2025 SIU Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
Introducing the individuals receiving the highest honor given by the SIU Alumni Association
The SIU Distinguished Alumni Award, recognizing Salukis whose achievements, service, and leadership exemplify the highest values of the University, is the highest honor, presented by the SIU Alumni Association. Other awards include alumni of distinction in the categories of Young Alumni Achievement, Innovation, Volunteer Excellence, Saluki Spirit, and Diversity and Inclusion. Additionally, the Association presents the Outstanding Student Achievement Award to one student each year.
The Association has recognized hundreds of alumni through these awards, whose professional achievements, personal integrity, and community service reflect the best of former SIU Carbondale students. Honorees are nominated by fellow alumni, colleagues, and community members, and selected by a committee of Association board members.
Col. Niki J. Lindhorst '95 2025 Distinguished Alumna Award
Colonel Niki J. Lindhorst has served nearly three decades in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, culminating in her current leadership position as Director of Operations, Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Blake Noland '10 Young Alumni Achievement Award
Blake Noland represents the eighth generation of his family to work their row crop farm. He is the founder of Birddog Workforce Scouting, a recruitment consulting firm that specializes in connecting companies in the skilled trades and agricultural industries with young talent.
Jeff Lawber '03 Innovation Award
Jeff Lawber is an award-winning product designer and founder of The Office of Design and Development, a Portland, Oregon-based studio serving clients such as Nike, Adidas, Jeep, and Warner Bros. He describes his work as a blend of form, function, and storytelling, creating compelling user experiences in areas from retail to education.
Teresa & Tim McCarthy '87 Mark 'Matt' Jennings '90 Volunteer Excellence Award
Teresa and Tim McCarthy describe their connection to SIU as generational. The family remains steadfast supporters of the university, with the McCarthys dedicating time each year to supporting local alumni activity in the Springfield, Illinois area.
They also have a strong collaborator in Mark "Matt" Jennings, who devotes equal time to keeping Saluki pride alive in the central part of the state.
Lois Kay ('62) and John 'Jack' ('69) Wissmann Saluki Spirit Award
Since retiring in 2011, life for Lois Kay and John “Jack” Wissmann has centered around the SIU and Carbondale scene, particularly local live music and Saluki Athletics. The Wissmanns are season ticket holders for SIU football, as well as men’s and women’s basketball. However, it’s also common to find them enjoying other women’s sports, such as soccer, volleyball, and softball, proudly wearing their Saluki maroon in the stands.
Dr. Terrence Roberts '77 Minnijean Brown Trickey, HC '07 Thelma Mothershed-Wair '64 Diversity & Inclusion Award
Before Dr. Terrence Roberts, Minnijean Brown Trickey, and Thelma Mothershed-Wair became Salukis, they were members of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who desegregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
Alek Abell '26 Outstanding Student Achievement Award
Alek Abell is a proud Saluki and senior at SIU, majoring in biological sciences with a minor in chemistry on the pre-health professions track. An active member of the Student Alumni Council, he participates in a variety of initiatives designed to strengthen connections between students, alumni, and the community. He is also involved in Timmy Global Health and the Pre-Health Professions Association.