Four alumni honored as Wall of Fame inductees
Four alumni honored as Wall of Fame inductees
Four new members have been inducted into the University’s Alumni Wall of Fame. The award honors alumni from around the nation and the world who have distinguished themselves in professional and community endeavors.
Charles C. Allen III, AG ’71, T.W. Fraser Russell, EG ’64PhD, Phyllis Williams Sharps, CHS ’76M, and W. David Sincoskie, EG ’75, ’77M, ’80PhD, were inducted in a May ceremony at Bayard Sharp Hall. They were selected from 135,000 graduates and bring to 205 the names on the wall, which is located in the Alumni Lounge of the Perkins Student Center.
Among the initial Alumni Wall of Fame inductees were Revolutionary War heroes and signers of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, as well as physicians, engineers and authors. Recent inductees include men and women from business, law, education, creative and performing arts, athletics, religion, politics, medicine and the military.
Allen is the third-generation owner of Allen Family Foods, founded in 1919. In 2003, Allen Family Foods had estimated sales of $300 million and more than 2,400 employees. The company operates in three states, transports its products throughout North America and exports its products to several clients abroad. Allen was the lead volunteer in fund-raising for UD’s Allen Biotechnology Laboratory, which is a leading facility fighting avian diseases.
Russell, Allan P. Colburn Professor of Chemical Engineering, has served as vice provost for research at UD. While at the University, he significantly increased the sponsored research funding and was instrumental in establishing a summer undergraduate research program. From 1979-96, he served as director of the University’s Institute of Energy Conservation and was chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 1986-91. He has received four patents for his work and has three pending. Russell is the author of more than 100 technical publications on a variety of subjects.
Sharps is an associate professor and director of the master’s degree program at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She has published numerous articles about her work in domestic violence, particularly with African-American women and their responses to violence related to maternal and child health. Sharps is a consultant for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Institute of Justice and the Family Violence Prevention Fund.
Sincoskie is senior vice president for the Network Systems Research Laboratory at Telcordia Technologies Inc. His leadership has led to developments in the telecommunications industry including ADSL, ATM and frame relay. Sincoskie played a pivotal role in the development of the broadband packet-switching technology, which underlies today’s Internet and, as result, was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering. He also is an adjunct professor of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania.
Nominees for the Alumni Wall of Fame must have completed at least 30 academic credits at UD and have maintained a relationship with the University. They must have made a significant contribution to their profession, be involved in their community and have been honored for excellence and service through professional or civic awards and commendations.
Other programs that recognize the accomplishments of alumni are the Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement and the Outstanding Alumni Award, both normally presented during Homecoming Weekend.
Recipients of the Presidential Citation are individuals who have graduated within the previous 20 years and “exhibit great promise in the professional and public service activities.” Those who receive Outstanding Alumni Awards are selected based primarily on service to the University and/or its Alumni Association, either through a single act or a long record of participation.
For more information on the Wall of Fame, Presidential Citation and Outstanding Alumni Awards, including nomination forms and lists of previous winners, visit [http://www.udel.edu/alumni/awards/].
Nomination forms also may be obtained by calling (302) 831-2341.