2002 Alumni Awards presented at Homecoming dinner
FOR RELEASE: Friday, October 4, 2002
Huntington, Ind. " In Homecoming ceremonies today, Huntington College Alumni Director Margaret Roush announced that Jennifer Boen of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Jana Kay Hoobler originally from Rockford, Ill., have been named Alumnus of the Year. Roush also announced that James W. A. Hoffman of Huntington, Ind., has been selected to receive the College's Distinguished Alumni Citation. The evening ceremony was attended by approximately 200 alumni and was officiated by Dr. Lars Andersen, Alumni Association president.
Below are the citations, which were read in honor of the recipients.
Huntington College is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 60 academic concentrations. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington College is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in Huntington, Indiana.
Huntington College Alumnus of the Year
Jennifer Beebe Boen
October 5, 2002
Each year the Alumni Association of Huntington College recognizes one of its own for outstanding achievement or honor during the past year. Individuals who receive this award represent the ideals of Huntington College through their profession or through some other area of service. The 2002 Alumnus of the Year Award is awarded to Jennifer Beebe Boen.
An English major from the class of 1971, Jennifer has been using her skills as a journalist to help impact her world for Christ. After living in South Dakota for 10 years, she and her family moved to Fort Wayne in 1994. Jennifer then began a career with the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, covering all area hospitals, public health issues, long-term care facilities, Medicare/Medicaid and local and national medical news. In addition, she covers nonprofit organizations throughout northeast Indiana.
In 1999, Jennifer had the privilege to break the news story of the first person in the United States to donate a kidney anonymously to anyone who needed it. Along with a national CBS television crew, Jennifer was in the operating room at Johns Hopkins University when a Fort Wayne woman donated her kidney laparoscopically to a 12-year old Maryland boy. The story went national as People Magazine, The New York Times and other publications picked up the story. For her coverage of the event, and its precedent-setting changes in organ donation, Jennifer won a national Clarion Award from Women in Communications, given to her at a ceremony in Houston, Texas. Other recipients of the Clarion award were from such news organizations as Time Magazine, NBC Dateline, the Wall Street Journal, and more.
This past April, Jennifer was awarded the Indiana Public Health Association's Media Award for on-going coverage of public health issues locally and across the state. In September, she was one of 25 fellows from across the United States to attend the University of Maryland's Knight Center for Specialized Journalism on The Graying of America.
Jennifer holds professional memberships with the Health Care Journalists Association and the Journalists Exchange on Aging.
Other awards Jennifer has received include:
First Place " 2000, from the Associated Press Managing Editors for Gray Areas, an investigative report of Allen and Whitley county nursing homes.
First Place " 2000, from Society of Professional Journalists for Gray Areas.
Outstanding Media Award " 2000, from the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
Honorable Mention " 2000, from the Associated Press Managing Editor for non-deadline reporting for Help Wanted: Nurses.
Knight Center for Specialized Journalism - October 2000, for Covering the Nonprofit World.
Joanne Dring Journalism Award for Excellence " 1999, for Best Print Journalism Series for Gray Areas.
Exceptional Merit " 1999, from Community Action Network Media & Corporate Awards for Gray Areas.
The Huntington College Alumni Association is proud to present to Jennifer Beebe Boen the 2002 Alumnus of the Year Award.
Huntington College Alumnus of the Year
Jana Kay Hoobler
October 5, 2002
Each year the Alumni Association of Huntington College recognizes one of its own for outstanding achievement or honor during the past year. Individuals who receive this award represent the ideals of Huntington College through their profession or through some other area of service. The 2002 Alumnus of the Year Award is awarded to Jana Kay Hoobler.
Jana is an outstanding missionary, offering leadership to the United Brethren work in Macau. She has energetically filled a wide variety of roles, including adult English education, children's ministry, field administration and teacher training consultation in the People's Republic of China.
Jana's interest in missions began when she was a child growing up in the Kilburn Avenue United Brethren in Christ Church in Rockford, Illinois. During her high school years and as a student at Huntington College, Jana participated in short-term mission trips to Ecuador, Honduras and Costa Rica. These experiences crystallized her missionary calling.
Jana graduated from Huntington College in 1992 with a degree in Elementary Education. Soon after graduation, she joined the United Brethren mission in Macau teaching English as a Second Language. In 1998, she agreed to serve as interim field director. Her leadership abilities were evident in this role, and she was appointed to assume the role of field director in 1999. As field director, Jana has been instrumental in expanding the mission, establishing a third United Brethren ministry site in Macau.
While home on furlough, Jana is pursuing a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies at Wheaton College Graduate School where she has been selected as a Smyth scholar, a merit-based full-ride scholarship for furloughing missionaries.
To this point in her career, Jana has been recognized as an effective teacher and mentor, Christian role model, friend of the people of southern China, and servant of God.
The Huntington College Alumni Association is proud to present to Jana Kay Hoobler the 2002 Alumnus of the Year Award.
Huntington College Distinguished Alumni Citation
James W. A. Hoffman
October 5, 2002
The Distinguished Alumni Citation recognized each year an alumnus of Huntington College for distinguished service and achievement over an extended period of time. The individuals who receive this award represent the ideals of Huntington College through their profession or through other areas of service. The 2002 Distinguished Alumni Citation is awarded to James A. Hoffman.
A History major from the class of 1959, Jim went on to teach and coach in Michigan public schools as he completed his Master's degree in guidance counseling from Eastern Michigan University. He subsequently landed a job as assistant director of admissions and financial aid at Northern Michigan University in 1965. In 1967, Jim returned to Huntington College to serve for one year as Dean of Students. Then it was back to Northern Michigan University in 1969, this time as director of admissions. In 1973, Jim ventured south to Huntington again to serve Huntington College for five years in admissions and public relations.
Since 1984, Jim has worked in the Advancement Office of the College, serving various roles such as alumni relations, church relations and the annual fund.
For over 25 years, Jim has served Huntington College with a heart and mind for its mission to enable Huntington College students to Impact their world for Christ. He has worked diligently with alumni and friends to see that mission come to fruition.
During his years working with the Alumni Board and the Alumni Association, Jim has seen the Alumni Board evolve into a distinctive board working in the planning and promotion of the College.
In 1996, Jim received a centennial medallion as one of 100 people " past and present " who exemplify the HC spirit.
The Huntington College Alumni Association is proud to present to Jim Hoffman the Huntington College Distinguished Alumni Citation.
