The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2012 Alumni Association Awards, which will be presented at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 at the Homecoming All-Alumni Luncheon, held at Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center on the Case Western Reserve University campus:
- Julie Gerberding is the 2012 recipient of The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University’s Distinguished Alumna Award, the association’s highest honor. A physician and infectious diseases expert, Gerberding was the first female director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a post she held from July 2002 through January 2009. Gerberding graduated from Western Reserve College in 1977 with an undergraduate degree in chemistry and from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1981. She also holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
- Claudia J. Coulton is the 2012 recipient of The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University’s Professional Achievement Award. Coulton, the university’s Lillian F. Harris Professor of Urban Social Research, founded the Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences in 1988. She has been recognized with the university’s John S. Diekhoff Award for Graduate Teaching and is a 2012 Case Western Reserve Distinguished University Professor, the university’s highest faculty honor. Coulton earned her PhD from Case Western Reserve University Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences in 1978. She also holds a Master of Social Work degree from Ohio State University.
- vic gelb is the 2012 recipient of The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University’s Newton D. Baker Distinguished Service Award. For decades, gelb has given his time, energy and fundraising support to Case Western Reserve and numerous other organizations. Over the years he has served as an officer and/or director of Playhouse Square Foundation, United Way Services, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, Bellefaire Jewish Childrens’ Bureau, Shoes and Clothes for Kids, the Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland, the Center for Health Affairs, the Chautauqua Foundation, Cleveland Jewish News, Vocational Guidance Services and the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation—just to name a few. His emphasis on the importance of looking and acting beyond oneself is aptly symbolized by his name being written in all lowercase letters. gelb graduated from Adelbert College in 1951 with a degree in marketing.
- John Massie is the 2012 recipient of The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University’s Daniel Clancy Alumni Service Award. For more than 40 years, he has served the university as a dedicated alumni volunteer. Massie, who retired from his post as CWRU Alumni House manager in June 2012, led the $2.5 million dollar renovation of the Alumni House in 2007. He is also a lifetime member of the Case Alumni Association Alumni Council, recipient of the 2005 Samuel Givelber ’23 Award and the recipient of the Case Alumni Association Meritorious Service Award. Massie graduated from the Case Institute of Technology in 1966.
- F. Kurtis Kasper is the 2012 recipient of The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University’s Young Alumni Award. Currently a faculty fellow in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice University in Houston, he directs a research program involving postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and undergraduate students. Kasper was recently recognized with Rice University’s 2011 Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award and, since joining the faculty in July 2008, has mentored 12 postdoctoral researchers, 16 graduate students, and a multitude of undergraduate and summer students. Kasper graduated from the Case School of Engineering in 1999 with a degree in biomedical engineering. He also holds a PhD in bioengineering from Rice University.
For the official criteria for The Alumni Association Awards, please visit case.edu/alumni/awards. Details about Case Western Reserve’s Homecoming celebration can be found at case.edu/alumni/weekend and information about The Alumni Association is at case.edu/alumni.