2002 Alumni Awardees
Outstanding K-12 Teachers
Katie JohnsonRegarded as a master teacher and consummate professional, Katie Johnson has distinguished herself throughout her outstanding career for her commitment to urban students and creating intellectually vibrant classrooms where diverse learners can flourish. Ms. Johnson is a third grade teacher at Oxford School in Berkeley, California.
Ms. Johnson's career began in East Lansing as a second grade teacher at Donley Elementary School in 1967. From 1970 to 1982, she was an elementary school teacher in the Oakland Unified School District in California, and in 1986 joined the Berkeley Unified School District. In her more than 30 years of teaching, she has taught kindergarten through the ninth grade, and throughout has made high standards, student achievement, and the effective inclusion of students with disabilities a priority. Passionate about mathematics, the Alameda-Contra Costa Counties Mathematics Educators honored her with the Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award in 1996. The Berkeley chapter of the Association of California School Administrators selected her as Berkeley Teacher of the Year. From 1996 to 1998, she taught at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley, where she was coordinator of public programs in the Mathematics Education Program. She has also been committed to mentoring the next generation of teachers, teaching mathematics and science methods courses at St. Mary's College in California and supervising interns for the Cal Urban Partnership Intern Program (CalPIP) at the University of California.
Ms. Johnson received both her bachelor's degree (1967) and master's degree (1970) from MSU.
Outstanding K-12 Teachers
Penny Callender LettsKnown as a relentless advocate for students and their learning, Penny Callendar Letts has devoted a professional life that has spanned some 35 years to teaching the beauty and complexity of mathematics to generations of students in the small, rural eastern Michigan community of Harbor Beach. Ms. Letts teaches at Harbor Beach Middle School, where her passion for students and subject matter and her commitment to excellence have made her a leading figure at her school district and in her community.
A Harbor Beach teacher since 1969, Ms. Letts distinguished herself early both by her love of mathematics and the high standards she set for her students. They remain hallmarks of her career to this day. A caring and compassionate educator, she demands high achievement and hard work from all of her students. She also has amassed a long record of teacher leadership. She was instrumental in developing the teaching team concept now in place at Harbor Beach Middle School, and remains the program's team leader. She served on the Michigan Department of Education's Teacher Standards Committee, co-chaired the North Central Association Accreditation team, and for eight years was president of the Harbor Beach Education Association. Her leadership of the teaching teams led to her school receiving the Michigan Association of Middle School Educators' State Teaching Team of the Year Award.A loyal Spartan, Ms. Letts served as vice president of the MSU Alumni Association of Huron County. She earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics and education in 1967.
Outstanding K-12 Administrator
Joseph KoziolJoseph Koziol is highly respected as an inspirational educator and creative administrator, whose leadership and commitment have made learning meaningful for countless numbers of students in his 36-year career. Mr. Koziol is superintendent at the Northwest School District in Jackson, Michigan.
Mr. Koziol began his career as a driver's education instructor, and went on to teach social studies at Northwest High School from 1966 to 1970. He later served as an assistant principal and in 1979 was appointed principal of Northwest Junior High School. In 1998, he was promoted from assistant superintendent to superintendent of the 3,600-student district. Throughout his tenure as superintendent, he has been tireless in his efforts to involve the community in the schools. He initiated a series of community forums and study circles, reformulated the district's newsletter and logo, and started a volunteer recognition dinner. In addition, he established an early childhood task force, which led to the creation of a "parent university" and family reading nights. And he spearheaded the district's efforts to upgrade its technology infrastructure, increasing the number of computers from 400 to more than 800, and building new computer laboratories at three of the district's schools. His aggressive and ambitious efforts to improve the schools stabilized enrollment and boosted morale and excitement at the district. He is also credited with developing the much-heralded Assets Program, a character development initiative that teaches children to develop skills to succeed in school and life.
Mr. Koziol has a bachelor's degree (1966) and master's degree (1971) from MSU.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Robert L. EwiglebenWidely regarded for his leadership in higher education, Dr. Robert Ewigleben amassed a record of achievement during his more than 30 years as a teacher and administrator. Dr. Ewigleben culminated his career as president of Ferris State College, where he served from 1971 to 1984.
Outspoken and direct, Dr. Ewigleben transformed Ferris during his 13 years as its chief administrative officer. During his tenure, the college made more than 40 curriculum changes, and established the Michigan College of Optometry, the state's only such program, the $6 million Manufacturing Resource and Production Center, and what is now known as the Ewigleben Sports Complex. An internationalist, he was instrumental in forging relationships with universities throughout the world and building exchange programs between Ferris faculty and those in Belize, Columbia, and the Asian and African continents. Dr. Ewigleben grew up in Michigan, and worked as a machine operator in Lansing to pay for his education. He began his career as a mathematics and chemistry teacher in Croswell, Michigan. He later served as a principal and superintendent. His move to higher education came in 1960 when he became assistant director of Purdue University's regional campus in Indianapolis. He would go on to serve as vice president at Humboldt State University and as president of the College of San Mateo, which at the time was the largest community college in California.
Dr. Ewigleben has all three of his degrees from MSU: a bachelor's in biology (1952), a master's in educational administration (1956), and a Ph.D. in educational administration (1969).
