Starting in 2011, and each year thereafter, the Alumni Association has given volunteer service awards (“ALFies”) to alumni who have provided innovative, forward-looking, or extraordinary volunteer service. The following 12 winners were honored at the 2015 Alumni Leadership Forum in Santa Fe.

1. Paul Frank (SF82)
Paul Frank (SF82) received an ALFie for his longtime support and leadership of the Chicago Chapter and for building relationships that keep St. John’s College alumni tied to our beloved college and to each other. Since the early 1980s, Frank has held various leadership positions in the chapter, including president, treasurer, and officer. He has hosted planning meetings, helped with chapter mailings, organized and led seminars, and secured meeting spaces. He also helped organize social events and prospective student receptions.

2. Rachel Dudik (A02)
Rachel Dudik (A02)  received an ALFie for her assistance with career services efforts. In her seven-year tenure at the US Naval Observatory, Dudik has hosted a dozen St. John’s undergraduates as summer interns and placed others at institutions across the country. She has also participated in multiple panels to help further Johnnie participation in the sciences.

3. Cindy Lutz (A98)
Cindy Lutz (A98) received an ALFie for her efforts in identifying (and engaging others to help identify) significant errors (typos, dead links, etc.) in the college website in the weeks after it was launched. Lutz also served as class chair for her 10th reunion year.

4. Juniper Lovato (SFGI13)
Juniper Lovato (SFGI13) received an ALFie for establishing a “Guest Program” at the Santa Fe Institute which allows St. John’s College students to have unique access to the Institute’s researchers and summer internship opportunities.

5. Nick Gazzolo (A93)
Nick Gazzolo (A93) and Amy Hoffman Parakkat (A93) received ALFies for their collaborative efforts in establishing and maintaining the Johnnie Quote page on Facebook.  

6. Amy Hoffman Parakkat (A93)
Amy Hoffman Parakkat (A93) and Nick Gazzolo (A93) received ALFies for their collaborative efforts in establishing and maintaining the Johnnie Quote page on Facebook.  

7. Barbara McClay (A12)
Barbara McClay (A12) received an ALFie for her series of interviews with recent alumni featured in “the johnnie chair” a student run blog about life at St. John’s College.

8. Larry Davis (SFGI87)
Larry Davis (SFGI87) received an ALFie for his yearly volunteer efforts in finding a complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica Great Books of the Western World and donating them to a first- or second-year student from Texas. For several years the Austin/San Antonio Chapter has donated one or more sets of Great Books to rising sophomores or to freshmen. Davis has been the “point man” for this project, finding, buying, and storing the books until such time as they can be presented.

9. Sabina Sulat (A87)   
Sabina Sulat (A87) received an ALFie for her volunteer efforts in assisting the Career Services Office in coordinating mock interviews for students, participating in networking events, and coordinating the first alumni-Career Services webinar on how to explain the St. John’s degree to employers. Since 2013, Sulat has worked with current St. John’s students to help them write resumes and hone interview skills for future employment.

10. Annette Prapasiri (SF04)
Annette Prapasiri (SF04) received an ALFie for her efforts, in collaboration with other members of the Class of 2004, in engaging classmates to complete their senior legacy project: the Armillary Sphere Project. Through these efforts, the Class of 2004 raised a significant amount of money toward the project and they have one of the highest participation giving rates amongst all classes.

11. Harry Zolkower (A82)
Harry Zolkower (A82) received an ALFie for his work, in collaboration with Nicole Levy (SF92), developing the Virtual Alumni Chapter Seminars. Zolkower was the Annapolis Class of 1982 leader for several years. For the class’s 30th reunion in 2012, Zolkower asked Annapolis Director of Alumni Relations Leo Pickens (A78) if they could set up an online seminar so that classmates who lived far away (as far as Greece, etc.) could participate. At the time it was not logistically feasible, but, thanks to Pickens’ tenacity and leadership, his idea became the virtual seminar.

12. Nicole Levy (SF92)
Nicole Levy (SF92) received an ALFie for her work, in collaboration with Harry Zolkower (A82), developing the Virtual Alumni Chapter Seminars.

Thanks to the Awards Committee: Patty Sollars (A80); Amanda Richards (SF91); Chris Denny (A93); Chelsea Adams (A12); Allan Hoffman, Class of 1949; Leo Pickens (A78); and Sarah Palacios.

And thanks to all of you wonderful volunteers who have been out in the world making a difference in the lives of St. John’s students and alumni!