Each year, Southeast Missouri State University presents Merit Awards to alumni and a faculty member during the Homecoming celebration.  These awards are presented to those who have brought distinction to themselves and the University.

Bill Black, Holland School of Visual & Performing Arts

Bill Black graduated in 1975 with a B.S. in education with majors in art, and speech and theatre.

Current Job: Professor and Associate Head of Theatre, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Also an active professional freelance costume designer at regional theatres throughout the country.

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: Prepared me both for teaching and for successful graduate study.  I put things I learned in teacher ed to use in my classroom every day.  Also fostered my love of theatre and showed me there were paths to a professional career I would never have thought of.

Best Advice I Received from a Faculty Member: Don’t teach high school art–go to a graduate school and get an M.F.A. in theatre.

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: The night we conducted a séance in the Rose Theatre and truly believed we had conjured the ghost of Forrest H. Rose–maybe also the opening night of Godspell which was unbelievably exciting!

Favorite Southeast Hangout: Lobby of the Rose Theatre and Shakey’s Pizza.

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: I had the time of my life when I was in school there.  And the new River Campus is fabulous!

Favorite Indulgence: Potato skins–loaded

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: From today–Bill Clinton, from history–Shakespeare

Last Book You Read: A Widow for One Year by John Irving

Share a Secret: I’m a workaholic (probably not a secret to those who know me).

Of What Are You Most Proud: Twenty consecutive seasons and 40 productions at the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Words of Wisdom: Find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life.

How I’m Making a Difference: Teaching a whole new generation of artists to discover and love the theatre–helping them to value art and culture as a part of a good life–encouraging them to create a NEW theatre!

Dr. Mark Stacy, College of Science & Mathematics

Dr. Mark Stacy graduated in 1981 with a B.S. in Zoology.

Current Job: Professor of Neurology, Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Duke University

How I’m Making a Difference: I oversee the Clinical Research Program at Duke University and assist in the study of many ideas, while insuring the safety of human participants.  I first described compulsive gambling in Parkinson’s Disease patients, a phenomenon that may help us understand the nature of decisional delay and the neurobiological basis of addiction.

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: Receiving a good scientific foundation for the study of decision making and behavior

How Southeast Changed Me: It taught me the importance of pursuing my goals with purpose.

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: My father, Bill W. Stacy, president of the University, announcing that he, too, was a proud parent of a Southeast graduate, at the 1981 Baccalaureate.

Favorite Southeast Hangout: Houck Stadium

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: It is a University committed to provide students with the skills to acquire future careers.

Favorite Indulgence: Photography field trips

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Muhammad Ali

Last Book You Read: George Washington by Ron Chernov

Twitter or Facebook: My mom made me sign up!

Of What Are You Most Proud: My family

Words of Wisdom: Give everyone the best of you.

Best Advice I Received from a Faculty Member: You need to quit putting your toe in the water and swim across the lake.

Daniel C. Mohorc, Harrison College of Business

Daniel C. Mohorc graduated in 1977 with a B.S. in Business Administration.

Current Job: President/CEO Glactic Ltd. (Performance Improvement)

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: To help start my career

How I’m Making a Difference: I’m responsible for the livelihood of nearly 50 families.

How Southeast Changed Me: It matured me and gave me incentive to tackle my career.

Best Advice I received from a Faculty Member: I took full advantage of the Career Placement Center, signing up for every interview and learning to create resumes.

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: The most memorable but not necessarily the best:  I posted flyers all over campus for our bar, Algiers, and the authorities were not pleased.  But it was great publicity for us!

Favorite Southeast Hangout: Algiers

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: Be proud of your degree.

Favorite Indulgence: A great bottle of red wine

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher

Last Book You Read: The Final Storm by Jeff Shaara

Share a Secret: I started my career driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

Of What Are You Most Proud: Raising my children and building my own company

Words of Wisdom: Make a difference.

Anne Schroeppel, College of Health and Human Services

Anne Schroeppel graduated in 1973 and 1980 with a B.A. in speech pathology and an A.A. in nursing.

Current Job: I am co-owner and co-manager of Jackson Brothers, L.L.C. and Jackson Brothers Joint Venture.  I am a general partner of the Jackson Family, L.P.  All of our companies are in Eureka, Kan.  These businesses are family companies.

