Purdue News

April 25, 2003 School of Liberal Arts names 2003 distinguished alumni WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University School of Liberal Arts will honor five graduates as distinguished alumni today (Friday, 4/25) at an awards dinner. Daniel D. Angel, Donald S. Bain, Dorothy Runk Mennen, J. Russell Rueff Jr. and Cynthia Stohl will receive distinguished alumni awards. • Angel, Huntington W.V., is president of Marshall University and a former member of the Michigan State Legislature. During his time in the legislature, Angel served on the committee that established educational policy for Michigan's 13 universities and 29 community colleges. He earned a doctorate in communication in 1965. • Bain, North Salem, N.Y., is the author or ghost writer of more than 80 books, including his autobiography, "Every Midget Has an Uncle Sam Costume: Writing for a Living." His current project includes a series of 19 "Murder, She Wrote" mysteries, written in collaboration with his wife. Bain earned a bachelor's degree in speech in 1957. • Mennen, West Lafayette, is a professor emerita of visual and performing arts in Purdue's Division of Theatre. From 1964 to 1985, she established the voice curriculum for acting students and founded and presided over Voice and Speech Trainers of America. After retirement, Mennen helped establish Purdue's Classroom Climate Workshops, now known as the Human Relations Interactive Theatre Ensemble. Mennen earned a master's degree in theater in 1964. • Rueff, Burlingame, Calif., is executive vice president of human resources for Electronic Arts Inc., which is a global leader in developing and publishing interactive entertainment software for personal computers. Following a career in local radio, Rueff held several human resource positions in companies such as PepsiCo, Pizza Hut and Frito-Lay Inc. Rueff earned a bachelor's degree in radio and television in 1984 and a master's degree in counseling in 1986. • Stohl, Santa Barbara, Calif., is professor of communication at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and served as Purdue communication department chair from 1999 to 2001. She also was the Margaret Church Distinguished Professor of Communication. Stohl earned master's and doctorate degrees in communication in 1978 and 1982, respectively. Writer: Amy Patterson-Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu Source: Laura Havran, School of Liberal Arts development assistant, (765) 494-7884, lhavran@sla.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Complete biographies and publication-quality photos of the recipients are available at the School of Liberal Arts Web site at https://www.sla.purdue.edu/administrative/development/alumni-dist-2003.asp. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu