The Loretta Richards Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Eileen O’Connor Ahrens ’65
of Indianapolis, Ind., who served as the director of Ripley County Office of the Division of Family and Children in Indiana. Eileen worked with the state of Indiana on training for new child protective service workers, and served as an outreach coordinator for Adult Protective Services in four counties in
central Indiana. Today she serves as a wedding coordinator for St. John the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis and volunteers with a variety of other organizations and groups. Over the years Eileen led the way in keeping her Mount classmates from 1965 connected, helping to organize reunions and encouraging her classmates to help provide for the students of today.
Longtime nursing faculty member Dolores Daniel, M.S.N., ’55 of Cincinnati was honored with the Alumni Volunteer Leadership Award for her dedication and service to the Mount. Affectionately known as “Danny,” she always considered teaching at the College “a joy, not a job.” Over the years she has been involved in numerous committees and activities at the College, and was a founding member of the Leadership in Nursing Awards Program.
The College honored Judith Metz, SC, Ph.D., ’66 of Cincinnati with the Sister Mary Lea Human Service Award for her lifetime of service to others. A graduate of the class of 1966, Sister Judith has participated in numerous alumni and College events, assisted with presentations and served on various committees. Today she is the archivist for the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and a member of the Mount’s Board of Trustees.
Judith Henderson Wakim, Ed.D., ’60 of Signal Mountain, Tenn., was honored with the Alumni Career Achievement Award. For 28 years Judy directed nursing programs in Tennessee, first at the University of Tennessee at Martin and then at Austin Peay State University where she planned, developed and administered nursing programs. Over the years she was awarded millions of dollars in grants for nursing initiatives and scholarships, and taught a wide range of nursing courses.