2019 Award Winners

• Claude L. Gerstle ’68

Claude has dedicated more than 40 years of volunteerism to MIT and has excelled in the fundraising sphere. He has helped build a spirit of philanthropy through his leadership efforts for the Class of 1968 Reunion Gift Committee, as well as through his work on the Corporation Development Committee, helping to secure major gift support for MIT since 1998. In addition, Claude has volunteered for the MIT Club of Palm Beach—which he currently serves as president—for more than 10 years and served as an educational counselor for more than 20 years. He has served on the Corporation as well as the MIT Alumni Association’s Board of Directors, and supports his class as a current Class of 1968 vice president and as a member of the Reunion Programming Committee for his last two reunions. Claude’s dedication epitomizes all that the Bronze Beaver Award represents.

• Shirley A. Jackson ’68, PhD ’73

Shirley began her involvement in 1975, when she was elected as a Recent Grad Representative to the MIT Corporation. She served on several visiting committees in addition to her role on the Corporation. At the same time, she began service as an educational counselor, shortly thereafter served as a term director on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and served a second five-year term on the Corporation. She was renamed to the Association Board of Directors as a vice president, and after her third five-year term on the Corporation became a member of the Corporation Executive Committee. She was made a life member of the Corporation in 1992. The Bronze Beaver honors Shirley’s many years of distinguished service and volunteer leadership.

• Charles "C.J." Whelan III ’92, ’93

C.J. has been a volunteer for the MIT Club of Colorado since 1993. C.J.’s service in leadership roles began in 1999, when he became the club’s treasurer. Following this service, he transitioned smoothly into the roles of president, secretary, and director, respectively. C.J.’s club service is balanced by his involvement with prospective and current students, his class, and his fraternity. He has served MIT as an educational counselor since 2002. He maintains a strong connection with his MIT classmates, regularly attends Tech Reunions, and participates on reunion and reunion gift committees for his class. He is also engaged with Delta Tau Delta. C.J. has served with distinction as a term director and now president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. The Bronze Beaver recognizes C.J.’s many years of exemplary service to MIT and its global community.

• Paul A. Green II ’73

Paul has been an MIT volunteer for nearly 35 years. He was an exceptional cochair of the 45th Reunion Gift Committee. Paul’s work centered around leading and motivating the committee and serving as a resource for his fellow classmates, particularly the newer volunteers. With his diverse background in MIT volunteerism and his prior work with the Annual Fund and the CDC, Paul was a strong advocate for the MIT Annual Fund and understood best practices for leading a committee to gain the most success. The Kane Award honors Paul’s leadership and his tireless advocacy in support of MIT.

• Keith T. Kallberg ’68, SM ’69

Keith cochaired his 50th Reunion Gift Committee, which set new records for participation and dollars raised. He helped recruit and lead a 40-member committee, always went above and beyond in his work, even contacting nearly 100 classmates personally, and he came to the table with new ideas about how to engage and connect with classmates who hadn’t yet given to the campaign. He also provided helpful feedback for everything from making a solicitation more effective to helping reengage committee members. This award honors Keith’s enduring commitment to his class and his skill in raising funds for MIT.

• Yvonne G. Lin ’93

For the past 10 years, Yvonne has been a loyal Annual Fund volunteer. In particular, Yvonne’s involvement with her 15th, 20th, and 25th reunion gift committees highlight her philanthropic spirit. As a first-time volunteer for her 15th reunion, Yvonne quickly found success when engaging her classmates philanthropically. As cochair for her 20th Reunion Gift Committee, she helped establish aspirational goals, recruit a committee of 19 classmates, and develop campaign strategies. Yvonne co-led her 25th Reunion Programming Committee and served on the Reunion Gift Committee. This award recognizes Yvonne’s service to MIT and her commitment to giving back through fundraising.

• Steven C. Webster ’78, SM ’79

Steve began his fundraising work as a member of his 20th Reunion Gift Committee. He served on the MIT Annual Fund Board from 2010 to 2013, and was a natural choice to serve as chair for his 35th reunion and as cochair for his 40th reunion. He set aspirational yet achievable dollars and participation goals for the class, provided valuable leadership for the committee, and ensured that the small but mighty group achieved impressive results, including setting a new record for dollars raised for a 40th reunion. This award honors Steve’s dedication to his classmates and his commitment to fundraising on their behalf.

