1984 Recipients
Carl B. Althaus
Class Year: 1921
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1984
Carl Althaus '21 married Ruth Dissinger '22 in 1923. He taught at the University of Kansas for 24 years and conducted research work in the areas of state aid for schools and school district reorganization. Ruth Althaus served as a class representative for North Central College, was an ardent worker in the church school and also served on several community committees in Lawrence, Kan. In 1977, Dr. and Mrs. Althaus established the Clarence Dissinger Memorial Fund at North Central College. The awards are named for Mrs. Althaus' late brother, Clarence, a member of the North Central College Class of 1921.
Ruth Dissinger Althaus
Class Year: 1922
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1984
Ruth Dissinger '22 married Carl Althaus '21 in 1923. Ruth Althaus served as a class representative for North Central College, was an ardent worker in the church school and also served on several community committees in Lawrence, Kan. Carl taught at the University of Kansas for 24 years and conducted research work in the areas of state aid for schools and school district reorganization. In 1977, Dr. and Mrs. Althaus established the Clarence Dissinger Memorial Fund at North Central College. The awards are named for Mrs. Althaus' late brother, Clarence, a member of the North Central College Class of 1921.
Sherry Henderson
Class Year: 1967
Alumni Recognition Award Winner 1984
Dr. Sherry Henderson was a physician and retired Captain for Medical Corps in the United States Navy.
After 20 years of service, Dr. Henderson retired from the Navy in 1993 and took one year off to study and travel. Her passion for college health services was rekindled during that time, and, in November 1994, Dr. Henderson embarked upon her second career, working for six years as a full-time clinician at Student Health Services for San Diego State University. She considered her position at San Diego the happiest and most fulfilling of all her medical experiences.
Ralph M. Holdeman
Class Year: 1930
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1984
Ralph Holdeman was honored for his dedicated service to Christianity and his widely-recognized talent as an artist and sculptor. He received his master of divinity degree from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1932 and was an ordained minister for the United Methodist Church. Holdeman’s great concern for youth led to the planning and implementation of numerous youth evangelism experiments and programs, especially Youth Missions to Youth, Youth Evangelism Service and the Athletic Ambassadors. He was also one of the interdenominational leaders instrumental in the development of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Norma Kolthoff
Class Year: 1943
Outstanding Alumni Award Winner 1984
In 1964, Norma Kolthoff was awarded a Ph.D. degree in physiology from Boston University—the first nurse ever to receive a Ph.D. degree from that institution. A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, she also served as a consultant for the Division of Nursing for the National Institute of Health and the American Nurses Foundation. She authored numerous health publications, was active in environmental issues and received an award from the National Academy of Nursing. She established a scholarship fund at North Central College recognizing undergraduate students for their contribution to the academic, social and cultural environment of the campus. Today, Kolthoff is faculty emeritus of the University of Madison-Wisconsin and resides at Oakwood Village Retirement Community in Madison, Wisconsin.
Camille Conforti
Class Year: 1966
Alumni Recognition Award Winner 1984
Camille Conforti received her certified advertising specialist (C.A.S.) designation from the University of Houston in 1982. She served on the board of directors of the Specialty Advertising Association of Chicago and is a past president or vice president of many organizations including the Naperville-North Central College Performing Arts Association, Naperville Junior Women’s Club and the North Central College Alumni Association. She was recognized as one of the “Outstanding Young Women of America” in 1977, and in that same year, Sigma Alpha Iota presented her the “Sword of Honor” award for her cultural leadership in her home community. In 1981, she was included among those listed in “Who’s Who of American Women.”
William D. Soper
Class Year: 1968
Alumni Recognition Award Winner 1984
William Soper is an assistant professor of surgery and associate director of transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1972 and began a surgical residency at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. Soper is the author of numerous articles on transplantation and has presented papers at several national conventions. He was president of the Illinois Transplant Society in 1983 and is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the International Transplantation Society. Most recently, Soper agreed to serve on the Alumni Committee of the Campaign to Endow Student Research in Science.