SWT names 1999 Distinguished Alumni

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — One current San Marcan and three former San Marcans are among seven Southwest Texas State University graduates who will receive the university’s Distinguished Alumnus Award during homecoming Saturday, Oct. 16. Margaret Dunn, Henry Goodman Jr., Alfred Nolle and David Votaw will receive the award, the highest honor given by the SWT Alumni Association.

        Dunn is a three-time graduate of SWT, earning degrees in 1973, 1975 and 1977. She began her long-standing service to the university in 1978 as a research and development specialist and currently serves as director of the Center for Initiatives in Education at SWT. In her capacity as director, she administers several of the programs within the center, including the Youth Empowerment Project, Educare Training Institute and Ten-County Adult and Continuing Education Cooperative.

         Dunn currently serves on the steering committee for the USDOE School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program, the advisory panel for the National Evaluation Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program and the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Task Force regarding Minorities in Juvenile Justice. Her work in juvenile justice carries over into her many memberships in such organizations as the Task Force on Drug Abuse Prevention, Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention, Texas Crime Prevention Association and the American Educational Research Associations.

         Nolle received his bachelor of arts in chemistry from SWT in 1938. His last position was that of professor of physics at the University of Texas at Austin. He retired from UT in 1994.

        Nolle’s work in the physics of musical instruments has earned him the distinction of Fellow in the American Physical Society and the Acoustical Society of America. His accolades come from such varying persons as Leo Beranek, president of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, to personnel in the Office of Naval Research.

        Goodman went from receiving his bachelor and master of science degrees in chemistry from SWT in 1938 and 1940 to winning the 1996 Immy Award for Lifetime Achievement. He received the Immy Award for his pioneering efforts in the development of plastics in the automotive industry.

        Goodman began his 38-year career with Du Pont in 1950 as a research chemist. Goodman joined the first Automotive Development Group in Detroit and worked closely with the industry to develop structural plastic components for automobiles. From 1970 until the end of his career with Du Pont, Goodman was an automotive development program manager, directing studies that generated the development of a wide range of thermoplastic engine components, including emission canisters, engine coolant and hydraulic fluid reservoirs and fuel pumps.

        Votaw is a 1937 graduate of SWT in mathematics. He has contributed an immense amount of information to the world of mathematics, as both a professor and corporate consultant. He has taught at Yale University, Boston College, Pennsylvania University, Clark University and Bentley College before spending his final years as a professor at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

         As a consultant, Votaw worked with U.S. Air Force Operations Analysis on missile testing, linear programming and statistical estimation problems. His work with missiles continued with the AVCO Corp., where he was involved in research and development of long-range missiles. He also worked with the Ramo-Wooldridge Corp. on the reliability and accuracy of guided missiles.

         This year’s other Distinguished Alumni include Chris Adler of Corpus Christi, 1962 graduate; Brig. Gen. Christopher James Luna of San Antonio, 1965 graduate and Brig. Gen. Randall Starbuck of New Jersey, 1971 graduate.

         The 1999 Distinguished Alumni luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. Tickets can be purchased for $20. For more information, call Alumni Affairs at (512) 245-2371.