McMicken College Awards: Five Distinguished Alumni, Five Different Paths

• A psychologist and president-elect in the American Psychological Association

• Cincinnati’s first African American city councilwoman and a civil rights champion

• A university president emeritus and geologist

• An internationally recognized physician and community leader

• A U.S. Chief District Judge

This diverse mix of careers represents this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winners in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. The five winners will be honored during an award ceremony on Thursday, May 1, at the Russell C. Myers Alumni Center.

Each also represents a different major and living proof that a liberal arts education can lay a foundation filled with broad career possibilities. This year’s honorees are:

Diane F. Halpern

Halpern is a professor of psychology and director of the Berger Institute for Work, Family and Children at Claremont McKenna College in California. She received her master’s in 1977 and her PhD in 1979, both in psychology at UC.  She also serves as the president-elect of the American Psychological Association.

Laurence F. Lattman

The president-emeritus of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Lattman earned his masters and PhD, both in geology, at UC in 1951 and 1955, respectively. A former photogeologist for Gulf Oil Corp., Lattman also served a long career in academics including an appointment at UC, where he was professor and head of the geology department from 1970 to 1975. He has recently established an endowed fund for the UC geology department for faculty research. A resident of Albuquerque, N.M., he has a long history of civic and community service.

The Honorable Stephen M. McNamee

This U.S. Chief District Court Judge serves in Phoenix, Ariz. He earned his bachelor’s of arts degree in history from UC in 1964, going on to graduate school at the University of Arizona and the University of Arizona College of Law. His previous awards include the 1988 U.S. Attorney’s Award from Attorney General Edwin Meese III and the National Crime Victims Award from Attorney General Richard Thornburgh for Development of a Model Victim/Witness Program.

Sidney Peerless

This internationally recognized physician and community leader received his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from UC in 1944 and later earned his medical degree, also from UC. He has practiced in Greater Cincinnati throughout his career, filling lead positions at both Jewish Hospital and University Hospital. He serves on numerous boards, both within the Jewish community and the medical community. He has also been a tireless friend of Judaic Studies at UC. Dr. Peerless is a resident of Amberly Village.

Marian Spencer

A 1942 UC graduate who majored in English, Spencer has been a champion of civil rights dating back to her days as a UC college student. She worked to get the college prom to be open to all students and later campaigned to break down racial barriers at Coney Island in Cincinnati. From 1980 to 1982, she served as the first female president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP. She also became the first African American woman elected to Cincinnati City Council in 1983. She is a resident of Avondale.

Additional college awards to faculty, staff and students will be announced and presented at the ceremony. Reservations to attend the awards dinner must be made by April 26. The evening opens at 5:45 p.m. Admission is $35 per person, including dinner and beverages. For reservations, call Nicole Henning at (513) 556-0435.