Founder’s Day Awards Celebrate Alumni, Faculty Achievement

Characterized by entrepreneurial thinking, enlightened leadership, and excellence across the board, Bradley celebrated its founding by honoring some of the stellar alumni and faculty that have graced our campus in years past, as well as today.

At this year’s Founder’s Day Convocation, Bradley University inducted two corporate executives into its prestigious Centurion Society. Additional awards honored faculty and alumni in the areas of scholarship, teaching and public service.

Stephen C. Lewis ’72

Engineer, innovator, philanthropist, executive, advocate, Lewis spent nearly four decades with auto giant Ford Motor Company.

“Bradley, beyond providing academic acumen and excellence, to me, instilled values and culture. To me, that’s the most important thing you can leverage to help others to help themselves.”

Katie McCord Jenkins EMBA ’08

Peoria native Katie McCord Jenkins is the fifth-generation McCord to serve as president of Illinois Mutual Life Insurance Company.

“Go after your dreams. And know that there are people like me out there who want to encourage and support the next generation of women leaders.”

Alumni Awards

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD Stephen Lewis ’72

LYDIA MOSS BRADLEY AWARD Jennifer Davis Mathis ’88

OUTSTANDING YOUNG GRADUATE AWARD Joshua Grant ’05 alumni awards

Faculty Awards

PUTNAM AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Patricia Nugent, professor of education, counseling and leadership

ROTHBERG AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE Jing Wang, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

CATERPILLAR FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR TEACHING Tianjiao (Grace) Wang, assistant professor of advertising and public relations

CATERPILLAR FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR SCHOLARSHIP Rachelle Pavelko, assistant professor of communication, Mahmoodreza Soltani, assistant professor of civil and construction

MERGEN AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE Heather Ford, program head and assistant professor of user experience design