AU’s 2011 Alumni Award reception on Oct. 22 in Katzen Arts Center honored four notable alumni, including “Meet the Press” host David Gregory, who was presented with the Alumni Achievement Award.
The award recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves through their professional accomplishments, according to Tara Lang, director of alumni programs.
Gregory graduated from AU’s School of International Service in 1992 and is a member of the SIS Dean’s Advisory Council. He was previously honored as SIS Alumnus of the Year in 2005, according to Lang.
The new Alumni Eagle Award was given to Class of 1989 alumni Brian Keane. The award honors an alumnus who specifically provided service for the University’s Alumni Association.
Keane is the president of SmartPower, a nationwide nonprofit marketing campaign dedicated to promoting clean, renewable energy. Kean is also a former president of the AU Alumni Board, and he continues to serve on the board today.
“Mr. Keane is an invaluable contributor to our Alumni Association and to the Kennedy Political Union,” Lang said. “He has given countless hours of time and energy to AU.”
Keane said he is humbled and proud to receive the award.
“We’ve been giving out awards for years and I had no idea how big of an honor it was until I got an award,” he said.
Keane says he is so invested in AU because the University provided him with incredible support, both as a student and an alumnus.
“AU sincerely believed that if I did well, AU did well,” he said. “They are really invested in their students and they don’t see them solely as people passing through for four years.”
This year’s Alumni Recognition Award was given to CAS/BA ’76 and SPA/MS ’78 alumni Karen Bune, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences. The award recognized an alumnus who has gone above and beyond in service to others outside of the university.
Bune is a victim’s specialist in the Domestic Violence Unit of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County in Md. She is also a nationally recognized speaker on domestic violence, Lang said.
The Rising Star Award recognizes young alumni who have received their undergraduate degree within the last 10 years and who are already making significant contributions to greater society through professional or philanthropic work.
This year the award was given to Class of 2007 alumni Talilia Lewis, a graduate of the School of Public Affairs. Lewis founded the D.C.-based nonprofit organization Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf. She also co-founded the nonprofit organization Deaf Community Friends of the D.C. Public Library.
Lewis said it feels amazing to win the Rising Star Award.
“It certainly empowers me to continue the work I’m doing,” she said.
Her advice to students is to see AU as a place full of opportunities.
“Don’t limit yourself, be open to new opportunities,” Lewis said. “Students have the tools in them to change the world. The small things, such as smiling as a homeless person, can have a huge positive impact on people.”
AU has held this Alumni Reception event every year since 1948.
“Last year was the first time we had a stand-alone event,” Lang said. “Before 2010, the event was folded into another event of All-American Weekend.”
Lang said the AU Alumni Board runs a specific process to choose each year’s recipients. AU called potential nominees in March, and each nominee had to submit a nominee form, a one- to three-page statement establishing candidate qualifications and letters of recommendation.
“The purpose of this reception is to honor alumni who epitomize high achievement and philanthropy,” Lang said. “We have so many outstanding alumni, so it’s really the cream of the crop who receive the awards.”
