Every year for the past 39 years, the College of Arts and Sciences has honored alumni at the Distinguished Alumni Awards.
This year’s celebration will be from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Faculty Club of the Indiana Memorial Union’s University Club, according to the alumni association’s ?website.
“The Distinguished Alumni Award is one of the highest honors the College bestows on its graduates,” said Larry Singell, executive dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, in an IU press release. “The paths these men and women have trod since graduation have covered a lot of territory, from oilfields to battlefields, from Hollywood production sets to once-forgotten national landmarks. Every year, when our most illustrious alumni return to accept their awards, their words and stories inspire us all — faculty, students and alumni alike. They truly exemplify the value of a liberal arts education.”
The four recipients this year are Gayle Cook, an esteemed leader in historic preservation and the co-founder of Cook Inc.; Jim Farnsworth, executive vice president and chief exploration officer for Houston-based Cobalt International Energy; Lt. Gen. Thomas Montgomery, a highly decorated military leader who served in command, staff and management positions around the world; and Sue Naegle, the president of her own television and film production company, Naegle Ink, according to the press release.
Cook is a 1956 graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in fine arts, according to the press release. She has also spearheaded about 70 historic preservation and economics preservation projects.
Farnsworth is a 1979 graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from IU. Farnsworth spent 20 years with British Petroleum, where he eventually became vice president of worldwide exploration and technology before forming Cobalt, according to the press release.
Montgomery is a 1963 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Slavic languages and literature. He served in the U.S. Army for 34 years and earned both Silver and Gold stars in combat, according to the press release.
Naegle is a 1991 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications. Her production company, Naegle Ink, works on projects with HBO, Cinemax, ABC and CBS. She also became the president of HBO in 2008.
The awards night will also honor Marie Harf with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and professor Ken Mackie with the Distinguished Faculty Award, according to the press release.
Harf is the deputy spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of State and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2003 in political science.
Mackie is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. He has authored about 250 scientific book chapters, reviews and papers, and his research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, according to the press release.
The award ceremony and dinner is open to the public. The dinner costs $50. Reservations are required and can be made on the IU alumni website, according to the press release.
Suzanne Grossman
