Past Founders’ Day Awardees
2023 Founders’ Day Awardees
LaQuandra S. Nesbitt, Ph.D. – Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
Carolyn Cousin, Ph.D. – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Denise Slaughter – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Mathilde “Matty” Knight, Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
Sabine O’Hara, Ph.D. – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Alumni Legacy Award
Bernard Grayson, Jr.
PathMakers Leadership Award
Eddie Baker – Alumni Recipient
William Howard Jones, Ph.D. (posthumously) – Staff Recipient
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Salim Adofo (CAS)
Associates: Juliana Adewumi
Graduate & Professional Degree: Sade A. Clarke
2022 Founders’ Day Awardees
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton – Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
William Thomas – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Jerry Johnson – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Benson G. Cooke, Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
Tiffany Cooper – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Alumni Legacy Award
Georgette C. Johnson
PathMakers Leadership Award
June S. Daugherty – Alumni Recipient
April Massey, Ph.D. – Staff Recipient
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Skye Webster
Associates: Cristian Salgado-Nunez
Graduate & Professional Degree: Francesca Bryce
2021 Founders’ Day Awardees
The Honorable Phil Mendelson, Chairman, Council of the District of Columbia- Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
Sheila Harmon Martin, Ph.D. – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Melba Broome – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Sasan Haghani, Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
April Massey, Ph.D. – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
PathMakers Leadership Award
Sandra Y. Johnson, Class of 1984 – Alumni Recipient
Rachel M. Petty, Ph.D. – Staff Recipient
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Osman Milla
Associates: Darby Shay-Queen
Graduate & Professional Degree: Tonée Jones
2020 Founders’ Day Awardees
The Honorable Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor – Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
Susan L. Waysdorf, J.D. – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Tarasaim Goyal, Ph.D. – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke, J.D., Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
Elgloria A. Harrison, Ph.D. – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Denisha N. Jones, Ph.D. – Alumni Legacy Award
PathMakers Leadership Award
Beverly J. Anderson, Ph.D.
Alfred O. Taylor, Ph.D.
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Kyla Woods
Associates: Jose’ Humberto Cruz-Sorto
Graduate & Professional Degree: Mary E. Morall
2019 Founders’ Day Awardees
Susan and Jim Clifton – Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
Beverly M. Franklin – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Segun Adebayo, Ph.D. – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Amos William Smith – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
Devdas Shetty, Ph. D. – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Jerome Shelton – Alumni Legacy Award
PathMakers Leadership Award
Staff: Joseph C. Lang
Alumni: Norma L. Bullock
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Akhil Wal
Associates: Maria Gaffney
Graduate & Professional Degree: Antonio Camacho
Heroic Efforts: Nakia M. Sykes
2018 Founders’ Day Awardees
Elaine A. Crider, D.H.Sc.- Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
Barbara W. Green – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Herman “Terry” S. Prescott II – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Pradeep K. Behera, Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
John C. Brittain – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Adelaide Webb Henley – Alumni Legacy Award
PathMakers Leadership Award
Staff: Ernesta P. Williams, Ed.D.
Alumni: Ronald E. Floyd
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Dianne Hawkins
Associates: Betty Entzminger
Graduate & Professional Degree: Liana Elizabeth Montecinos – David A. Clarke School of Law
2017 Founders’ Day Awardees
Major General Errol R. Schwartz – Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
Joe Libertelli – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Saundra Majid Carter – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Freddie M. Dixon – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
Nailah A. Williams – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Alton B. Byrd, Ph.D. – Alumni Legacy Award
Hung Ha – Firebird Award
PathMakers Leadership Award
Staff: Carolyn Cousin (UDC since 1971)
Alumni: Barrington D. Scott
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Darlene Oliver
Associates: Adrion Celey
Graduate & Professional Degree: Natasha Bennett
2016 Founders’ Day Awardees
Charlene Drew Jarvis, Ph.D. – Myrtilla Miner Award [President’s Award]
LaVonne Manning – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Thomas S. Kakovitch, Ph.D. – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Ahmet Zeytinci, Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator Award
Angelyn Spaulding Flowers, Ph.D. – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Joseph L. Askew, Jr. Esq. – Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award
PathMakers Leadership Award
Staff: Judith A. Korey, Ph.D.
Alumni: Mark K. Batterl, Esq
Student Humanitarian & Civic Engagement Award
Bachelors: Eric T. Pulley
Associates: Maria Angelica Ysabel Salonga
Graduate & Professional Degree: Johnathan Y. Newton
2015 Founders’ Day Awardees
Samuel L. Myers, Sr. – Myrtilla Miner Award for Exceptional Service to Society. [President’s Award]
Patricia M. Myers – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Reatha Cook Haden – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Maurice Sykes – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator’s Award
Selvon Malcolm Waldron – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Floretta Dukes McKenzie – Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award
2014 Founders’ Day Awardees
Marie Racine, Ph.D. – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Lt. Donald Whiting – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
April Massey, Ph.D. – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator’s Award
Alfred Taylor, Jr., Ph.D. – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Carrington Smith – Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award
Prior Year Awardees
2012 Founders’ Day Awardees
Gloria Wyche-Moore, Ph.D. – Paul Phillips Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award
Joseph B. Tulman, J.D. – Cleveland L. Dennard Distinguished Service Award
Harris M. Taylor – Marjorie Holloman Parker Distinguished Educator’s Award
Willie Jolley – Ronald H. Brown Distinguished Leadership Award
Norma L. Bullock – 160th Anniversary Medal