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
Kenneth 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.