SOUTHEAST HONORS FIVE ALUMNI, PROF WITH MERIT AWARDS

Five Southeast Missouri State University alumni and a Southeast professor will receive the school's annual alumni and faculty merit awards.

The six will be honored at a dinner on Oct. 28 in the Show Me Center.

The Alumni Merit recipients and the academic college presenting their awards: Thomas H. Cushman, College of Liberal Arts; Robert F. Shuck III, Donald L. Harrison College of Business; Joe A. Howell, College of Education; Karen S. Hendrickson, College of Health and Human Services; and Paul Wessel, College of Science and Technology.

English professor Jennie Cooper will receive the Faculty Merit Award.

The awards have been given since 1958 to graduates or former students of Southeast who have brought distinction to themselves and the university.

Cushman of San Diego, Calif., earned his bachelor's degree in English in 1956.

A journalist, Cushman began his career as the editor of The Capaha Arrow, the student newspaper at Southeast.

He then worked as a part-time reporter for the Southeast Missourian. He received his journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1959.

In 1982, Cushman became the sports editor and lead columnist for the San Diego Tribune. When the San Diego Union and Tribune merged in 1992, Cushman was named executive sports editor and the lead columnist for the paper.

Cushman has covered nine Olympic games and 15 World Series. He has reported on 20 Super Bowls and has traveled to major sports events around the world.

Shuck of St. Petersburg, Fla., earned his bachelor of science degree in business from Southeast in 1959.

He is executive vice chairman of Raymond James Financial Inc.. He has worked at the firm since 1969. In 1991, he moved into the executive office, where he works on special projects and represents the firm at community and charitable events.

Howell of Fayette earned his bachelor's degree in education from Southeast in 1951.

Since 1977, he has served as president of Central Methodist College. He has written two books and numerous articles. His third book is scheduled to be released soon.

Hendrickson of Cape Girardeau earned her nursing degree from Southeast in 1978 and a master's degree from the school in 1982.

She is the assistant administrator/chief of nursing at Southeast Missouri Hospital. She supervises all of the nursing services at the hospital.

She is vice president of the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

Wessel of San Diego earned his bachelor's degree in physics and math in 1958.

He began his career with the Naval Surface Center in 1975 and has held the position of technical director of the Navy's Warfare Systems Architecture and Engineering Directorate at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in Washington, D.C., since 1992.

Cooper of Cape Girardeau earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism in 1953.

After working 10 years as a journalist, Cooper began her teaching career at Southeast in 1963. Since then, she has taught a literature course for college-bound black students for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and worked with the Missouri London Program. She also has taught at the University of Mazatlan in Mexico City.

She recently pioneered a community service program for Southeast's honor students.