5 former students to receive top honors

During the upcoming annual Cream and Crimson weekend, the IU Alumni Association will honor five former students with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the highest honor an alumni can receive. \nThe recipients, Mildred Morgan Ball, Judith Asmus O'Bannon, Clarence H. Doninger, Jeri Taylor and Charles H. Webb will join 274 alumni who have been honored since the award's creation in 1953, according to an IU media press release. Past recipients include musicians Hoagy Carmichael and Joshua Bell, broadcaster Jane Pauley and former president Herman B Wells. \nAccording to Ken Beckley, president and CEO of the Alumni Association, recipients are chosen based upon contributions made to a profession, community, the University or a combination of the three.\n"I can't think of an honor that would be more highly thought of by alumni," Beckley said. "The fact that the University that gave them their start is recognizing them for what they've done in a lifetime means a great deal ... Many of these recipients did not start out with a lot of money, and they've worked throughout their lives and achieved fame of some sort." \nMildred Morgan Ball, an inductee of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, has been making an impact on women's athletics since her graduation from IU in 1960 with a degree in physical science. In addition to teaching for 17 years in East Chicago, Ball served as assistant commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association for 20 years. \nBall is the recipient of a list of over 30 awards for her service to women's athletics, including awards from the NAACP and the Indiana Association of Athletic Officials. \n"I didn't go looking for them, they just happened along the way," she said. "I'm honored to be recognized by Indiana University, a place that helped to shape my life, to help me become a better person." \nJudith Asmus O'Bannon graduated with a BA in social work from IU in 1957 and has made a name for herself not only as a former First Lady of Indiana, but also as a dedicated volunteer and activist. After speaking at IU's 2004 commencement, O'Bannon was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. O'Bannon hosted the WFYI television series, Communities Building Community, in an effort to encourage strengthening of communities throughout Indiana. In a more global effort, O'Bannon led delegations to South Africa and Russia to assist in community-building issues. \nClarence H. Doninger has been passionately involved with IU since earning both his bachelor's degree in business and law degree at the school. After serving the university in numerous positions, including President of IU Men's club of Indianapolis, chairman of the IU Alumni Association, national president of the Varsity Club Board of Directors and IU athletic director, Doninger maintains his devotion to IU by serving on the IU Foundation Board of Directors.\nJeri Taylor, who obtained her BA in English from IU in 1959, has successfully made a name for herself in the entertainment industry as a writer, producer and director. Taylor has come a long way since her days as a student, when she a member of the IU Radio and TV department. According to www.imdb.com, Taylor wrote multiple episodes of the television series "Star Trek: Next Generation", Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager". She has also written scripts for television series such as "Magnum, P.I.", "The Incredible Hulk" and "Little House on the Prairie". In addition, Taylor has served as executive producer for numerous projects and has even dabbled in directing, including an episode for the 1970's show "Quincy". \nCharles H. Webb earned his doctorate from IU in 1964 for piano performance, and has since honored the school with his legacy and skill, serving as assistant dean of the music school from 1964 to 1973 and dean of the school of music from 1973 to 1997. In March of 2004, Colin Powell appointed Webb to the Department of State Advisory Committee on Cultural Diplomacy to advance the utilization of American arts overseas. Webb has also received a "Living Legend" award from the Indiana Historical Society and the President's medal for excellence from IU.