CNS Outstanding Alumni Award

 

This award recognizes CNS alumni for outstanding professional achievement and support of the college or university. Award recipients exemplify the MSU commitment to the land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach activities through their dedication to professional, community and MSU service. 

Nominations are submitted by CNS faculty, staff and alumni. The Board of Directors of the CNS Alumni Association selects the recipient and presents the award at the annual CNS Awards Convocation.

 

2008 Recipient

 

Ken Yerrick portraitKenneth B. Yerrick

B.S. Chemistry 1959, M.S. Physical Chemistry 1961

Ken Yerrick's distinguished 35-year career at Dow corning ended with his retirement as Executive Vice President in 1997. Yerrick joined Dow Corning in 1961 upon graduation from MSU with a BS in Chemistry and a MS in Physical Chemistry. He held various positions in U.S. Research and Development until 1980 when he was named director of Europe Research and Development. In 1982 he became European V.P. and Business manager for Fluids, Resins and Process Industries. He returned to the U.S. in 1984 as General manager of the Medical Materials Business and was named Director of Human Resources in 1988 and named President of Dow Corning U.S.A. in 1992.

 

Yerrick has been actively involved in community and professional organizations throughout his career. He has served on the Board of Trustees for Davenport University as well as Great Lakes Junior College. He has also been involved with the Midland Area Rotary, Salvation Army, and Junior High Mathematics Program.

 

Yerrick is a charter member of the CNS Dean's Board of Advisors, serving on the board since 1991. He is a lifetime member of the MSU Alumni Association and a member of the MSU Snyder Society. Along with his wife Carole, he established the Kenneth B. and Carole A. Yerrick endowed Scholarship to benefit undergraduate students pursuing careers in science at MSU. He also named an office in the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building. Yerrick continues to be a strong advocate for science and mathematics education in the Michigan foundation community.

 

 

Past Recipients - CNS Outstanding Alumni Award

1980 Eldon Foltz Chemistry 1941
1981 James Orbison Biochemistry 1939
1982 Thomas Jamieson Biological Science 1965
1983 Michael Schulz Physics & Astronomy 1964
1984 Ronald Goldsberry Chemistry 1969
1985 Susan Crispin Botany & Plant Pathology 1980
  Ritchie Wessling Physical Chemistry 1959
1986 Reardon Campeau Chemistry 1965
1987 Charles Vincent Chemistry 1954
1988 Gordon Guyer Entomology 1953
1989 Harley Hotchkiss Geological Science 1951
1990 Jerry Cowen Physics 1954
1991 Karen Klomparens Botany & Plant Pathology 1973
1992 Paul Ts’o Physiology 1957
1993 Joseph Longo Physics & Astronomy 1968
1994 Lorenz Kull Physics & Astronomy 1967
1995 Robert Martin Medical Technology 1971
1996 B.L.S. Prakasa Rao Statistics & Probability 1966
1997 Durward L. Allen Zoology 1937
1998 Richard & Shirley Pendell Biological Science 1937
1999 Paul O’Connor Chemistry 1991
2000 J. Jack Samarias Statistics & Probability 1970
2001 Phaedon Avouris Chemistry 1974
2002 Daniel Edson Clinical Laboratory Science 1979
2003 Mary Ruth Dawson Zoology 1952
2004 Eugene Parker Physics 1948
2005 Michael Donoghue Botany & Plant Pathology 1975
2006 Mark Ehlert Microbiology 1975
2007 Stephen Warren Zoology 1976, Human Genetics 1981
2008 Kenneth Yerrick Chemistry 1959, Physical Chemistry 1961
     
     

Download a Nomination Form (PDF Format) for this award.