• Louis Chong ’86, SM ’88

Louis has volunteered for the MIT Club of Hong Kong for 18 years and was president from 2015 to 2017. He has continued his service as a board member and advisor to the club since his term as president ended. He has also served in the roles of director of social events, webmaster, treasurer, and vice president. He has been an educational counselor since 2001, and he actively promotes alumni support for MIT programs in Hong Kong. Louis also is an advisor to the MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node. Louis sets a tremendous example of service to MIT and is truly deserving of the Lobdell Award.

• Ilene S. Gordon ’75, SM ’76

As a young alumna, Ilene was a steady supporter of the Annual Fund, an active volunteer with her reunions, and frequently did alumni interviewing with the Educational Council. In 1999, she joined her first MIT visiting committee, for mathematics. Since then, she has served several terms for various visiting committees, including engineering systems and aeronautics. She has also served on the MIT Sloan School of Management and IDSS committees. Ilene is a member of the MIT Corporation and of the President’s CEO Advisory Board. This award honors Ilene’s tireless volunteer efforts on behalf of the Alumni Association and MIT.

• Sharon A. Israel ’86

Sharon serves on the Alumni Association Board, Corporation Nominating Committee, and the Corporation Visiting Committee for Libraries. She is also cochair of the Club Council. Previously, she served on the Alumni Association Selection Committee and the Annual Fund Board. She has been the chair for her reunion gift committee from 1991 through 2016. Sharon served as president of the MIT Club of South Texas from 1995 to 1997, and has served on the Board of Advisors for the club since 2013. The Lobdell Award celebrates her service to MIT.

• Shuja U. Keen ’99

Shuja has integrated deep business expertise into the Club of Northern California. His understanding of the club’s history of alumni engagement has enabled him to recruit a diverse team of alumni (45 board members ranging from the class of 1965 to 2018), and his intense focus on making MIT a leader in technology moves the work of the club forward in new ways. Shuja’s leadership has led to 2,783 MIT alumni becoming members of the club, increasing growth by 172 percent. This award recognizes Shuja as a dedicated alumnus leader.

• Joseph H. Levitch ’69

Joe served on the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center Leadership Council from 2009 to 2015. He has been a member of the Corporation Development Committee since 2007 and regional chair for the Midwest since 2010. He was a member of the Alumni Association Program Committee and is a current member of the Annual Fund Board. Joe is currently cochair for his 50th Reunion Gift Committee, is a long-time educational counselor, and was key to the creation of the new DAPER Student-Athlete Leadership Program. Joe is a thoughtful volunteer leader and is a most deserving recipient of the Lobdell Award.

• Alex Menchaca ’85

Alex has volunteered since his graduation in 1985, serving in roles for the MIT Club of Chicago, his class, the Educational Council, the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Finance Committee, and LAMIT. As a director and board member of the Club of Chicago, Alex served as a venue host for the club’s monthly board meetings and for high-profile club and Association events. Alex has been an educational counselor since 1992, and he has been a leader among his classmates, serving as vice president and on reunion committees. Alex is a passionate leader for the Institute, and the Lobdell Award celebrates his service to MIT.

• K. Hari Reddy SM ’01

Hari’s volunteer service began in 2005, when he served as the director of the MIT Club of Washington, D.C. He then served as vice president of programs and as president. He went on to become a director of the South Asian Alumni Association, a member of the Legislative Advocacy Network, a term director for the Alumni Association Board, and a member of both the nominating and program committees. Most recently, as cochair of the Graduate Alumni Council, Hari has helped create structure and practices that will have a lasting impact on the group. The Lobdell Award is a fitting tribute that recognizes his outstanding dedication and tremendous commitment to MIT.
 

• Elaine H. Wong ’97

Elaine has been a leader for the MIT Club of Beijing since 2010, serving as a director, vice president of membership, and president. She joined the Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2015 and served on the Program Committee, Finance Committee, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Data Analysis. She is currently serving a three-year term on the Alumni Association Selection Committee, and she worked closely with senior leadership of the Institute (Richard Lester) in planning and carrying out the recently held MIT China Summit in Beijing. The Lobdell Award recognizes Elaine’s many years of distinguished service to the Alumni Association, the Institute, and the MIT Club of Beijing.

