Alumni Awards

Nominate future awardees & see past awardees

Culture for Service Award and Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award

The Culture for Service Awards and Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award are established by the Goshen Alumni Association to honor and recognize the achievements of Goshen College alumni who exemplify the college motto, “Culture for Service,” and who live out the core values of the college.

Awards Criteria

The nominee will:

Be a living alumna/us who has graduated from the college.
Exemplify Culture for Service and live a life consistent with the core values: Christ-centered, passionate learners, global citizens, compassionate peacemakers and servant leaders.
Have distinguished record of service and/or achievement to home, church, college, community and world. They are committed to seeking a life which balances the demands of their professional, church, community and family life.
One Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award will be presented annually to an alumna/us at or before their 15th class reunion year. They must meet the same criteria and guidelines stated above.

Nomination Process

Completed nomination application forms are submitted either via mail or email at alumni@goshen.edu to the alumni office, which makes sure the information is complete. Complete nominations, which include multiple completed application forms and supporting documents, are submitted to the Awards and Recognition Committee of the Executive Board of the Goshen College Alumni Council. Applications are accepted on an on-going basis. Nominations completed after January 15 will be considered for the following year.

* Current Goshen College employees or members of the Executive Board of the Alumni Association are not eligible for these awards.

Nomination Form

Champions of Character Awards

The Champions of Character Awards were established by the Maple Leaf Athletic Club to honor and recognize those former student-athletes who have gone on to exemplify and demonstrate the core values of Goshen College and the NAIA in their lives, work and community service. The Maple Leaf Athletic Club established the Champions of Character Awards in 2006 and they are annually presented to a male and female alumni athlete. The awards are named the Dr. Ruth Gunden Award and the Dr. Roman Gingerich Award. Gunden and Gingerich were pioneers in Goshen College’s athletic history.

Awards Criteria

The nominee will:

Be a living alumna/us who participated on a sports team at Goshen College and has graduated from the college.
Live a life consistent with the Champions of Character Core Values: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership.
Have distinguished record of service and/or achievement to home, church, college, community and world. They are committed to seeking a life which balances the demands of their professional, church, community and family life.

Nomination Process

Complete nominations are reviewed by the Maple Leaf Athletic Club council members. Applications are accepted on an on-going basis. Applications that are completed after March will be considered for the following year.

*Current Goshen College employees are not eligible for these awards.

Champion of Character Nomination Form

Past Alumni Awardees

2025

Raj Biyani ’92, Bellevue, Washington; Culture for Service Awardee
Gerald Schlabach ’79, Grand Marais, Michigan; Culture for Service Awardee
Kate Friesen ’14 and Scott Kempf ’11, Goshen, Indiana; Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award
Tony Janzen ’08, Goshen, Indiana; Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Awardee
Mary Hartzler ’70 , Columbus, Ohio; Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Awardee

2024

Charles Hostetter ’63 – Culture for Service Awardee
Adam Tice ’02 – Culture for Service Awardee
Samita Thapa ’12 – Young Alumni Servant Leader Awardee
Carl J. Yoder ’57 – Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Awardee
Sophia Sears ’17 – Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Awardee

2023

Daryl Abbott ’69, Goshen; Culture for Service Award
Pauline (Graybill) Kennel ’53, Goshen; Culture for Service Award
Jeremy Pope ’11, Nashville, Tennessee; Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award
Melissa (Lehman) Gillette ’05, Goshen; Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award
Geof Landis ’76, Goshen; Dr Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award

2022

Dan Miller ’61, Walnut Creek, Ohio; Culture for Service Award
Evelyn Dueck ’81, Berlin, Massachusetts; Culture for Service Award
Stefon Luckey ’15, Cassopolis, Michigan; Young Alumni Servant Leadership Award
Katie Sowers ’09, Ottawa, Kansas;Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award
Jason Potsander ’01, Goshen; Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award

