The alumni awards, presented by the University of Chicago Alumni Association and the Alumni Board, honor those who have shaped the world and strengthened UChicago’s global community.
The Norman Maclean Faculty Award recognizes emeritus or senior faculty for extraordinary contributions to teaching and to the student experience of life within the University community. This year’s recipient is Prof. Emeritus Peter O. Vandervoort, AB’54, SB’55, SM’56, PhD’60.
The Alumni Service Awards recognize the achievements of individuals working on behalf of the University through service in alumni programs, on advisory committees and through efforts made to ensure the welfare of the institution. The Young Alumni Service Awards acknowledge and encourage service to the University by alumni aged 35 and younger.
Nominations for the Professional Achievement Awards, which recognize outstanding alumni contributions to their vocational fields, are due June 16. Nominations for all Alumni Association award categories are received year-round and can be submitted online.
2017 Norman Maclean Faculty Award winner
Peter O. Vandervoort, AB’54, SB’55, SM’56, PhD’60, is a professor emeritus in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, a position he has held since his retirement in 2003. Starting in 1961 and continuing to today, he has taught and individually guided many generations of undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs and junior colleagues.
Vandervoort served as acting dean for the Division of the Physical Sciences, master of the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division, associate dean of the Division of the Physical Sciences and of the College, and associate chairman of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.
2017 Alumni Service Award winners
Vincenzo Barbetta, AB’99, MBA’05, is a founding member and former president of the LGBT Alumni Network. Barbetta strengthened bonds among LGBT alumni and between those alumni and the University. In cooperation with the board of directors and steering committee, he pioneered several aspects of the chapter model now used to organize affinity groups nationally and globally. His aim was to have alumni remain connected to the academic work happening on campus and ensure that the group had a social mission.
Barbetta currently serves as the LGBT Alumni Network’s metro chair in San Francisco. From 2003 to 2010, he volunteered for the Alumni Club of Chicago in leadership roles including treasurer and vice president. He received the Dean’s Award of Distinction in 2005 upon his graduation from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Sean Singleton, MBA’08, is president of the University of Chicago Military Affinity Group and has led efforts to foster awareness and institutional support for veterans across the University community. His leadership has helped current students and alumni to connect their military service to their education, helping the University community understand the training and skill sets of its students and military-affiliated alumni.
Singleton also has given his time and talent to Chicago Booth as a judge for its Volunteer Leadership Program, presented a webinar for Alumni Career Programs titled “Navigating Career Transition for Military Personnel, and traveled to New York to sit on a panel during Volunteer Caucus.
2017 Young Alumni Service Award winners
Joe Anzalone, AB’04, is the president of the Alumni Club of Virginia. As an alumni volunteer, Anzalone began addressing questions and opportunities to reach unengaged alumni populations and help the Alumni Association meet its major engagement goals. His grassroots efforts toward building the Alumni Club of Virginia soon evolved into recruiting a diverse group of board members representing different regions, degrees, class years and industries.
Before his tenure as president of the Alumni Club of Virginia, Anzalone volunteered for the Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., serving as program chair and vice president. Additionally, he has held leadership roles for Phoenixphest DC and Participate Chicago, and has supported the alumni efforts of the Alumni Law Society and the Institute of Politics.
Jennifer Glickel, AB’08, has held various leadership roles as a board member of the Alumni Club of NYC over the past nine years, including Phoenixphest co-chair, programming committee co-chair, and most recently, engagement and outreach co-chair. She is a strong advocate for UChicago alumni and is credited with recruiting many of the current volunteers in the region.
Before graduation, Glickel was a leader with the Senior Class Gift Committee. She has since also acted as a leader for her class reunions, promoting alumni spirit and participation as co-chair for the Participate NYC events.
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
