Alumni Awards Announced

Three NMU alumni will be recognized as part of the Homecoming 2009 activities. Cynthia Peck of Saginaw, Mich., will receive the Alumni Achievement Award. Retired Rear Adm. Michael Roesner of Prudenville, Mich., and Ronald Stump of Boulder, Colo., will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Peck graduated from NMU in 1976. She is a well-respected chemistry instructor at Delta Community College. She spent 14 years in the industrial arena as a quality control and analytical chemist, earning awards for her efforts in laboratory robotics before beginning a new career in education. Peck has participated in nationwide curriculum development with the National Science Foundation and has served as a reviewer for a number of textbooks and online support materials. Actively engaged in her local community, she works extensively with grade-school children as a volunteer educator. She also does science demonstrations for schools and other public events.                        

Roesner’s distinguished U.S. Navy career spanned 39 years and a broad range of missions, from control of aircraft to command of the Navy’s largest logistics and procurement center. He saw combat duty in Vietnam and in the Persian Gulf/Iraq and Afghanistan engagements. The majority of his career was in combat-related activity and support, but Roesner also was involved in a number of humanitarian relief efforts, most recently Hurricane Katrina. Roesner has several personal medals to his credit, culminating with the Distinguished Service Medal, one of the Navy’s highest peacetime awards. He graduated from NMU in 1974. After retiring from the military, Roesner accepted a position as associate partner for global supply chain management with IBM Corp.

Stump received two degrees from NMU: a bachelor’s in 1969 and a master’s in 1971. He also lettered three years in football and was voted the Wildcats most valuable player his senior season. He began his career at NMU, first as a residence hall director and then in a variety of student affairs positions. Stump has been a higher education administrator for more than 40 years. Now at the University of Colorado at Boulder, he serves as interim director of the alumni association. In his previous capacity as CU vice chancellor for student affairs, Stump was responsible for the second-largest division, comprised of more than 30 departments. He directed key operations that included the admissions office, housing and dining services and financial aid. He led a staff of about 1,000 and supervised an annual operating budget of more than $125 million. Stump is actively engaged in professional organizations and in his community.      

The recipients will be honored at the NMU alumni awards and scholarship brunch on Saturday, Sept. 26.