• CLA Discoveries
• About CLA
• Faculty, Teaching & Research
• Students
• In the Community
• Departments & Majors
• Alumni & Friends
• News & Events
  • CLA Events Calendar
  • For the Media
  • Reach Magazine
  • RSS Feeds
  • Publications & Social Media
• Giving to CLA

Home > News & Events > CLA Today Archive > Winter 2003 : Alumni/ae Awards & Accolades

Alumni/ae Awards & Accolades

Timothy J. Pawlenty (B.A. '83, political science, J.D. '86) is Minnesota's new governor. Pawlenty, who grew up in South St. Paul, was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1992; he became majority leader in 1999. Noting at his January inaugural that "great challenges bring great progress,” Pawlenty promised to "draw the best out of Minnesotans.”

The only one of five children in his working class family to go to college, Pawlenty worked his way through the University of Minnesota. He began his political career in 1989 as a member of the Eagan City Council. The new governor is married to Mary E. Pawlenty, J.D. ‘86 cum laude, a Minnesota District Court judge. They have two daughters, Anna and Mara.

Film studies alumnus Kirk Duffy (B.A. '94) received a $25,000 McKnight Foundation filmmaker award from the Minnesota Independent Film Fund and Walker Art Center. He is completing a film screenplay and will begin shooting this summer. He traces his success as a budding filmmaker to his CLA education, which "broadened my scope,” and to art history professor Robert Silberman, whose knowledge and passion spurred Duffy into a career in film.

Summa cum laude graduate Bekah Orr (B.A. '01, psychology and political science) received a 2002 U of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) "Hats Off" Award for her exceptional volunteer work for CLA. Among a flood of praises in nomination letters, CLA alumni relations coordinator Erica Giorgi wrote, "Through Bekah's inspired leadership, CLA and the U of M have become better institutions."

Marilyn Chelstrom (B.A. '50, political science) received the 2002 University of Minnesota Alumni Service Award. Trudy and Alan Johnston (B.A. '67, psychology) received the UMAA 2002 Spirit Award.

Rebecca Wilkowski ('97, anthropology) is one of 240 photographers chosen out of 3,000 for a 9-11 exhibit in Manhattan and at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. A book will result.

Tom Gjelten (B.A. '73, anthropology), this year's Frank Premack Memorial lecturer, won several awards for reporting on the Yugoslav conflict: a Lowell Thomas Award from the Overseas Press Club, a George Polk Award for Radio Reporting, and a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.