Alumnae/i Association honors six during Homecoming Weekend

At its annual Fall Celebration, Wheaton's Alumnae/i Association honored six alumnae/i for their philanthropic work on behalf of the college and their local communities. The awards ceremony was one of the highlights of the college's Homecoming Weekend, which also featured a wide variety of academic, cultural and athletic events.

The six honorees included (pictured above, left to right):

Mary Cullens Murdoch '54, a community volunteer whose commitment to Wheaton through leadership, creative volunteer activities and philanthropy has advanced the college's reputation and resources, winner of the Alumnae/i Board Award;

Roxanna Booth Cistulli '90, a Trinity College (Conn.) senior administrator and community volunteer, winner of the Alumnae/i Achievement Award;

Sara Dreier Moya '67, a former Paradise Valley, Ariz., council member and vice mayor whose work in public policy brought needed services to the region's homeless, winner of the Alumnae/i Achievement Award;

Braden Ferrari '99, a money manager with Midtown Partners and volunteer with Mainchance in New York City, where he coaches soccer and teaches life skills to homeless athletes, winner of the Young Alumnae/i Award;

John and Ann Kirkpatrick Runnette '56, whose generous and then-anonymous gift to the college in celebration of the Class of 1956's 50th Reunion spurred a challenge that broke all records for Reunion giving, winners of the Dale Rogers Marshall Award for Mary Lyon Society Leadership and Service;

Ann Bollman Goldsmith '54, an urban planner, writer and educator who has dedicated her many volunteer hours to leadership roles at Wheaton and in community organizations, winner of the Alumnae/i Achievement Award.

''Your desire to help others truly makes the world a better place and we are grateful to you,'' President Ronald A. Crutcher told the winners. ''While I am saluting good works, I want to applaud all of you here today for the contributions you make toward keeping the Wheaton community strong and vital. In your roles as class leaders, volunteers and philanthropists, you inspire classmates and friends to be active and supportive members of our community, and that is critical to the college's future and to the future of the young women and men who are studying here now.''