Awards
2007 Awards
The State Business Meeting and Awards Luncheon for the Groups Alumni Association was held on July 14, 2007, at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. The award winners for 2007 were:
- Nancy Lorenz, Covered Bridge Award recipient
- David F. Hummons, Lifetime Acheivement Award recipient
- Dr. Juan M. Anaya, Sassafras Award, Education
- Jerry L. Maynard, II, Sassafras Award, Community Service
- Deva Roberts-Newman, Sassafras Award, Arts and Entertainment
- Steven A. White, Sassafras Award, Business
- Lauren E. Crowner, Sassafras Award, Community Service
Past Award Winners
COVERED BRIDGE AWARD
State Representative Vernon G. Smith (2004)
J. Warren Ross (2005)
Vernon A. Williams (2006)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Rozelle Boyd (2004)
La Verta L. Terry (2005)
Dr. James E. Mumford (2006)
SASSAFRAS AWARDS
Arts and Entertainment
Kenneth L. Ware, Groups ’69 (2004)
Iris Rosa, Groups ’43 (2005)
Calvin D. Johnson, Sr., Groups ’72 (2006)
Gaye Leavell Johnson, Groups ’72 (2006)
Business
Dawn Ridley, Groups ’86 (2004)
Crystal Livers-Powers, Groups ’86 (2005)
Francis Johnson-Robbins, Groups ’70 (2006)
Community Service
Louis Lopez, Groups ’73 (2004)
Maria Lillian Casillas, Groups ’85 (2005)
William R. Knox, Groups ’95 (2006)
Education
Nathaniel Jones, Groups ’69 (2004)
Delia M. McClam-Silas, Groups ’43 (2005)
Dr. Carol Cummins-Collier, Groups ’72 (2006)
Award Symbols
The Covered Bridge
Indiana’s rustic red-hued covered bridges are portals to the world for many Hoosiers and rural reminders of their state university’s colors. The Groups Student Support Services Program, like these humble structures hewn out of the state’s woodlands, provides a sturdy bridge out of poverty and hopelessness for many gifted first-generation, low-income, and physically challenged Hoosiers who aspire to achieve the American dream and join the distinguished list of Indiana University graduates.
Sassafras Leaves
Sassafras trees are indigenous to Indiana. Since the settling of the state, Sassafras wood has been used to warm Hoosier homesteads and its dried roots have been brewed to make that most native of all Indiana libations, sassafras tea. The distinguished Groups alumni who receive this award have been selected because of their exceptional careers in arts and entertainment, business, community service, and education which exemplify the core or root values of the Groups Program.