Taylor Budzikowski | The Echo
Alumni award recipients will be honored for their distinguished achievements throughout the weekend and will receive their awards on Friday, October 12.
During Homecoming and Family Weekend 2018, Taylor alumni will be recognized for outstanding achievement and servant leadership, including President Emeritus Eugene Habecker ('68), Marylou Habecker ('68) and Pulitzer Prize-Winner Chrissie Thompson Fink ('08).
"The alumni council members read all of the nominations and select individuals who exemplify the mission of Taylor University in their daily lives," Director of Alumni Relations Morgan Riessen said.
Each alumni award recipient exemplifies a personal or professional life well-lived for Jesus Christ and desires to use his or her passions to serve a world in need.
The Alumni Award recipients are as follows:
The Legion of Honor will be presented to President Emeritus Eugene Habecker ('68) an Marylou (Napolitano '68) Habecker. The award is Taylor's highest honor. The couple served as Taylor President
and First Lady from 2005-2016.
Eugene Habecker was the president of the American Bible Society (1991-2005) and holds nine honorary degrees. Marylou Habecker is an educator, speaker, writer, artist, and volunteer with a masters degree in Education from Ball State University.
Distinguished Service Alumnus will be awarded to James B. Hall ('69). Hall has been recognized for his teaching, patient care, and clinical research. He serves as chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Carolinas Medical Center and is a devoted professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Furthermore, Hall is the Chair of the Board of Faith, Hope, and Love mentor program for underserved children.
Distinguished Service Young Alumnus will be given to Chrissie Thompson Fink ('08) who won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for her contributions to The Enquirer's "Seven Days of Heroin".The story reported about the heroin epidemic in Cincinnati. Fink was a journalist for the Cincinnati Enquirer and is currently the education editor for USA Today in Spokane, Washington.
"For me the most important part of being a good ambassador for Christ, both through my journalism and at work, is just being a good journalist," Fink said.
Fink pursues truth and advocates for the least of these as a journalist and lives out her faith in all aspects of her life.
She continues to give back to her alma mater through speaking to journalism classes and mentoring student journalists. Fink spoke to several journalism classes on Thursday, October 11 at the onset of Homecoming and Family Weekend 2018.
Roselyn Kerlin Women in Leadership Award will be presented to Suzy (Moeschberger '90) Roth who serves as the executive director of Hands of Hope Adoption and Orphan Care Ministry. She co-founded the adoption and orphan care ministry in 2007. Roth lives in Fishers, Indiana with her husband and four children, three of whom are current students at Taylor.
"My passion, I believe…this relates to Taylor with this whole idea of servant leadership, it started with really wanting to educate people of God's heart for vulnerable children," Roth said.
Roth was first exposed to the brokenness of God's people while she was a student at Taylor and acquired a theological foundation to form her worldview.
She cares deeply for orphans and vulnerable children in her personal and professional life.
Each Alumni Award recipient has contributed positively to Taylor's mission and community through servant leadership in their various fields.
Recipients will receive their awards on Friday, October 12 during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2018 at a private dinner surrounded by close family and friends.
