | TUG Alumnus of the Year | Matt Taylor (B.S. ’01, M.S. ’03) |
2018 | TUG Alumnus of the Year | Scott Korpak (B.A. ’93) |
2018 | GRTS Alumna of the Year | Cassandra Hankins (M.A. ’01) |
2018 | PGS Alumna of the Year | Kim Hiltunen (MBA ’09) |
2018 | Staff Hall of Honor | Gail Duhon |
2018 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Daniel Ehnis |
2017 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Gary T. Meadors |
2017 | TUG Alumna of the Year | Anna Rapa (B.A. ’00) |
2017 | Staff Hall of Honor | Colleen Smith (M.R.Ed. ’94) |
2017 | Staff Hall of Honor | Scott Stewart (B.A. ’87) |
2017 | GRTS Alumnus of the Year | Kyle Thompson (M.A. ’01) |
2017 | PGS Alumnus of the Year | Dennis Van Kampen (B.S. ’99, M.S. ’03) |
2016 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Lawrence J. Bos |
2016 | TUG Alumnus of the Year | Doug Busch (’93) |
2016 | Staff Hall of Honor | Keith DeBoer (B.A. ’78, M.Div. ’86) |
2016 | Staff Hall of Honor | Vi Hager (B.R.E. ’68) |
2016 | PGS Alumna of the Year | Julie Lepzinski (’12) |
2016 | GRTS Alumnus of the Year | Artie Lindsay (’04) |
2016 | Faculty Hall of Honor | David Turner |
2016 | Staff Hall of Honor | Cindy Wiltheiss (A.S. ’07) |
2015 | Alumna of the Year | Katya Covrett (’02) |
2015 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Judith Fabisch (B.A. ’77, B.A. ’83) |
2015 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Carla Fles |
2015 | Alumnus of the Year | Dr. Stan Jensen (’75, ’79) |
2015 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Mary Koscielniak (B.S. ’08) |
2015 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Andy Smith (B.A. ’77, M.Div. ’81) and Nancie Smith (CU ’75-77) |
2015 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Jeremy Underwood (B.A. ’05) |
2015 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Shannon Underwood (B.A. ’06) |
2015 | Alumnus of the Year | Wade Wyant (’02) |
2014 | Alumnus of the Year | Gary Anderson (’74) |
2014 | Alumnus of the Year | Kelly Bonewell (’03) |
2014 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Dave Damesworth (B.A. ’04) |
2014 | Faculty Hall of Honor | David Kennedy |
2014 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Brenda King |
2014 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Emily Knudson (B.A. ’06) |
2014 | Alumna of the Year | Senita Lenear (’06) |
2014 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Al Meredith (B.R.E. ’68) |
2014 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Cathi Powell (B.A. ’06) |
2014 | Athletic Hall of Honor | Derek Scott (B.S. ’07) |
2013 | Alumni Involvement | Kelly Ellis (’86-88) |
2013 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Professor Raymond “Gator” Gates |
2012 | Alumni Involvement | Penny Patterson (’66-68) |
2006 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Dwayne Cole |
2006 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Professor Joyce Horn |
2006 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Professor Ron Meyers |
2003 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Professor Gloria Baker |
2003 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Orpha Galloway |
2003 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Carol Hoch Jr. |
2003 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Ronald B. Mayers |
2003 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Richard N. Stewart |
2002 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Ralph Abuhl |
2002 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Paul Beals |
2002 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Joe Crawford |
2002 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Victor Matthews |
2002 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. John Wilson |
2002 | Faculty Hall of Honor | Dr. Leon Wood |
Alumnus of the Year | Ryan Davis (’04) | |
Alumna of the Year | Leslie Mosher (’04) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Jeffrey Halsted (’99, ’01) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Lee Geysbeek (’93) | |
Alumna of the Year | Jan VanDyke (’92, ’01) | |
Alumna of the Year | Anna Goodsell (’00) | |
Alumnus of the Year | William Rudd (’00) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Clifton Rhodes (’71, ’80, ’98) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Daniel Treier (’96, ’98) | |
Alumnus of the Year | David Livermore (’89, ’94) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Donna Messenger (’90) | |
Alumnus of the Year | John Maguire (’86) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Thomas Hutchison (’85) | |
Alumnus of the Year | James Ellis (’81, ’84) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Gordon Lindsay (’83) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Kevin Krass (’76, ’82) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Louis Konopka (’81) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Noe Palacios (’81) | |
Alumnus of the Year | John H. Lillis (’80) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Michael Goschka (’77) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Jack Horton (’77) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Mark Blocher (’76) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Ed Lewis (’76) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Scot McKnight (’76) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Lois Baker (’75) | |
Alumna of the Year | Brenda King (’72) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Jerry Sheveland (’72) | |
Alumna of the Year | Joyce Horn (’69) | |
Alumna of the Year | Lovila Hager (’68) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Daniel Wielhouwer (’68) | |
Alumna of the Year | Vivian Beals (’67) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Williams Commons (’65) | |
Alumnus of the Year | David Egner (’64) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Albert Joe Crawford (’63) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Dennis Muston (’63) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Charles Alber (’62) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Harry Ambacher (’61) | |
Alumnus of the Year | James Reese (’61) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Thomas Dolph (’60) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Fredric Carlson (’57) | |
Alumnus of the Year | John Venlet (’57) | |
Alumnus of the Year | William & Lois Carmichael (’56, ’54) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Errol Jameson (’56) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Gene Sickler (’56) | |
Alumna of the Year | Geraldine Walcott (’56) | |
Alumnus of the Year | David Jay Walsh (’56) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Joseph Balbach (’53) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Victor Matthews (’53) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Richard Sterkenburg (’53) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Paul Versluis (’53) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Orlan Wilhite (’53) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Jay & Jean Nauta (’52) | |
Alumnus of the Year | John H. Wilson (’52) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Harold Knickerbocker (’51) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Woodrow McCaleb (’51) | |
Alumnus of the Year | David Smith (’51) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Herbert Vanderlugt (’51) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Homer Baker (’50) | |
Alumna of the Year | Bonnie Matthews (’49) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Mr. & Mrs. Fordyce Hough (’46, ’47) | |
Alumna of the Year | Carolyn Hovingh (’46) | |
Alumnus of the Year | William Carmichael, Sr. (’45) | |
Alumnus of the Year | Guy King (’43) |