MSU Honors Distinguished Alumni and Spirit Recipient
State University honored eight of its owngraduates during a Homecoming brunch
Oct. 31 when the MSU Alumni Associationpresented its 2015 Distinguished
Alumni Awards, the Arthur F. BeyerDistinguished Alumni Award, and the MSU
Spirit Award.
Dr.Gregory Zolnerowich was named the Arthur F. Beyer Distinguished Alumnus.
The award is given in honorof the late, longtime MSU science professor.
Zolnerowich is a 1976 graduate ofWichita Falls High School. He earned a
Bachelor of Science in 1980 and a Masterof Science in 1983, both from MSU. He
earned his Ph.D. from Texas A&M in1995. Zolnerowich is Professor of
Entomology at Kansas State University.
At K-State, Zolnerowich was named the College ofAgriculture’s David J. Mugler
Outstanding Teacher in 2013, and he received thePresidential Award for
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 2012. As curatorof the K-State
Museum of Entomological and Prairie Arthropod Research, he isresponsible for a
collection of approximately 365,000 insect and arthropodspecimens. Zolnerowich
has served on the board of directors for the Friends ofKonza Prairie, a group
whose mission is to promote understanding andappreciation for the prairie
ecosystem and grassland conservation andmanagement.
ReeseInman received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Gordon T. and
Ellen West College ofEducation. Inman is a Wichita Falls native and a 1983
graduate of RiderHigh School. He earned a Bachelor ofScience in Education
from MSU in 1989.
Inman taught his entire career in the Wichita Falls IndependentSchool District,
from his MSU graduation in 1989 until his retirement in Juneof 2015. For most of
those years, Inman taught Texas history. He wasnominated for Teacher of the
Year five times and received the West FoundationTeaching Excellence award
three times. At Barwise Junior High School, he washistory department chair and
sponsor of the Plastic Model Building Club. 
EmilyM. Jones was named the LamarD. Fain College of Fine Arts Distinguished
Alumna. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from MSU in 1998 with a major in
theatreand a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Arkansas in 2010 with
anemphasis in directing. Jones participated in the Shakespeare in London
programwith King’s College London Study Abroad.
She has taught at Lindenwood University in SaintCharles, Mo., since 2010, and
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is now Associate Professor and Chair of theDepartment of Theatre. She serves
on the board of directors of ACT INC theatergroup in St. Louis, Mo.
MelissaM. Reese is the Distinguished Alumna from the Robert D. and Carol
Gunn College of HealthSciences and Human Services. She graduatedsumma
cum laude from MSU in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.She
graduated with honors from the University of Oklahoma with a Master ofPublic
Health and in 2014 was named Outstanding Graduate Student in the OUCollege
of Public Health, Health Promotion Science program.
Reese is program manager for MobileSmiles Oklahoma,a nonprofit dental care
program that travels the state delivering free dentalcare and education. She has
received numerous U.S. Public Health Service Awardsfor her work with the
medical ship the USNS Mercy, Habitat for Humanity andother charitable medical
organizations.
RayRichey was named theDillard College of Business Administration
Distinguished Alumnus. Richey isa 1975 graduate of Rider High School where he
was a member of the Rider a cappellachoir and was named UIL All-State Solo
Percussionist. He graduated cum laudefrom MSU in 1977 with a Bachelor of
Business Administration. Soon aftergraduation he began Ray Richey and
Company Inc., a profitable oil and gasbusiness.
In 2006, Richey founded the Texas Civil War Museumin Fort Worth to house his
private collection of Civil War artifacts. Richeywas awarded the Daughters of the
American Revolution’s Medal of Honor in 2014for his dedication to preserving
American history.
The Collegeof Science and Mathematics named Dr.Fred Stangl its Distinguished
Alumnus. Stangl earned his Bachelor ofScience in 1979 and his Master of
Science in 1981, both in biology from MSU. Heearned his Ph.D. from Texas Tech
University in 1984. Stangl is a 1968 graduateof Burkburnett High School.
Stangl was Professor of Biology at MSU from1984-2012 and is now Professor
Emeritus of Biology. He has been a researchassociate at The Museum at Texas
Tech since 1989. Stangl was named an honorarymember of the Texas Society of
Mammalogists in 2013.
In 1990, Stangl was named Hardin Professor of theYear, and in 1993 was named
Student Government Professor the Year. He receivedthe MSU Faculty Award in
1993 and three times was named Mortar Board Professorof the Year. Stangl has
received the Texas Academy of Science OutstandingService Award twice. He
has served on advisory boards for River Bend NatureWorks, NORTEX Regional
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Planning Commission, and the mammal advisory board forTexas Parks &
Wildlife.
Dr.Dustin Tahmahkera was named Distinguished Alumnus fromthe
Prothro-Yeager College of Humanitiesand Social Sciences. He earned his
Bachelor of Arts in 1999 and Master ofArts in 2002, both from MSU. He earned
his Ph.D. in American Culture Studiesfrom Bowling Green State University in
2007.
Tahmahkera was Assistant Professor of CommunicationStudies at Southwestern
University from 2009-2015 and is now AssistantProfessor of Mexican American
and Latina/o Studies and affiliate faculty inNative American and Indigenous
Studies at The University of Texas at Austin.
LarrySlack received the MSUSpirit Award. He graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor
of BusinessAdministration and has remained involved with his alma mater
through the KiowaKooks, Mustangs Athletic Club, and the Alumni Association,
serving as its presidentin 1981-82. Slack is a graduate of Holliday High School.
He is now mayor ofBowie.
In 2008, Slack’s love for Midwestern led him torefurbish the Spirit of ’22, MSU’s
1942 Dodge pumper fire truck that is a showpiece in parades and other area
special events.
Each year, MSU’s six colleges honor an alumna/uswhose accomplishments and
careers have brought credit to the university.Honorees must be distinguished in
their profession or life’s work. They must bea person of integrity and
demonstrated ability who will inspire others by theirrecognition. They must reflect
the importance of their education at MSU andshow pride and a continuing
interest in their alma mater.
In addition to the Distinguished Alumni honors, theArthur F. Beyer Distinguished
Alumnus Award is presented to a recipient who hascontinually brought honor to
MSU through his or her accomplishments. Itemphasizes lifetime achievement in
a field.
The Spirit Awardstands for Service, Pride, Initiative, Responsibility, Integrity, and
Teamworkand is awarded to individuals or groups in recognition of their support
ofMidwestern State University. Established in 1996, the first honorees were
theMSU Kiowa Kooks who have contributed countless hours of service for the
benefitof Midwestern and the Alumni Association.
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