School of Education Alumni Weekend Celebration
2004 Alumni Award Recipients

Alumni Achievement Awards

CURTIS J. BONK
(M.S. '87, Ph.D '89 in educational psychology)
You might say that Curtis Bonk's teaching knows no bounds. A professor of educational psychology and instructional systems technology at Indiana University, Bonk is recognized worldwide for his expertise in distance education. He is a founding member of the university's Center for Research on Learning and Technology, and a leader in developing tools and techniques for Web-based instruction. Bonk has received numerous teaching awards, authored more than 100 publications, and given more than 150 presentations around the world. In 2003, he received the Most Outstanding Achievement by an Individual in Higher Education award from the U.S. Distance Learning Association.

ALICE DEWEY
(B.S. in '76 in elementary education/theatre and drama)
From junior high teacher to stage manager for the touring company of Les Misérables to associate producer of the film The Lion King, Alice Dewey has traveled far in her career. Currently a producer at The Walt Disney Company, Dewey has worked on animated classics such as The Prince and the Pauper and Aladdin, and is widely admired for her creativity and leadership, and for her ability to manage a huge cast of artists, writers, executives, and musicians. In 1997, she became the first woman to produce a Disney animated feature film – Hercules, for which she received the Annie Award for Best Producer. Her current project, Home on the Range, is an animated Western that's due to be released in spring 2004.

HARRY L. PETERSON
(Ph.D. '77 in educational policy studies)
Widely regarded as the consummate professional educator, Harry Peterson has served as executive assistant to the UW-Madison chancellor; vice president for university relations at the University of Idaho; deputy chancellor for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; and president of Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. Among his many achievements, Peterson engineered the consolidation of three Minnesota higher education systems. He's also credited with transforming Western State into a vibrant community of top scholars, motivated students, and engaged alumni. Recently retired, Peterson is an active member of the Wisconsin advocacy group, Citizens for Higher Education.

RICHARD A. ROSSMILLER
(M.S. '58, Ph.D. '60 in educational administration)
Emeritus professor Richard Rossmiller's work on K-12 school finance is legendary. In fact, his seminal research on the costs of high-quality special education services has been cited in textbooks for the last 25 years. During his distinguished career as professor of educational administration at UW-Madison, Rossmiller inspired countless students, directed the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, presided over several national organizations, served on numerous editorial boards, and was frequently asked to share his expertise on finance and equity issues in Federal and state courts. He currently serves as the senior national lecturer on school finance at Nova Southeastern University.

CHARLOTTE IREY SHORT
(B.S. '40 in dance)
A pioneer in dance education, emerita professor Charlotte Irey Short studied under Margaret H'Doubler in the 1930s. In 1945, she began teaching at the University of Colorado, where she built almost single-handedly the university's dance program, regarded today as among the best in the country. During her 43-year career at the university, Short choreographed more than 70 works for dance students and community theater productions, and established an internationally known summer dance festival. An inspiring teacher and compelling advocate, Short embodies that generation of dancer-educators whose vision and diligence brought dance into the mainstream of the university and the community.

Outstanding Recent Graduate Award

JOSE M. RIOS
(M.S. '91 in science education, Ph.D. '95 in curriculum and instruction)
Even as a UW graduate student, Jose Rios was exceptional. It was during those years that he developed and managed the Center for Biology Education's Summer Science Institute, a flagship program for underserved and minority high school students. Since then, Rios' passion for science education has flourished at the University of Washington, Tacoma, where he is an assistant professor of education. A rising star at the university, Rios became the first Tacoma campus faculty member to earn the University of Washington Presidential Faculty Development Fellowship, awarded in 2001 in part for his work with minority students and their teachers.

Lois Gadd Nemec Distinguished
Elementary Education Alumni Award

ANDREAL D. DAVIS
(B.S. '86 in elementary education, M.S. '95 in curriculum and instruction)
For Andreal Davis, a teacher's responsibility extends far beyond the classroom. Convinced of the importance of family and community in a child's education, Davis has been instrumental in forming family-school relationships ever since she began teaching in 1986 at a Madison elementary school. As co-director of the African American Ethnic Academy, a Saturday enrichment program, she builds those relationships every week. Davis's impact on children, their parents, student teachers, and her colleagues is immeasurable. She currently serves the Madison School District as a Title I reading instructor and parent involvement coordinator.

Carroll and Robert Heideman Distinguished
Secondary Education Alumni Award

ANNELIES HOWELL
(B.S. '95 in secondary education, M.S. '03 in curriculum and instruction)
Getting high school students excited about an advanced-placement statistics course is just one of the things that Annelies Howell does well. A math and physics teacher at Verona Area High School since 1995, Howell is widely admired for her ability to engage her students as she makes complex mathematical concepts understandable and relevant. That unique ability has also been valuable in Howell's work with student teachers. She serves as a cooperating teacher in the School of Education's Secondary Education Program and is considered one of its finest mentors. Howell is the first recipient of the Heideman award.