• Chester Chambers III ’15

Chester has taken on leadership roles for the MIT Club of South Texas, serving as vice president of both MIT10 and programs. He is personally responsible for increasing participation from the MIT10 community with the club. He has been especially helpful in organizing events that would be of particular interest to recent graduates, including piggybacking a club event with the Food Truck Festival in the Heights, and an escape room event for MIT students who were home for winter break. Chester is also active with his class. The MacVicar Award honors Chester’s dedication to volunteerism and leadership.

• Charles D. Field ’10

Charlie’s tenure of service began immediately following his graduation from MIT, when he became secretary for the MIT Club of Hawaii. In 2018, Charlie became club president. In this role, he utilizes his experiences gained during his time as secretary to grow and innovate best practices related to alumni engagement in Hawaii. Recognizing the challenges of the difficult geographical distribution of the Islands, Charlie recruited a new volunteer to lead engagement efforts in Maui, resulting in increased attendance at programs throughout the past year. The MacVicar Award honors Charlie’s dedication and the example he helps set for the next generation of MIT volunteers.

• Alexandria C. Hall ’12

As the MIT10 Challenge chair for fiscal year 2019, Alex was a critical player in motivating her fellow committee members and soliciting support from her peers to reach their goal of 1,500 donors by the December 31 deadline. Last year, she supported the MIT 24-Hour Challenge as a Giving Day ambassador and helped the MIT10 population easily surpass its goal of 625 donors. Alex has also served on her class’s reunion committees and is a member of the Annual Fund Board, where she focuses on raising the profile of MIT10. The MacVicar Award honors Alexandria for her dedicated volunteer work for MIT.

• Sreenivas Koka MBA ’13

Sree was asked to join the MIT Sloan Alumni Board soon after completing his EMBA program. He was an attentive and thoughtful contributor to monthly calls, project work, quarterly all-board calls and a two-day all-board annual meeting on campus. Sree simultaneously served as vice president of membership for the MIT Club of San Diego. Over time, he led a core group of Sloan alumni with a shared interest in forming the MIT Sloan Club of San Diego, and in August 2018 the club was officially launched with Sree as the inaugural president. The MacVicar Award is a fitting recognition of Sree’s commitment to the Club of San Diego and its constituents.

• Robert Eric Love SM ’08

Robert emerged onto the scene when he attended the 2015 annual Black Graduate Celebration. He has since joined the BAMIT board. As advocacy chair, he represented BAMIT on the Institute-wide Alignment Committee, created by Kirk Kolenbrander to look at campus efforts to address issues of diversity and inclusion. His role on the committee effectively strengthened the relationship between BAMIT and the MIT administration. Robert recently cochaired the BAMIT Capstone Committee, which organized events in November 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Students’ Union. The MacVicar Award recognizes Robert’s invaluable contributions to BAMIT and to MIT.

• Isabella S. Lubin ’12

Isabella is the vice president of both MIT10 and programs for the MIT Club of Puget Sound. In these roles, she has actively sought out new volunteers and will play an instrumental role in the planning of the club’s upcoming 111th gala event next year. She also instituted the Welcome New Seattleites Dinner, which has drawn not only alumni new to the area, but also alumni who were just curious to join other MIT alumni for dinner. Isabella is also an active educational counselor. This award honors Isabella’s commitment to MIT and the members of the MIT Club of Puget Sound.

• Diana R. Moore ’08

Immediately following graduation, Diana moved to her hometown of Dallas and reached out to the MIT Club of Dallas and Fort Worth to become involved. She was named chair of MIT10 in 2009. She also became an educational counselor, a role she continues in today. After one year as the club’s MIT10 chair, Diana became vice president of programs. Shortly thereafter, she was asked to step into the role of club president. She served as such from 2011 to 2014, and worked to recruit new board members. She now serves as vice president of membership. Diana’s efforts in numerous volunteer roles makes her the embodiment of the MacVicar Award.

• Ravi R. Patil ’93, SM ’95

Ravi recently served as president for the MIT Club of Research Triangle Park. In this role, he organized several successful events and helped increase membership. He also set up new procedures to help the club build a robust volunteer pipeline. He accomplished this by setting guidelines and term limits for board members in an effort to bring in fresh ideas and perspectives. As a result, several new volunteers have joined the club’s board. Ravi is also an educational counselor and a member-at-large for his class. Ravi is a dedicated volunteer, and he exemplifies the qualities of a MacVicar Award recipient.

