Sam '82 and Linda-Lee Troiani '83 Niedbala ... - Asoundstrategy

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Alumni Awards
Conrad “Skip” Idukas Service
Award: Meghann J. Healy ’02
This award is presented to someone
who has made a significant contribution
to the university and/or Alumni
Association through exceptional volunteer
service.
Megh Healy graduated from ESU
with a degree in elementary education
in December 2002. Returning
to pursue her graduate degree, Megh
had the pleasure of working for the
Residence Life Department as a graduate
assistant hall director in Lenape
and Monroe Residence Halls. Her
only year living in Monroe happened
to be the 64th and final year it served
as a residence hall. Along with cur-
Meghann J. Healy ’02 and her
rent and previous residents of Mon-
mother, Cynthia Goodman
roe Hall, Megh celebrated the end of a
tradition in closing the all-male hall
by organizing a memory book, a commemorative
T-shirt, and open houses. Megh is now the
director of performing ensembles for a non-profit
youth organization in Allentown.
Young Alumni Award:
David J. DeNotaris ’92
This award is presented
to a recent graduate who
demonstrated exceptional
ability and made significant
strides in his/her
chosen profession or whose
extraordinary accomplishments
have brought honor
to the university and pride
to alumni.
Diagnosed as a child
David J. DeNotaris ’92, his wife, Mariann Serano DeNo- with retinitis pigmentaris
’92, his mother, and his son, David, Jr. tosa, an eye disease that
leads to blindness, David
struggled to maintain a
fully functional life as his condition worsened
ESU Alumni Herald
A League of Extraordinary Ladies and Gentlemen
Alumni Association Honors Five Very Special People for Their
Exceptional Contributions, Abilities, Humanitarian Work or Teaching
with age. He later found solace and support
from many as an ESU student. This served as a
catalyst to the enormous success he has had today.
In 989, David won the International Power
Lifting Award in Ottawa, Canada. He has written
a best-selling book titled “Feeling Your Way
Through Life,” and has become a formidable
motivational speaker for top Fortune 500 companies.
Also, David has been featured in numerous
television and radio programs and remains
active in speaking engagements to help motivate
others.
Humanitarian Award:
Maryellen McGee ’69
This award is presented to an ESU graduate who
has exhibited meritorious participation in a significant
act or operation of a humanitarian nature.
Maryellen broke down the barriers that
existed for families adopting children from
China. She worked tirelessly to open international
communication and make it easier for
Chinese children to be welcomed into U.S.
homes, particularly in her New England Area.
Maryellen quickly became the person, having
gone through the process twice, whom
families would turn to when they needed advice
on navigating the bureaucracies involved.
When adoptions from China were temporarily
halted in 993 so the Chinese government could
review international adoptions, she helped bring
together newly adoptive families with emissaries
(to investigate how the adoptions were proceeding)
from the Chinese government. Ms. McGee
would bring families who had adopted children
from China together to emphasize Chinese
culture, as with the annual Chinese New Year
celebration. She helped found the New England
branch of Families with Children from China,
which now includes over ,000 families. Sadly,
she died last year from cancer, and leaves behind
her two daughters.
Perry Hebard photos