2020/2021

Franklin Baer ’72; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Culture for Service Award
Shashi Buluswar ’90; Oakland, California; Culture for Service Award
Paul ’08 and Rebecca Shetler Fast ’08; Goshen, Indiana; Young Alumni Award
Todd Woodworth ’78; Goshen, Indiana; Champion of Character Award
Krysten Parson ’02, Goshen, Indiana, Champion of Character Award

2019

Minh Kauffman ’74, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Culture for Service Award
Carolyn Sauder ’55, Archbold, Ohio, Culture for Service Award
Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma ’05, Three Rivers, Michigan, Young Alumni Award
Kari Heusinkveld ’12, Kalona, Iowa, Champions of Character Award
Garrett Cannizzo ’12, Elkhart, Indiana, Champions of Character Award

2018

David Reimer ’84, Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius | 2018 Culture for Service Award
Patricia Ebersole Zwier ’76 of Goshen | 2018 Culture for Service Award
Jes Stoltzfus Buller ’08 of Goshen | 2018 Young Alumni Award
Penina (Acayo) Laker ’11 of St. Louis, Missouri | 2018 Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award
Byron Shenk ’63 of McMinnville, Oregon | 2018 Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award

2017

Sheri Hartzler ’73 of Harrisonburg, Virginia | 2017 Culture for Service Award
Philip Thomas ’87 of Goshen | 2017 Culture for Service Award
Nicole Cober Bauman ’08 of Elkhart, Indiana | 2017 Young Alumni Award
Justine (Clemmer) Pletcher ’72 of Goshen | 2017 Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award
Stan King ’61 of Goshen | 2017 Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award

2016

Ellah Wakatama Allfrey ’88 of London, England; Culture for Service Award
Dr. Doug Schwartzentruber ’78 of Indianapolis; Culture for Service Award
Aletha Stahl ’89 of Richmond, Indiana; Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award
James Gingerich ’66, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award

2015

Aliko Songolo ’68, Culture for Service Award
Kathy Short ’75, Culture for Service Award
Sonia Graber ’00, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Ken Pletcher ’70, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Alice Gunden Bender ’80, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2014

Esther Lehman Kawira ’74, Culture for Service Award
Raymond Funk ’69, Culture for Service Award
Malinda Berry ’96, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Kenneth Edwards ’81, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Mandy Yoder ’99, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2013

Tony Brown ’71, Culture for Service Award
Arden Shank ’74, Culture for Service Award
Fred Litwiller ’62, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Lynda Hollinger-Janzen ’78, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2012

John Driver ’50, Culture for Service Award
Rebecca Pries ’66, Culture for Service Award
Grant Rissler ’00, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Keith Springer ’69, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Sue Roth ’66, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2011

Ahmed Haile ’79, Culture for Service Award
Arthur DeFehr ’65, Culture for Service Award
Vance George ’55, Culture for Service Award
Kelli Holsopple ’99, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Martin Gaff ’71, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Mary Sutter ’80, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2010

Nancy Chupp ’87, Culture for Service Award
David ’48 and Wilma Shank ’46, Culture for Service Award
Wilmar Stahl ’71, Culture for Service Award
Cristina Hernandez ’00, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Dan Bodiker ’64, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
BJ Leichty ’75, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2009

John Martin ’74, Culture for Service Award
Galen Miller ’74, Culture for Service Award
Lynn Williams ’60, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Marty Kelley ’71, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2008

Dale Kempf ’78, Culture for Service Award
James Mininger ’65, Culture for Service Award
Virginia Mininger ’65, Culture for Service Award
Paul Myers ’66, Culture for Service Award
Janna Hunter-Bowman ’00, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
John Ingold ’59, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Trinda Hirschey Bishop ’69, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2007

David Bartel ’82, Culture for Service Award
Jonathan W. Beachy ’72, Culture for Service Award
Ruby Payne ’72, Culture for Service Award
Dana Graber Ladek ’97, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Henry Zehr ’78, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Sue Conrad ’92, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2006

