30 October 2020
James Brennan ({top|leading} from left ), Stanley Freerks, Terry Freerks, (bottom from left)
Stephen Kolodziej and Elizabeth Petersen were the 2020 {recipients|receivers} of the Distinguished Alumni Award at Thursday’s virtual {Founders|Creators} {Celebration|Event}. ({Photos|Pictures|Images} by August Jennewein) Members of the University of Missouri– St. Louis {community|neighborhood} tuned into the 29th {annual|yearly} {Founders|Creators} {Celebration|Event} from {computer|computer system} and tablet screens on Thursday in part to honor {five|5} alumni for success in their {careers|professions} and {support|assistance} of the university.
James Brennan, Stanley Freerks, Terry Freerks, Stephen Kolodziej and Elizabeth Petersen {received|got} Distinguished Alumni Awards.
The award {has|has actually} been {given to|offered to|provided to} {esteemed|renowned|prestigious|well-regarded} alumni {annually|yearly|every year|each year} {since|because|considering that|given that} 1987 and is the UMSL Alumni Association’s {highest|greatest} honor.
{Learn more|Find out more|Discover more} about this year’s honorees.
James Brennan {earned|made} a BSBA from the UMSL College of {Business|Company|Service|Organization} Administration in 1974 and {has|has actually} been active in the St. Louis homebuilding {industry|market} for {decades|years}. His {company|business}– McKelvey {Homes|Houses|Residences}– is the {fourth|4th} {largest|biggest} {builder|contractor|home builder} in the {region|area}. It {also|likewise} holds the {distinction|difference} of being the {oldest|earliest} {builder|contractor|home builder} in St. Louis. In addition to {serving as|functioning as|working as|acting as} president and owner of McKelvey {Homes|Houses|Residences}, Brennan is the past-president of the {Home|House} Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri. The {organization|company} honored him for his {dedication|commitment|devotion} with {a place|a location} in the Hall of {Fame|Popularity} for {Excellence|Quality} in {Achievement|Accomplishment}. Stanley Freerks {graduated|finished} with an MBA from the College of {Business|Company|Service|Organization} Administration in 1992. He {spent|invested} 43 years in the {insurance|insurance coverage}
{industry|market} and {received|got} {recognition|acknowledgment} in The Wall Street Journal for his work. He was an account executive and {later|later on} {became|ended up being} the president and owner of S A Freerks & Associates. The {insurance|insurance coverage} brokerage {firm|company} boasted {clients|customers} in {multiple|several|numerous} states. The {Distinguished|Differentiated|Identified} Alumni Award {joins|signs up with} a long list of {accolades|awards|distinctions|honors} bestowed on the now-retired Freerks, {including|consisting of} being {named|called} Who’s Who in {{Colleges and Universities|Institution of higher learnings}|Universities and colleges}, {receiving|getting} the Dean’s Medal from the College of {Business|Company|Service|Organization} and being {awarded|granted} the E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Medal of Philanthropy. Terry Freerks {earned|made} {a BA|a Bachelor’s Degree} in history from the UMSL College of Arts and Sciences in 1977 and {a MEd|a Medication} from the College of Education in 1979. She {has|has actually} {remained|stayed} active at the university for {decades|years} and {currently|presently} holds positions on the Chancellor’s Council, College of Arts and Sciences {Leadership|Management} Council, Nursing {Lab|Laboratory} {Campaign|Project} and Alumni {Finance|Financing} Committee. She’s {an avid|a devoted|a passionate} Triton fan and {a regular|a routine} {attendee|guest|participant} at UMSL sporting {events|occasions}. Outside the university, Freerks {serves as|functions as|works as|acts as} {a licensed|a certified} {professional|expert} {counselor|therapist} in {private|personal} practice and is the CFO, executive director emeritus and retired head coach of the Clayton Shaw Park Tideriders swimming {team|group}. Stephen Kolodziej {graduated|finished} from the UMSL College of Arts and Sciences with {a BA|a Bachelor’s Degree} in chemistry in 1987 and continued his education at the university, {earning|making} a PhD in 1992. He’s shared his {expertise|proficiency|knowledge|competence|know-how} through lectures at conferences held at {prestigious|distinguished|prominent} universities aroundthe {globe|world}, {including|consisting of} MIT. He holds a long record of {publications and {presentations|discussions}|{presentations|discussions} and publications} and {has|has actually} been {issued|provided|released} 16 patents for his {innovative|ingenious} work. Kolodziej is an associate {research|research study} fellow in biotherapeutic pharmaceutical sciences at Pfizer and {has|has actually} {frequently|often|regularly} {collaborated|worked together|teamed up} with {researchers|scientists} at UMSL. This {collaboration|partnership|cooperation} {resulted in|led to} {funding|financing} {opportunities|chances} and publications for the {lab|laboratory} of Alexei Demchenko, {curators|managers} ‘{distinguished|prominent|recognized} {professor|teacher}
in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Elizabeth Petersen {earned|made} {a BA|a Bachelor’s Degree} in biology from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1980 and {a MEd|a Medication} from the College of Education in 1996. She is a nationally {renowned|popular|distinguished|prominent} curriculum {writer|author}, leader, {collaborator|partner} and facilitator in STEM education. Her work as a science {educator|teacher} {has|has actually} been {recognized|acknowledged} with the St. Louis Educational Equity Award and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Stream {Team|Group} {Teacher|Instructor} of the Year Award. Petersen is {currently|presently} a STEM facilitator at Washington University in St. Louis and {a frequent|a regular} speaker on {topics|subjects} such as gender and racial equity in the {classroom|class}, {best|finest} practices in {teaching|mentor} and {environmental|ecological} {opportunities|chances}. {Short|Brief} URL: https://blogs.umsl.edu/news/?p=86991!.?.!Source: blogs.umsl.edu