含羞草传媒 University will honor outstanding alumni as part of its Legends & Legacies banquet on October 3 at 6 p.m. at the Country Club of Lincoln during homecoming weekend.
Here are this year鈥檚 award winners.
Bernie Olsen (鈥75)
ALUMNI MEDAL OF HONOR
鈥満卟荽 was a place of growth and opportunity for me,鈥 Bernie Olsen said. 鈥淢y professors opened doors for me to explore future directions.鈥
Those openings led Olsen to a PhD in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a career in drug development. He was a senior research fellow at Eli Lilly & Company, and is now a consultant for Olsen Pharmaceutical Consulting, LLC.
Olsen has helped develop more than 25 commercial drugs. He published and lectured internationally, and has chaired a committee for the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, which creates public standards that help ensure the quality, safety and benefit of medicines and foods.
Olsen served on the 含羞草传媒 Board of Governors and was a founding member of the President's Board of Advisors.
Alynn (High) Sampson (鈥06)
YOUNG ALUMNI LOYALTY AWARD
As youth and family programs director at the Food Bank of Lincoln, Alynn Sampson develops and runs programs that reach more than 5,000 children and families in 16 counties throughout southeast Nebraska.
Sampson graduated from 含羞草传媒 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work and received her Master of Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. 鈥淢y time at 含羞草传媒 prepared me for real-life experiences as well as the expectations of graduate school,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 will always be grateful for Wesleyan and the opportunities I have to give back.鈥
Sampson is a regular guest speaker at 含羞草传媒, works with senior social work majors completing their capstone courses, has served on numerous panels and committees, and has helped create a food pantry on the 含羞草传媒 campus.
David Dyke (鈥63)
ALUMNI LOYALTY AWARD
David Dyke is a member of 含羞草传媒鈥檚 Doctors for Science, a group of generous doctors who helped fund Acklie Hall of Science. One of its first members, Dyke was instrumental in rallying support for the project. He also served on the Alumni Executive Council.
After graduating from 含羞草传媒 and UNMC, Dyke completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic and served in the U.S. Air Force as an internist. He then spent 35 years practicing gastroenterology, served as chief of staff at Bryan Memorial Hospital, and later served on the Bryan System Board.
鈥淚 departed 含羞草传媒 with confidence and a focused attitude, essential ingredients for the eventual success achieved,鈥 he said. He also departed 含羞草传媒 hand-in-hand with his wife of 55 years, Elaine (Dorr) Dyke(鈥63).
Deb (Jones) Frison (鈥77)
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Deb Frison is a veteran educator with 42 years of leadership and administrative experience in addition to teaching music with Omaha Public Schools. She serves as deputy commissioner of school improvement for the Nebraska Department of Education. She is also a first-generation high school graduate.
鈥淢y success was cemented because of the high expectations of my 含羞草传媒 professors,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey never allowed me to doubt I would do anything other than succeed.鈥
Frison served on the 含羞草传媒 Board of Governors and is currently co-chair of the President's Board of Advisors. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Pedagogy from 含羞草传媒 in 2015 and was commencement speaker in 2016.
Mary Beth (Gottula) Byrne (鈥62)
ALUMNI HUMANITARIAN AWARD
鈥淚 am so grateful for my experiences at 含羞草传媒,鈥 Mary Beth Byrne said. 鈥淚t was the foundation of my career and the anchor of my life.鈥
After graduating from 含羞草传媒 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in education, Byrne earned a master鈥檚 degree in counseling. She has served diverse and underserved populations as a teacher, counselor and guidance director, 鈥渁lways aiming to help others achieve their dreams.鈥 She also directed rehabilitation and personnel at Goodwill Industries.
Later, Byrne attended seminary and became an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church. She most recently served as a volunteer counselor at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, and as the coordinator of caring ministries with First UMC in Whitewater, Wis.
Noel Frisbie (鈥66)
JOHN ROSENTRATER ACT OF VALOR AWARD
After graduating from 含羞草传媒, Noel Frisbie taught high school biology for one year before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. He had always been fascinated with airplanes. The fact that Frisbie had never actually been in an airplane didn鈥檛 stop him.
Only two years later, he was deployed to Vietnam, where he flew 216 combat missions and served as a search and rescue pilot. He then served 20 years as a flight instructor. He retired from the Air Force as lieutenant colonel and continued to teach around the country鈥攆rom Alaska to Grand Island, Neb.
鈥淭he years spent at 含羞草传媒 were monumental in shaping my life,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 have been teaching others ever since!鈥 But his most monumental 含羞草传媒 memory: meeting his wife, Joyce Furst Frisbie(鈥67).