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: Understanding the human body and being able to help people in my family, the employees in my company and people in my community to achieve and maintain wellness.

How I’m Making a Difference: I see a great need for more health professionals, expecially nurses, now and in the future!  I frequently encourage young people to explore opportunities in the healthcare field, through volunteering locally or going on medical mission trips, to see if a career in healthcare could be right for them.  I have helped a number of high school graduates with scholarships to pursue degrees in nursing to ensure that future generations can lead healthy and prosperous lives.

How Southeast Changed Me: I learned a lot about life and compassion for others.

Best Advice I Received from a Faculty Member: You can do this!

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: I remember sliding down a sidewalk sitting on my notebook to get home after class on a winter afternoon during an ice storm.  Those hills could be steep and slippery in winter, sometimes embarrassing when you fell down but also lots of fun!

Favorite Southeast Hangout: I enjoyed sitting on the grass under those huge trees on campus.  Being a product of the Kansas prairies, I really enjoyed the large shade trees on campus as relaxing and great places to study in the spring and fall.

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: Southeast Missouri State University is a wonderful place to further your education and grow as a person.  It is an exceptional value in today’s difficult financial times.  You will be well prepared to take your place in the world when you receive your degree, and you will have had a great time getting it!

Favorite Indulgence: Chocolate!

Famous Person, Celebrity, or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Rush Limbaugh

Last Book You Read: The Vitamin D Solution by Michael Holick, Ph.D., M.D.

Share a Secret: I’m actually shy.

Twitter or Facebook: I haven’t found time for either yet.  That could chagne in the future.  I didn’t text anyone until a few months ago when my oldest granddaughter made me start!

Of What Are You Most Proud: My four children and my five grandchildren

Words of Wisdom: “Take each day of your life, one day at a time, and one step at a time.”  These were my mother’s words of advice to me when I would get stressed out by too much to do.  She was always right.

How I’m Making a Difference: I have made it a priority in my life to give as generously as I am able to help educate future professionals.

Charles “Charlie” Stamp, Jr., College of Liberal Arts

Charles Stamp, Jr., graduated in 1971 with a B.A. in political science.

Current Job: Vice-President, Public Affairs Worldwide, DEERE & Company (John Deere)

How I’m Making a Difference: I am quite comfortable having those I mentor at John Deere answer this question.

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: The preparation for law school

How Southeast Changed Me: The experience matured me.  My growth in four years surprised me, my friends and loved ones.

Best Advice I Received from a Faculty Member: From Doc Choffey, “Now that you have an excellent law school admissions test score, get your GPA up!”

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: Being initiated into the Sigma Chi Fraternity which has given me a lifetime of many very close friends.

Favorite Southeast Hangout: Sigma Chi Fraternity House

What I would Tell Others about Southeast: An unsurpassed environment for growing into adulthood.

Favorite Indulgence: Golf

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Professional golfer Arnold Palmer.

Last Book You Read: The Social Animal by David Brooks

Of What Are You Most Proud: My son, Jason

Words of Wisdom: Never, never, never quit learning.  Always, always, always nurture those younger than yourself.

Kevin Govero, School of Polytechnic Studies

Kevin Govero graduated in 1974 with a B.S. in education.

Current Job: President/Owner, B.P. Financial Services, Inc.

How I’m Making a Difference: I currently serve on the Board of Saint Francis Medical Center and its finance committee, on the finance council of St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church and as the chairman of the tree board of the City of Cape Girardeau.

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: The ability to face a challenge, set a goal and work to achieve it.

Best Advice I Received from a Faculty Member: My faculty advisor for student teaching once told me to always be prepared for my students and anything else I was endeavoring to do.  Don’t ad lib, you will be uncovered and challenged.

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: Getting engaged to my wife and also being dragged to Capaha Park pond in January and thrown in.  I was only wearing cut-off jeans, and there was snow on the ground.  My roommates on Towers seventh floor south paid a heavy price in duck droppings.

Favorite Southeast Hangout: Shakey’s Pizza

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: I learned to work with people of all types.  I also developed great relationships and lasting friendships.

Favorite Indulgence: Traveling with my wife, her brother and his wife to great places around the country.