• Lindsey R. Sheehan ’07

Lindsey has held leadership positions for the MIT Club of San Diego since 2014, including vice president of communications, vice president of programs, and vice president of education. In 2016, she was elected to the newly created position of vice president of STEM to expand STEM outreach in the local community. Lindsey took charge of outreach efforts and the funding of projects for qualified organizations, and she spearheaded board approval of a policy in the club’s bylaws for funding of proposals. The community’s interest in the MIT Club of San Diego’s role in STEM has since skyrocketed. Lindsey’s dedication makes her an ideal recipient of the MacVicar Award.

• Daniel J. Brooks ’98

Dan joined the Educational Council one year after his graduation in 1999. In 2003, he became regional chair for the Santa Barbara, California, region, a role he still serves in today. He diligently recruits new educational counselors each year. He teaches them to effectively convey the MIT story to prospective applicants and how to best submit helpful reports to the Admissions Office. Dan also builds community by organizing admitted student events in conjunction with the MIT Club of Southern California. This award recognizes Dan as a proud graduate who is committed to helping students achieve their dream of attending MIT.

• David M. Feldman ’86

David joined the Educational Council in 2006, and in 2007 became the regional chair of the Sacramento, California, region, where he continues to provide leadership today. David has been a valued council member in all the roles he has held, from interviewing students and submitting excellent reports to interacting with his fellow ECs and managing the region he oversees. He’s very active in the council, taking part in EC workshops and the Alumni Leadership Conference. David is a tireless advocate and ambassador to potential students, and he is extremely deserving of the Morgan Award.

• Kathi Futornick ’71

Kathi has been a dedicated educational counselor for more than 30 years. She joined the Educational Council in 1988 in the Greater Portland area of Oregon and has been an enthusiastic interviewer, always going the extra mile to accommodate students. Her interview reports, which often receive the top rating of a 5, are thorough and detailed and really provide much-needed context to add to students’ admissions files. The content of her reports enables staff to make informed admissions decisions. The Morgan Award honors Kathi’s dedication to applicants and recognizes her as an exceptional volunteer leader.

• Ilham M. Malek-Hamamji SM ’86

Ilham joined the Educational Council in 2005. She was a member of the All 5’s Club in 2007 and 2008 for the quality of her reports. She became vice chair of the Orange County, California, area in 2008 and regional chair (RC) in 2010, serving in that role for seven years. As an RC, she attended central meetings in her region and always introduced her ECs to prospective students and their families. Ilham also organized and hosted the annual admitted-student gatherings. Ilham’s support of potential students goes beyond the requirements of an EC, and she epitomizes all that the Morgan Award represents.

• Tamam H. Mango ’03, MCP ’04

Tamam first joined the Educational Council in 2004 in the Levant region (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Gaza Strip, and Syria). She became vice chair in 2015. As the admissions rate for international students is much lower, Tamam plays an instrumental role as vice chair of the region in helping to keep ECs in her area happy and engaged. She also excels at recruiting new ECs in Jordan. Tamam is a thoughtful interviewer and writes excellent interview reports, which have been extremely helpful to the Admissions staff. This award recognizes Taman as a dedicated volunteer whose passion for MIT has greatly benefited prospective students.

• Diana B. Welmerink ’03

Diana first joined the Educational Council in 2005, shortly after she graduated. She has been a dedicated EC, serving in several regions across the country, including Seattle, Washington, Detroit, Michigan, and currently, Reno, Nevada. She became vice chair in the Reno, Nevada, area in 2017. Diana is a member of the All 5’s Club, and her interview reports, always highly rated, have been extremely useful to the Admissions staff. She provides excellent contextual detail, which helps the admissions committee make sound decisions. Diana’s dedication epitomizes the commitment of a Morgan Award recipient.

• Johnny T. Yang ’04

Johnny has been an EC since 2007, doing interviews in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. He became the regional chair for Phillips Exeter Academy in 2013 and has been a great leader, managing a large number of interviews at the boarding school, as well as maintaining excellent relationships with the school counselors. He is incredibly engaged, attending multiple EC workshops every year during reunion weekends and Campus Preview Weekend. He also always volunteers for interviews with MITES students. The Morgan Award recognizes Johnny’s commitment to the Alumni Association and MIT.

