The Cal Aggie Alumni Association's 2003 Alumni Award honorees include a national assemblyman of the Republic of Korea, a California Teacher of the Year and the first female chair of the California Air Resources Board. Each year, the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA) recognizes, honors and celebrates the outstanding personal and professional accomplishments of UC Davis graduates. The 2003 awards ceremony on Friday, Oct. 3, will pay tribute to the following recipients, whose accomplishments reflect the excellence and diversity of the University of California, Davis:

Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award

The Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award honors a UC Davis graduate in recognition of service to the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, the UC Davis Foundation and the university. The award was established in 1973 to perpetuate the lifelong interests of one of the university's most esteemed and supportive alumni, Jerry W. Fielder '39 (1915 to 1972).

Karl Gerdes '73, Ph.D. '84, a senior staff engineer for ChevronTexaco, has served on the CAAA board and UC Davis Foundation board. He has been a member of the Cal Aggie engineering alumni board since 1984 and serves on the advisory board to the UC Davis Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. In 1999, Gerdes was awarded the College of Engineering's Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award. He is an active volunteer for the College of Engineering and the Cal Aggie Alumni Association.

Distinguished Achievement Award

The Distinguished Achievement Award honors a graduate of UC Davis whose entire lifetime since graduation reflects exemplary and outstanding performance and achievements. This year, Augustine Gallego, M.A. '76, and Richard '49 and Evelyne '51 Rominger are co-recipients of the award. (The Romingers are unable to attend this year's celebration and will accept their award at the 2004 ceremony.)

Since 1990, Augustine Gallego, M.A. '76, has been chancellor of the San Diego Community College District. Gallego has earned a reputation as a national leader in higher education and was named one of the 21 most influential senior higher education leaders in the United States by Change magazine. He recently completed a one-year term as chair of the American Council on Education (ACE), the largest higher education advocacy organization in the nation, representing 1,800 colleges and universities. Gallego was only the second community college chief executive in the 85-year history of ACE to lead that organization.

Richard '49 and Evelyne '51 Rominger work together to embrace agriculture, land preservation and the arts. Richard served as the U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture for eight years and is a founding leader of the Yolo Land Trust. Evelyne, a strong supporter of the arts, has been a leader on campus in the development of the Nelson Gallery. They are lifetime farmers in the Winters area, maintaining a successful farming operation that is now managed by their sons.

Emil M. Mrak International Award

The Emil M. Mrak International Award honors a graduate of UC Davis who is distinguished in his or her career or in service outside the United States.

Currently serving as a national assemblyman of the Republic of Korea, Jay Kun Yoo, J.D. '77, works to assist the disadvantaged and the young and campaigns for unity within Korea and throughout the world. As a student, Yoo was known as a civil rights activist and leader for Korean American communities in the United States. Yoo has also been awarded the Order of Civil Merit Mununghwa Medal, South Korea's highest service medal.

Outstanding Alumnus(a) Award

The Outstanding Alumnus(a) Award honors a UC Davis graduate who is in the mid-point of his or her career and who has displayed outstanding achievement, promoted innovative change and made outstanding contributions professionally, to the community and to UC Davis.

From 1985 to 1991, Jananne Sharpless '67 served as California's secretary of environmental affairs and was appointed the first female chair of the California Air Resources Board. She presided over and guided California's adoption of the historic zero-emission vehicle mandate. Most recently, Sharpless has served as an independent consultant and as a leading member of several nonprofit organizations and government advisory boards dealing with energy, air quality and transportation. She is also currently under contract to the UC Office of the President, developing a five-year environmental research plan for the Energy Commission's Public Interest Electricity Research Program.

Young Alumnus(a) of the Year Award

The Young Alumnus(a) of the Year Award honors a graduate of UC Davis who has received his or her first degree within the past 10 years and has made outstanding contributions professionally, to the community or to UC Davis.

Second-grade teacher Tamara Thornell '93, Cred. '94, was named a 2003 California Teacher of the Year. In addition to her job, Thornell is a Level III California Technology Assistance Project Certified Technology Mentor and presents workshops to educators throughout the country, demonstrating how easy it is to use technology in the classroom. Thornell serves UC Davis as an Alumni Ambassador and co-chairs the CAAA Scholarship Committee for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Aggie Service Award

The Aggie Service Award honors a UC Davis graduate who, during the previous year, demonstrated exemplary Aggie pride and dedication to UC Davis through personal commitment of time and energy, volunteerism, and leadership which had the purpose or effect of furthering the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and the University of California, Davis.

Last year, Gavin Di Mundo '97 served as a CAAA regional volunteer coordinator for Los Angeles County. His leadership and volunteer efforts contributed to UC Davis' participation in 54 college fairs in Los Angeles County, helping the campus connect with more than 1,800 potential students and their parents.

Citations for Excellence

CAAA awards Citations for Excellence to alumni whose accomplishments have been recognized by their college, school or program. For a complete list of recipients, please see the CAAA Web site, www.alumni.ucdavis.edu, or call CAAA at (530) 752-0289.

The 2003 CAAA alumni awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, in Freeborn Hall, UC Davis. For more information, contact Michelle Pérez, program manager, Cal Aggie Alumni Association, (530) 752-0289 or miperez@ucdavis.edu.