Edgar Metzler ’52, Culture for Service Award
Ethel Yake Metzler ’46, Culture for Service Award
Glen E. Miller ’57, Culture for Service Award
Lisa Koop ’99, Decade of Servant Leadership Award
Don Jantzi ’72, Dr. Roman Gingerich Champion of Character Award
Sally Hunsberger ’86, Dr. Ruth Gunden Champion of Character Award

2005

Carol Koop Farran ’69, Culture for Service Award
Ramzi Farran ’68, Culture for Service Award
Hans Hillerbrand ’55, Culture for Service Award
Justin Rothshank ’00, Decade of Servant Leadership Award

2004

Anita Swartzendruber Garcia ’56, Culture for Service Award
Raul Garcia ’56, Culture for Service Award
Pearl Hartz ’49, Culture for Service Award
Harold Kauffman ’61, Culture for Service Award

2003

Esther Buckwalter Graber ’52, Culture for Service Award
Ronald Graber ’52, Culture for Service Award
Arden Schmucker ’53, Culture for Service Award
Dan Steiner ’65, Culture for Service Award

2002

Sylvester Outley ’69, Culture for Service Award
Ed Yoder ’58, Culture for Service Award
Theo Hartzler Yoder ’57, Culture for Service Award
Kathleen Zehr ’40, Culture for Service Award

2001

Roger N. Beachy ’66, Culture for Service Award
Gerald L. Hughes ’54, Culture for Service Award
Arlie Hershberger Weaver ’50, Culture for Service Award
Stanley Weaver ’50, Culture for Service Award

2000

Rosemarie Freeney Harding ’55, Culture for Service Award
Florence I. Nafziger ’45, Culture for Service Award
Royce Salzman ’50, Culture for Service Award

1999

Adella Brunk Kanagy ’44, Culture for Service Award
Fred Speckeen ’53, Culture for Service Award
Howard Zehr ’66, Culture for Service Award

1998

Lester T. Hershey ’36, Culture for Service Award
Marjorie Schertz Liechty ’53, Culture for Service Award
Elsie Eash Sutter ’41, Culture for Service Award

1997

Evelyn Burkholder Kreider ’36, Culture for Service Award
Vern L. Miller ’50, Culture for Service Award
Wayne Nafziger ’60, Culture for Service Award

1996

John A. Friesen ’38, Culture for Service Award
Beulah Stauffer Hostetler ’47, Culture for Service Award
William D. Pletcher ’51, Culture for Service Award

1995

Kodwo Ankrah ’58, Culture for Service Award
Vera M. Good ’52, Culture for Service Award
Meryl Grasse ’44, Culture for Service Award
John L. Grasse ’49, Culture for Service Award

1994

Edgar Lin ’67, Culture for Service Award
Emma Sommers Richards ’49, Culture for Service Award
Peter Wiebe ’49, Culture for Service Award

1993

Peter J. Dyck ’50, Culture for Service Award
Abram M. Hostetter ’53, Culture for Service Award
Leanne Fricke Schertz ’58, Culture for Service Award

1992

Minni Swartzendruber ’44, Culture for Service Award
Paulos Mar Gregorios (Paul Verghese) ’52, Culture for Service Award
Irene Lehman Weaver ’32, Culture for Service Award
David E. Yoder ’54, Culture for Service Award

1991

Charles W. Ainlay ’41, Culture for Service Award
Orie J. Eigsti ’31, Culture for Service Award
Owen Gingerich ’51, Culture for Service Award
Dorothy Nelson McFarland ’44, Culture for Service Award

1990

Harriet Lapp Burkholder ’37, Culture for Service Award
Lawrence Burkholder ’39, Culture for Service Award
Lois Yake Kenagy ’47, Culture for Service Award

1989

Albert Buckwalter ’47, Culture for Service Award
Lois Litwiller Buckwalter ’44, Culture for Service Award
Melvin J. Loewen ’49, Culture for Service Award
Dorothy Snapp McCammon ’44, Culture for Service Award
Arthur Weaver ’47, Culture for Service Award