Alumni Association Awards

Our alumni are pretty outstanding. And once a year, we have an opportunity to recognize outstanding alumni at our Alumni Association Awards Banquet. The McDaniel College Alumni Association awards program honors individuals who personify the College’s tradition of excellence. In their careers, communities and at the College, these alumni exemplify what it truly means to be a Green Terror.

Nominate an outstanding Green Terror

2019 Alumni Association Award Winners

On October 4, 2019, five alumni were honored at the Alumni Association Awards Banquet.

Alumnus of the Year - Gerald Winegrad '66

Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law - 1969
Maryland State Legislature - House of Delegates 1978-1983; State Senator 1983-1995; 8 years on the Senate Environment and Chesapeake Bay Subcommittee; 12 years on the Tri-State Chesapeake Bay Commission and on the Maryland Environmental Trust Board
U.S. Navy - lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, graduated from the Naval Justice School, military judge.
McDaniel College Trustee Alumni Award - 1990
Alumni Association College Service Award - 2014.
Coordinated many class reunions, bringing together classes of the 1960s
Avid birder and crabber with his wife Carol

Young Alumni Award - Kelly Rampmeyer Coutts '07

Teaches students with dyslexia and other learning differences at The Summit School in Edgewater, Md.
A trip to India while at McDaniel sparked a passion for international aid and relief efforts. For a year after graduation, she traveled to Central America, Europe, Africa and Asia volunteering
Helped raise money to buy land and to build an orphanage in Beira, Mozambique.
Has traveled with high school groups to Uganda and hurricane-ravaged New Orleans
Visited earthquake-ravaged Haiti and Nepal to assist in rebuilding
Biked from Seattle to Boston to raise $11,000 for The Summit School
Anne Arundel County Independent School Teacher of the Year 2017; Educators at Space Academy in Huntsville, Ala. - 2015 scholarship winner; Top Educator, What’s Up? media - 2014.
Master’s in global learning from Charles Darwin University in Australia.

Alumni College Service Award - Kay Coleman Smith '66

Served on the Green Terror Sports Hall of Fame committee for seven years; inducted into the Hall in 1985
Set out on a four-year mission of archival research to identify pre-Title IX female athletes who had not been appropriately recognized. Identified 29 athletes, four of whom were inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Helped coordinate an event in May 2019 honoring 24 female athletes with varsity letters
Served on college reunion planning committees and has been a career services volunteer speaker

Alumni Community Service Award - Frank Lala, Jr. M.Ed. '80

Has dedicated more than 25 years of service as a pioneer in Deaf Mental Health and Substance Abuse service treatments after losing his hearing at age 5
Author of “Counseling the Deaf Substance Abuser,” the first-ever full-length book on this subject
Founder of the Chatham County Association of the Deaf, was president of the Georgia Association of the Deaf from 2013-2015, and is the current president for the Chatham County Association of the Deaf
Recipient of the Marie J. Philip Award - recognized for efforts to educate landlords, realtors, and property management companies in providing access to the Deaf community through interpreting services and video interpreting services
Master 5th Degree black belt in karate and jujitsu; founder and president of the USA-Deaf Martial Arts (formally American Martial Arts Association of the Deaf)
Recipient of Gallaudet University’s Laurent Clerc Award in recognition of his work in mental health and addictive disorder

Alumni Professional Achievement Award - LTG Duane Gamble '85

Commissioned as an Ordnance officer in may 1985
34-year Army career includes four combat tours—three times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan
Deployed in disaster-relief operations in Florida and Haiti, as well as to the former Yugoslavia as part of the Dayton Peace Accord Implementation Force
Served in various assignments around the U.S. and overseas, most recently as commanding general of the 21st Theater Support Command in Germany
In Sept. 2019, promoted to Lieutenant General, joining the ranks of the highest ranking military officials to ever graduate from the college
Master parachutist
Recognition includes the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and the German Cross of Honor