Alumni Award Recipients: 2007

More than 200 alumni and friends participated in Reunion Weekend April 20-22. The class of 1957 was the largest 50-Year class in attendance. Festivities included campus tours, exhibits and socials, the rededication of Missouri Hall and an awards dinner and banquet. Columbia College honored several outstanding alumnae with service, community and professional achievement awards at the annual Alumni Awards Dinner. The awards recognize the achievements of outstanding Christian College and Columbia College alumni.


Columbia College Service Award

For significant contributions and service to Columbia College

Kay Jacobs Sells '38
Kay Jacobs Sells' service to Christian College began the year she graduated in 1938 with an Associate of Arts degree. She was a representative to the National Phi Theta Kappa Convention in St. Joseph, Mo., and represented the college at high school senior nights. Sells spoke with prospective students and solicited financial support from alumnae during the college's fundraising campaigns. Service is her "forte."

In l978, Columbia College awarded Sells the Distinguished Alumni Award for her leadership, outstanding achievements in service to her communities and fulfillment as a contributing member to society. Many civic, social and educational organizations benefit from her volunteerism.

She and her husband, O.V., reside in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The couple has four children, one of whom is an alumna, Vicki Sells Schuler '73.


Columbia College Service Award

For significant contributions and service to Columbia College

Dorothy Jacobs Hatfield '41
Dorothy Jacobs Hatfield has a strong admiration for her alma mater. Hatfield graduated from Christian College in 1941. Christian College helped mold her character and taught her many important lifelong values, which she still holds today. Most important, she learned the value of family, a good education, honesty, integrity, compassion, selfless giving, wisdom and loyalty.

Hatfield holds dear the memory of her beloved professor, Dr. Robert Abram, who taught Bible and religion classes at Christian College.

She was married to Woody Hatfield for 60 years. They were blessed with three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Hatfields' daughter, Robyn '70, is an alumna of the college.


Columbia College Service Award

For significant contributions and service to Columbia College

Betty Jacobs Aufranc '45 (awarded posthumously)
During her lifetime, Betty Jacobs Aufranc was a true visionary for Columbia and the surrounding Boone County, Mo., area. She was vibrant, outgoing and passionate in her pursuit of excellence for Columbia.

Aufranc earned an associate degree from Christian College in 1945. After obtaining her degree, she worked as a secretary for the University of Missouri-Columbia, and then became a stay-at-home mom until her children entered school. In the late '60s, she became known in the community for her involvement in the political process by being a "stump speaker" at political rallies for the candidate of her choice.

At the time of her passing, Betty and her husband, Curt, had been married for 60 years. Their two children, David '80, and Barbara Aufranc Street '73, are alumni of the college.


Columbia College Service Award

For significant contributions and service to Columbia College

Vera Jacobs Coats '47
Vera Jacobs Coats has supported the college for many years. She graduated from Christian College in 1947 and continued her education by earning a bachelor's degree in home economics and a master's degree in textiles and clothing science. Afterward, she joined the Columbia College faculty and taught for 18 years. She helped build the fashion department into a successful field of study.

Coats was an active member of the President's Society for several years. Since retiring from teaching, she and her husband, Russell, moved to Florida, but spend their summers in Columbia, Mo. The couple has two sons, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.


Community Service Award

For demonstrating outstanding leadership and service to the citizens of one's community

Roxana C. Huaman '03
Roxana C. Huaman understands the challenges immigrants to the United States can face. As such, she is dedicated to breaking those barriers. At the age of 2, her family returned to their homeland of Lima, Peru, where she was raised. Huaman was married in 1987, and two years later, her family moved to Columbia, Mo. While living in Columbia, she learned English and became familiar with the challenges facing immigrants who relocate to a new country. Huaman's desire to help others overcome cultural barriers led her to Columbia College where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work.

Following graduation, she became a social worker at the Columbia/Boone County Health Department. Through her job, Huaman was able to see firsthand the incredible need for a bilingual social worker within this growing community. As the Latino Link social worker she assisted many Spanish-speaking families in the Boone County area with housing, education, transportation, employment and access to health care. Huaman also worked with pregnant Latinas as a family support worker, making regular visits with mothers and their babies. She continues to serve as the coordinator for this program.

Huaman currently is a social service specialist with the Columbia/Boone County Health Department. She has developed one of their most successful programs, Comenzando Bien, which means Beginning Well. This is the first Spanish-only class for mothers and families in the area. In addition, she is a board member of Centro Latino and has assisted the University of Missouri-Columbia with numerous research projects focusing on assisting Latinos. Huaman is married to Luis C. Huaman '95 and the couple has four children.


Professional Achievement Award

For attaining outstanding regional and national recognition in one's chosen career field

Tanya Howe Johnson '78
Tanya Howe Johnson has dedicated her life and career to philanthropy. She is president and CEO of the National Committee on Planned Giving Incorporated. During her 15-year tenure, the organization has developed awardwinning publications and launched a national award-winning donor education campaign.

Among other honors, Johnson has received Indiana's Association Executive of the Year award, was selected as the 2004 National Honor Initiate for Sigma Kappa Sorority, served on the national advisory committee for the U.S. Postal Service's issuance of the Giving and Sharing postage stamp and was appointed chair of the annual fundraising symposium for Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy. Johnson holds the Certified Association Executive designation, a certification held by less than 5 percent of association management professionals. She currently sits on the American Society of Association Executives' Key Philanthropic Organizations Committee.

Throughout her career, Johnson has served as a distinguished ambassador to the national and international philanthropic community. She has met with President George W. Bush and members of Congress to encourage and draft laws pertaining to charitable giving, assisted the White House with communications in the wake of 9/11 and led her organization's successful effort to secure passage of charitable IRA rollover legislation.

Johnson is a strong supporter of philanthropy in Indiana. She is active in community theater and her church and donates her time to several organizations and nonprofit initiatives. She is a certified "bareboat" sailing captain, is a frequent soloist and currently is working on her first solo CD. Johnson is married to Todd Cass and has two sons, Jake and Howie.