Distinguished Faculty Emeritus Award

Dr. Frances Shipley '61

Dr. Frances Shipley ’61 returned to her alma mater in 1968 as a faculty member in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (then home economics) following several years of teaching high school in Iowa. She received a master’s from Iowa State University and a doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

After 40 years at Northwest, Shipley retired last year as department chair and dean of the graduate school. She was the first recipient of Northwest’s Culture of Quality Award and was president of the National Council of FACS Administrators.

She lives in Maryville.

Young Alumni Award

Dr. Elise Gutshall '00

After majoring in vocal music at Northwest, Dr. Elise Gutshall ’00 continued her education and received a master’s from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and a doctorate from the University of Mississippi.

In 2007, she received an honorary scholarship from Rotary International to study at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington, New Zealand.

Gutshall continues to perform as a recitalist and clinician nationally and has been an alumni guest recitalist at Northwest.

Gutshall lives in Wayne, Neb., and is an assistant professor of voice at Wayne State College.

Turret Service Award

Dave Snider '80, '83

Not only has Dave Snider ’80, ’83 served on the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors for six years where he chaired the technology committee, but he also was an active member of the national Northwest Alumni Association Board of Directors for six years. In addition, he has been a member of the Kansas City Alumni Chapter since its inception and assists annually with the Fall Classic at Arrowhead.

Snider, who lives in Parkville, is a partnership controller at Clearwater Natural Resources, LP in Kansas City.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Mary Hamilton Purdy '72

Mary Hamilton Purdy ’72 is a consultant with a distinguished military career who became a leader and symbol of women in the U.S. Navy.

As a U.S. Navy officer, Purdy worked extensively with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, unified commands and other government agencies. While serving at the Naval Academy, Purdy was instrumental in shaping many new practices pertaining to the fair treatment of women officers and faculty. During her last assignment with the military before retiring with the rank of commander, she was a senior military fellow at the National Defense University.

For the last 10 years, she has worked for Booz Allen Hamilton where she supports the Department of the Navy’s Chief Information Officer in workforce planning endeavors.

Purdy, who lives in Davidsonville, Md., has received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal with Three Gold Stars.

Distinguished Faculty Award

Dr. Mark Corson

Dr. Mark Corson, an associate professor of geography, has been a Northwest faculty member since 1998. He also is the liaison to the Military Science program (ROTC) and is the coordinator of the new interdisciplinary minor in crisis communication and response and has led multiple trips with students and faculty to Macedonia for field training and humanitarian aid.

Corson was president of the Northwest Faculty Senate in 2006-2007 and has nine refereed journal articles, nine book chapters and two book reviews in major journals.

In addition, Corson, who lives in Maryville, is a brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve.