Established by the Association to recognize individuals who have given extraordinary service both to NACUA and to institutions of higher learning over an extended period of time, whether in legal or other capacities (for example, as members of governing boards). Recipients have made outstanding contributions to the work of the Association, and to its recognition in the legal and educational professions.
Awardees
Please note that the hyperlinked biographies below reflect the recipient's background as of the year he or she received the honor or award.
R. Yvette Clark
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Southern New Hampshire University, 2024
Nicholas DiGiovanni, Jr.
Partner
Morgan Bown & Joy LLP, 2024
Stephanie J. Gold
Partner
Hogan Lovells US LLP, 2024
Laurence Pendleton
General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Trustees
Tennessee State University, 2024
Tara S. Sciscoe
Partner
Ice Miller LLP, 2024
Omar A. Syed
Vice President and General Counsel
Rice University, 2024
Ellen M. Babbitt
Partner
Husch Blackwell LLP, 2023
Charles K. Barber
Vice President and General Counsel
George Washington University, 2023
Traevena Byrd
Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary to the Board
American University, 2023
Andrew C. Hughey
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Point Park University, 2023
Wendy S. White
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
University of Pennsylvania, 2023
Monica C. Barett
Member
Bond, Schoeneck & King, 2022
Robin L. Parker
Former General Counsel
Miami University, 2022
Hannah S. Ross
General Counsel
Chief of Staff & Secretary of the Corporation, 2022
Middlebury College
Derek P. Langhauser
Special Counsel
Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy, 2021
José D. Padilla
President
Valparaiso University, 2021
Dr. Nancy E. Tribbensee
Senior Counsel and Special Advisor to the Board
Arizona Board of Regents, 2021
Madelyn F. Wessel
Vice President and General Counsel
Cornell University
Melissa Jackson Holloway
General Counsel
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, 2020
Barbara A. Lee
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Rutgers University - New Brunswick, 2020
Ted A Mallo
General Counsel Emeritus & Professor of Practice
University of Akron, 2020
Sonali B. Wilson
General Counsel
Cleveland State University, 2020
Gerard D. St. Ours
Senior Associate General Counsel
Johns Hopkins University, 2019
L. Lee Tyner, Jr.
General Counsel
Texas Christian University, 2019
Jerry D. Blakemore
General Counsel
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2017
Bill J. Mullowney
Vice President for Policy and General Counsel
Valencia College, 2017
Kathleen A. Rinehart
General Counsel and Secretary of the Corporation
Saint Xavier University, 2017
Susan L. Wheeler
University Counsel and Senior Assistant Attorney General
James Madison University, 2017
Steven J. McDonald
General Counsel
Rhode Island School of Design, 2016
Dana Scaduto
General Counsel
Dickinson College, 2016
Marianne Schimelfenig
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Saint Joseph's University, 2016
Jonathan R. Alger
President
James Madison Unversity, 2015
Isis Carbajal de Garcia
Senior University Counsel
Florida International University, 2015
Stephen S. Dunham
Vice President and General Counsel
The Pennsylvania State University, 2014
Julie D. Goodwin
General Counsel
Morgan State University, 2014
Mary E. Kennard
Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of the Board of Trustees
American University, 2014
Robert E. Bienstock
Senior Associate University Counsel
Yale University, 2013
Renee Smith Byas
General Counsel
Houston Community College System, 2012
Thomas Cline
Vice President and General Counsel
Northwestern University, 2012
Wayne Richardson
General Counsel
Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2012
Mary Anne Smith
Vice President and General Counsel
Illinois Institute of Technology, 2012
Edward Stoner, II
NACUA Life Member, 2012
Clayton D. Steadman*, of South Carolina (Awarded Posthumously)
General Counsel
Clemson University, 2011
Michael Weston, of Illinois