• Black Alumni of MIT (BAMIT) Capstone Committee

The Black Alumni of MIT seized the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Students’ Union as a unique opportunity to bring Black graduates of all eras back to campus—many for the first time. The anniversary was also a propitious time to announce the BAMIT Community Advancement Program (BCAP) to fund MIT student projects in underserved communities. The Capstone weekend, held November 2–4, 2018, was an enormous success, drawing over 300 attendees, including 160 alumni, the largest gathering of Black alumni in MIT’s history. The Great Dome Award is a well-deserved honor.

• Graduate Alumni Working Group

The Graduate Alumni Working Group was created in 2016. Over the next year, the 13-member group met with senior administrators, development officers, and offices whose work focuses specifically on the graduate experience at MIT. They created new surveying methods for GSEs and conducted campus-wide focus groups, resulting in a comprehensive report that included recommendations for the most pressing initiatives the Graduate Alumni Council could face. The council, now in its third year, continues to use these recommendations as a road map for its volunteer work today. The Great Dome Award recognizes the dedication of this group. 

• MIT Architecture Alumni

Over the course of 2018, the MITArchA board supported the MIT Department of Architecture in crafting and successfully executing five worldwide events: in Hong Kong, New York, Detroit, Washington DC, and San Francisco. These events brought together MIT alumni to showcase MIT’s unique history as the oldest school of architecture in the United States. The events united current and former heads of the MIT Department of Architecture, faculty members, regional clubs and affinity groups, and alumni leaders in the fields of architecture and design, along with scores of alumni worldwide and friends of MIT. The Great Dome Award is a fitting tribute that recognizes the dedication of MIT Architecture Alumni.

• MIT Class of 1968 50th Reunion Programming and Gift Committees

The Class of 1968 captured the spirit of their student years and capitalized on their own traditions to set new records for alumni attendance, dollars raised, and alumni participation for a 50th-reunion gift. The class recruited a strong crew of ambassadors to make personal contact with individual classmates by living group, which resulted in 242 alumni attending one or more events. Reunion Gift Committee volunteers reached out to more than 700 classmates and submitted nearly 1,400 contact reports. As a result, the class achieved 58.66 percent participation and raised over $26 million. The Great Dome Award is a very well-deserved recognition.

• MIT Club of Wisconsin: 2018 Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) Fly-In

The MIT Club of Wisconsin worked exceptionally hard to provide a home base for visiting MIT alumni during their time at the EAA Fly-in, the world’s largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts. They rented out a pavilion on the flight path for the air shows, collaborated with the Admissions Office to have information available for prospective applicants, and received “sponsorship” of giveaway items from MIT AeroAstro. Over the course of the day, 40 alumni from Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, and Wisconsin shared snacks, attended demonstrations, and networked. The Great Dome Award is given in recognition of the club’s hard work, dedication, and commitment.

• MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

The MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference celebrated its 13th year in March 2019. The event brings together more than 3,000 people each year in a convenient two-day format in Boston with the goal of providing a forum for industry professionals (executives and leading researchers) and students to discuss the increasing role of analytics in the global sports industry. MIT Sloan is dedicated to fostering growth and innovation in this arena, and the conference offers opportunities for learning about the sports business world. The conference has been a resounding success since its inception and is highly deserving of the Great Dome Award.

• Kirk D. Kolenbrander

Kirk's dedication to community, humanity, and personal connection has greatly impacted MIT. In 1995, he established MIT LeaderShape, an intensive leadership curriculum he has taught during Independent Activities Period for nearly 25 years, giving more than 1,000 MIT students an unforgettable experience in community-centered problem solving. Kirk has also engaged BAMIT in multiple ways to bring their voices into the conversation and ultimately try to make MIT a more welcoming and inclusive environment. He also thoughtfully stewarded volunteers, many of them alumni, through MIT’s visiting committee structure—onboarding, coaching, listening to, and developing these key contributors to Institute governance. In addition, Kirk has helped reimagine how MIT tells its story to the world. About a decade ago, he oversaw a restructuring of the MIT News Office, positioning the Institute to more effectively communicate the inspiring work and character of its faculty, students, staff, and alumni. Kirk’s honorary membership is in recognition of his extraordinary service to the Institute and his dedication to the mission of MIT.