Celebrating the Winners of the 2020 MIT Alumni Leadership Awards

On Monday, September 21, the first evening of the 2020 Virtual Alumni Leadership Conference, hundreds of alumni gathered in front of their screens to fête a roster of dedicated alumni volunteers. An online ceremony recognized their outstanding accomplishments and service to the Alumni Association and to MIT.

Above, watch congratulatory messages from past winners. Below, view a slideshow of some of this year's winners celebrating at home, along with video segments of the ceremony—including fun facts about the origins and namesake of each award.

Then visit alc.mit.edu to participate in the remaining events of the Virtual Alumni Leadership Conference, which continues through Saturday, September 26.

Bronze Beaver Awards

• R. Erich Caulfield SM ’01, PhD ’06: As a graduate student, Erich served as Graduate Student Council (GSC) president, co-chair of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA), Graduate Student Council Orientation co-chair, and as an officer in the Tang Hall Residents Association. He served his first term on the MIT Corporation as a recent graduate member from 2005 to 2010, with appointments to the visiting committees for Architecture, Libraries, Mathematics, and the Dean for Student Life. When he returned to Corporation service in 2013 as a term member, he chaired the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs and also served on visiting committees for Urban Studies, Dean for Undergraduate Education, and Dean for Student Life. He served as a term member of the Association Board of Directors, becoming its president in 2019. He served on a number of committees of the Association and is dedicated to the engagement of graduate alumni. Erich continues to deepen his engagement with the Institute-wide community and excels in a variety of leadership roles, including his current service on the Corporation’s Executive Committee as well as the visiting committees for Mathematics, Political Science, and the Division of Student Life, where he is the chair. Erich never fails to step forward for MIT. 

• John J. Golden Jr. ’65: John is a tireless volunteer leader, having served on reunion gift committees, class reunion program committees, the MIT Annual Fund Board, as inaugural chair of the 1861 Circle, and in roles for his fraternity. With John’s longstanding commitment to alumni participation, coupled with his own steadfast support of the Institute as a donor, he was the obvious choice to become the inaugural chair of the 1861 Circle. As such, John helped lead the development and growth of this vitally important society. As a member of the Annual Fund Board, John participated in developing concepts for annual giving that have been transformational, including the William Barton Rogers Society. John has been a part of his reunion gift committee since his 25th reunion and has served as a member of his class reunion program committee since his 35th reunion. He has served in various roles for his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, including as house treasurer and director. John is counted among the most loyal volunteers, and he leads with his incredible work ethic. 

2020 Harold E. Lobdell ’17 Award

• Bridget C. Brett ’06, SM ’08, selected for her invaluable leadership of the MIT Clubs of South Texas and Northern California.

• Peter B. Burke ’80, lauded for his devoted 20-plus-year commitment to leadership of the MIT Club of Chicago.

• Carol M. Shattles Hooker ’67, celebrated for her volunteer contributions to AMITA and to the Educational Council.

• Robert D. Howard ’67, recognized for his longtime service to the MIT Club of South Florida, to his class, and to the Cardinal and Gray Society.

• Jacob Evelyn Kain MArch ’00, recognized as a founding member and key leader of MITArchA, the MIT Architecture Alumni Association.

• Lillian S. Kiang ’00, honored for her dedicated leadership of the MIT Club of Hong Kong.

• Scott B. Morrison ’86, selected for his outstanding leadership for the Club of New York and for the Class of 1986.

• Edward F. Tau ’95, MEng ’96, lauded for his exceptional commitment to the Club of Northern California and its continuous technology improvements.

• Albert L. Tervalon Jr. ’65, celebrated as a faithful leader of the Black Alumni of MIT, focused on student recruitment and fundraising.

2020 Henry B. Kane ’24 Award

• Lindsay R. Androski ’98, honored for her exceptional leadership of the MIT Annual Fund Board.

• Kerry B. Bowie ’94, MBA ’06, recognized for his outstanding achievements in reunion fundraising.

• Edward D. Hunter ’79, celebrated for his longtime commitment to, and outstanding results in, class and reunion fundraising.

• Erin H. Przybocki, lauded for her leadership in fundraising among parents of current students.

Margaret L. A. MacVicar ’65, ScD ’67 Award

• Gene E. Allen ’78, recognized for ramping up from club volunteer to club president of the MIT Club of Washington DC in just five years.

• Judi “Phatty” Arbuckle SM ’15, lauded for the incredible volume and success of events she has planned for the Club of Northern California.

• Jesse M. Heines ’70, honored for his transformation of the Class of 1970 web site in preparation for and celebration of the class's 50th reunion.

• Jason S. Lee ’14, recognized for his leadership in his class's 5th reunion and reunion gift, as well as in the MIT10 community.

• Anjuli Kumar Mehrotra ’99, celebrated for her innovation of the MIT Club of Northern California Spotlight Series and other successful events.

• Tammy Y. Ngai ’10, recognized for her dedication to a variety of roles, from Educational Counselor to leader of the MIT Club of Boston.

• Victoria M. Thomas ’12, celebrated for her leadership in the revitalization of the MIT Club of Utah.

• Kenneth K. Yu ’02, MEng ’03, honored for his work in developing social media channels and technology for the MIT Club of Hong Kong.

George B. Morgan ’20 Award

• Eric B. T. Chan ’85, recognized for his 20-year service as an Educational Counselor, with an incredible track record of high annual interview numbers.

• Henning Colsman-Freyberger ’96, Affiliate ’11, honored for his leadership as a regional chair for Germany and outstanding communications.

• Laurie E. Gavrin ’83, celebrated for interviewing for 10 years, with 57 interviews conducted last year and all reports rating a 5, the highest score possible.

• Sang Han ’93, recognized for his leadership as regional chair in Westchester, New York, where his management of fellow Educational Counselors is outstanding.

• Marcelo B. Montaniel, Jr. SM ’74, honored for his regional chair leadership of Dallas, Texas, and his commitment to recruitment of new Educational Counselors.

• Hemangeeni (Sarita) V. Shah ’91, celebrated for her leadership of the Orlando, Florida, area as regional chair and as a contributing member of the regional chair working group.

• Grace H. Tan-Wang ’86, honored for her valuable service as a vice chair in the Pasadena/San Gabriel area of California.

Great Dome Award

• MIT Class of 1985 Mini Reunions, a committee recognized for their outstanding work in bringing together alumni who graduated in the 1980s in mini reunions around the world.

• MIT Class of 1986 Virtual Reunion, a class lauded for their virtual reunion, celebrating 32.5 years since graduation.

• MIT Class of 2016 Pi Reunion Committee, a committee honored for their record-breaking Pi Reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada, attracting nearly 700 classmates.

• MIT Club of Cape Cod Mini Grants Program for High School STEM Projects, a club recognized for their community leadership in the promotion and funding of STEM activities in Cape Cod schools.

• MIT Club of Rhode Island, a club honored for its transformational improvements and level of activity for a small alumni community.

• MIT Club of Southern California, a club recognized for demonstrating a succession of excellent annual meeting events that other clubs could model.

Honorary Membership

• Anne Hunter, celebrated for her invaluable and kind stewardship of students in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, where she worked for 40 years, touching the lives of hundreds of students, now alumni, who remember her impact fondly.

• Anna Newberg, lauded for her loyalty to the Emma Rogers Society and her efforts to ensure other widows and widowers are welcomed into the MIT community and participate fully.