Vice President and General Counsel
Northwestern University, 2011
Lucien "Skip" Capone, of North Carolina
University Counsel
University of North Carolia at Asheville, 2010
Henry L. Cuthbert, of North Carolina
Associate University Counsel
Duke University, 2010
Lawrence White, of Delaware
Vice President and General Counsel
University of Delaware, 2010
Georgia Yuan, of Washington, DC
Deputy General Counsel, Post-Secondary Education and Regulatory Service
United States Department of Education, 2010
Dayton T. Cole, of North Carolina
General Counsel
Appalachian State University, 2009
Melinda W. Grier, of Oregon
General Counsel
University of Oregon, 2009
Kenneth Andre McKanders, of Michigan
General Counsel
Eastern Michigan University, 2009
Gerald (Jerry) Woods Counsel, of Georgia
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP
[Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia], 2009
Francine Tilewick Bazluke, of Vermont
Vice President & General Counsel
University of Vermont; 2008
Stephen J. Hirschfeld, of California
Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld & Kraemer, LLP
Member Representative for the University of San Francisco; 2008
Thomas Butcher, of Michigan
General Counsel
Grand Valley State University; 2007
Christine Helwick, of California
General Counsel and Secretary
California State University; 2007
Benjamin E. Rawlins, of Oregon
General Counsel
Oregon University System; 2007
Michael D. Sermersheim, Ohio
Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
University of Akron; 2007
Thomas P. Hustoles, of Michigan
Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone and Counsel to
Western Michigan University; 2006
Pamela J. Bernard, of Florida
Vice President and General Counsel
University of Florida; 2004
William R. Kauffman, of Missouri
General Counsel and Secretary
Saint Louis University; 2004
S. Andrew Schaffer*, of New York
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the University
New York University; 2003
Mary Ann Connell, of Mississippi
General Counsel
University of Mississippi; 2002
Mary Elizabeth Kurz, of North Carolina
Vice Chancellor and General Counsel
North Carolina State University; 2002
Peter H. Ruger, of Illinois
General Counsel
Southern Illinois University; 2001
George M. Shur*, of Illinois
General Counsel
Northern Illinois University; 2001
Richard B. Crockett, of Minnesota
Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett and Counsel to
Saint Olaf College; 2000
Paul J. Ward, of Arizona
General Counsel
Arizona State University; 2000
Estelle A. Fishbein, of Maryland
Vice President and General Counsel
Johns Hopkins University; 1999
Beverly E. Ledbetter, of Rhode Island
Vice President and General Counsel
Brown University, 1998
Phillip M. Grier*, of the District of Columbia
Executive Director and CEO, Emeritus
National Association of College and University Attorneys; 1996
Roderick K. Daane, of Michigan
Partner
Hooper, Hathaway, Price, Beuche & Wallace; 1995
David M. Donaldson,* of Massachusetts
Partner, Ropes & Gray and Counsel to
Radcliffe College; 1995
awarded posthumously
David S. Tatel, of Maryland
Judge
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; 1993
Donald R. Fowler,* of California
General Counsel
California Institute of Technology; 1992
Norman L. Epstein, of California
Justice
California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District; 1992
John A. Beach, of New York
Partner, Bond Shoeneck and King and Counsel to
Albany Medical Center and Syracuse University; 1991
Norman A. Wiggins,* of North Carolina
President
Campbell University; 1991
John Holt Myers,* of the District of Columbia
Partner
Ross, Marsh, Foster, Myers & Quiggle; 1988
J. Rufus Bealle,* of Alabama
Secretary and General Counsel
The University of Alabama System; 1983
John W. Wheeler,* of New York
Partner, Thacher, Profitt & Wood and General Counsel
Columbia University; 1982
Charles S. Horgan,* of New York
Partner, Muldoon & Horgan and Counsel to
College of New Rochelle and College of the Holy Cross; 1980
awarded posthumously
Henry L. Bowden, Sr.* of Georgia
General Counsel
Emory University; 1980
*deceased