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Ronald Reagan

Last Book You Read: The Adversity Paradox by J. Barry Griswell  Bob Jennings

Of What Are You Most Proud: My 37-year marriage to Deb, my high school sweetheart and my soul mate

Words of Wisdom: No matter what you do, find something you are passionate about.  As the late Jimmy Valvano said, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”  From someone who is a cancer survivor, when you are faced with adversity, always believe that your life is guided by a higher power.  Put your faith in God, and He will lead you through the darkness into the light.

How Southeast Changed Me: It opened my eyes to a diverse group of people and personalities from around the world.  I no longer lived in a small community.

Dr. Maureen E. Clancy-May, College of Education

Dr. Maureen E. Clancy-May graduated in 1979 with a B.S. in special education.

Current Job: Superintendent of Bayless School District in St. Louis County

Biggest Benefit of My Degree: It has been a meaningful career path leading to extraordinary opportunities.

How I’m Making a Difference: I believe our entire Bayless community is making a significant difference on the academic and morale achievement of our students through the rigor and relevance of our instructional model and curriculum along with meaningful relationships established among teachers, administrators, staff, parents and most of all, our students.

How Southeast Changed Me: My experiences at Southeast Missouri State University played a significant role in my development as a teacher.  The rigorous courses and excellent teachers provided me with strong instructional and content skills–serving me well in the classroom.  Lastly, the relationships made the most difference.  I was blessed to have wonderful mentors and advisors and great friends I still keep in touch with regularly.

Best Advice I Received from a Faculty Member: Don’t be afraid to try new things (take risks), and remember that you get what you give.

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: First, I have to run through the memories I can’t share but are first to come to mind!  My most memorable moment was our rained-out commencement exercise.  I must have tuned out the directions gived for inclement weather during outdoor commencement exercises and ran home missing the entire graduation!  Does my degree still count?

Favorite Southeast Hangout: Is is appropriate to mention the Purple Crackle and Pladium?  I became a master at darts at one time in my life!

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: Southeast remains a great educational institution with value-added services and opportunities for anyone.  I continue to tell folks that it was four of the best years of my life.

Favorite Indulgence: A nice relaxing glass of wine among family and good friends or a good book

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Robert Redford or Hillary Clinton

Last Book You Read: Currently reading BLINK with my adminstrative staff

Share a Secret: My children may say I share too much!

Words of Wisdom: Take nothing for granted and be grateful for life’s blessings!

Of What Are You Most Proud: The students and staff in my school district and always, always, always, our children

Dr. Susan Swartwout, Faculty Merit Award

Dr. Susan Swartwout is the professor and publisher of Southeast Missouri State University Press.

How I’m Making a Difference: My first and most beloved job at Southeast is teaching.  I teach classes in creative writing, publishing and contemporary literature.  For 14 years, I’ve advised Journey student literary magazine, and I’ve directed 42 masters theses.  Our Southeast students constantly impress  me with their eagerness to learn, willingness to work and create, often surprising and original ideas, and attention to a wide array of social issues.

Best Lesson I Learned from a Student: This quote from Southeast graduate, Anna-Marie Beard is a reminder of how important change is.  “We should always be watching for where life takes us, seeing who we are supposed to be growing into.”

Most Memorable Southeast Moment: In 2003, a group of creative writers from an advanced poetry class were emboldened to speak at a public forum about budget cuts.  They researched the issues, prepared responses, then actively and politely participated in the talks.  They were incredibly nervous, but they spoke up.  President Dobbins himself brought the microphone to them, so they would be heard.  I was so proud of my students and my school at that moment that it still chokes me up to think of it.

What I Would Tell Others about Southeast: You will not only get a well-rounded education, but you can tailor a program to fit your career dreams.  Southeast may be an institution, but it’s in the very practical business of helping to discover and fulfill dreams.

Famous Person, Celebrity or Politician to Meet for Lunch: Our Visiting Writer in November–Heidi Durrow, the New York Times bestselling author of The Girls Who Fell From the Sky.

Last Book You Read: Skippy Dies by Paul Murray

Twitter or Facebook: Facebook is a terrific way to keep in touch with students during the summer and those who have graduated.  And I get to see pictures of their children and families, which is a privilege.  I find Twitter just plain annoying.

Words of Wisdom: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders.  Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”