Wyoming Arts Council

Music and theatre educators are among UW awardees at May 22 banquet

Uncategorized | May 12, 2010

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The University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences will hold its annual awards banquet Saturday, May 22, at the Hilton Garden Inn and UW Conference Center in Laramie. The event begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m.

Each year, College of Arts and Sciences outstanding alumni and outstanding former faculty are honored. Alumni award winners for 2010 are: Thomas W. McKenna, Rockville, Md., and Torrington; Joseph Meyer, Cheyenne and Casper; Marcia Neely Patton, Casper; and Patrick E. K. Patton, Casper.
Outstanding former faculty to be honored are: Gladys Crane, Laramie; Fred Homer (posthumous), Laramie; Charles Ksir, Laramie; and Paul O. McGrew (posthumous), Laramie.

McKenna, a Torrington native, is a long-time employee with Westat, Inc., which provides contract research services to U.S. federal, state and local governments, as well as foundations and private industry clients. He underwent basic training with the United States Air Force Reserve after receiving his bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Following basic training, he enrolled at UW again and received a master’s degree in statistics.

Meyer, Wyoming’s state treasurer, has a lengthy resume of public service including terms as state attorney general, secretary of state and special assistant to the UW president. His list of professional and community service contributions is extensive. He and his wife Mary are lifetime members of the UW Alumni Association and longtime members of the Cowboy Joe Club. Meyer recently was recognized as an outstanding attorney in the state of Wyoming by the Martindale-Hubbell Legal network.

Marcia Neely Patton has contributed greatly to the music education profession, having taught music at all levels in Casper, Cheyenne, Newcastle, and Olathe, Kan. In 2002, she received the Wyoming Teacher of the Year Award. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Patton went on to receive a master’s in education curriculum and instruction, also from UW.

Patrick E.K. Patton, director of choral activities at Casper College, has made more than 400 appearances on four continents as guest conductor, adjudicator and workshop clinician. He has conducted in New York’s Avery Fischer Hall and toured Europe as conductor of the Wyoming Ambassadors on several occasions. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from UW, Patton went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in choral conducting from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.

Crane joined the Department of Theatre when it still was located in the Arts and Sciences building. She was part of the faculty that moved into the (then) new Fine Arts building in 1970. In 1980, she became a full professor and later spent four years as department head, stepping down in 1992. In 1993, Crane retired but returned to school and pursued a master’s of theological studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago and then returned to UW to teach feminist theology, drama and religion and gender and religion part-time.

Homer was an active researcher with dozens of published articles on topics ranging from sociology and psychology to political science. He also was the author of four books. He came to UW in 1974 and established the Administration of Justice Program in the Department of Political Science. Later, that program became the Department of Criminal Justice. He served as head of the departments of Political Science and Journalism and Telecommunications. He also served as a city councilman and as mayor of Laramie.

Ksir came to UW in 1972. A widely respected researcher, he wrote the textbook, “Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior,” which is used in psychology and health courses across the country. He also helped establish Wyoming CARE, a resource center for the state of Wyoming that provides drug information and education. Ksir served four years as dean of the UW College of Education, and served on the Albany County Board of Education and several state advisory commissions.

McGrew was known for his extensive contributions to the fields of paleontology and geology and for his devotion to students. He joined the UW Department of Geology in 1946 when S.H. “Doc” Knight convinced him to come to the university to develop a museum and improve its collections of vertebrate fossils from the state. With the aid and support of Knight, a small museum was established in the old Geology Building and McGrew responded to every report of fossil finds in Wyoming and gained the respect of many citizens. He found fossils that still are used by experts across the United States.

Lengthier biographies of the recipients can be found on the Arts and Sciences Web page, www.uwyo.edu/a&s/ and click on the awards banquet link under “Events.” For more information about the banquet, please call the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office at 766-2755.

Photo: Retired Theatre Professor Gladys Crane will be among those recognized May 22 at the UW College of Arts and Sciences annual awards ceremony.

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