Steven Yeun ’05, the Distinguished Achievement Award. The honor recognizes alumni who achieve distinction in their professional fields. National or international recognition indicating a continuing or enduring level of achievement is desirable. Yeun, an Academy Award Best Actor nominee, will reunite with Director Bong Joon Ho for Mickey 17, a highly anticipated 2025 film also featuring Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo and Toni Colette. He also will star next year alongside Kristen Stewart in Love Me, a sci-fi romance.

In 2024, Yeun earned Golden Globe, Emmy, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild Awards as an actor and executive producer in the Netflix series BEEF. Earlier in his career, Yeun starred as Ricky “Jupe” Park in the Jordan Peele film Nope (2022); as Jacob in the movie Minari (2021); as Ben in the movie Burning (2018); and as Glenn Rhee in the TV show The Walking Dead.

At K, Yeun majored in psychology, took theatre classes and participated in Monkapult, a student organization focusing on improv.

Gene Bissell ’76, the Distinguished Service Award. The honor recognizes individuals who have made exceptional volunteer contributions to Kalamazoo College. Bissell—a political science major, student government treasurer, yearbook committee member and resident advisor at K—spent most of his 34-year career at two companies, AmeriGas and BOC Gases. He worked at several levels, from management trainee to executive, in locations throughout the U.S.

In 2000, he was appointed president and CEO at AmeriGas, the largest propane company in the country. In retirement, he has continued to serve on several boards of directors; most important to him, however, were his 15 years on the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees, from 2004–19, including serving as the first chair of the Audit Committee, as chair of the Finance Committee for seven years, and on two capital campaign committees.

He and his wife, Joann, established two endowments at K, one to support students from outside Michigan and the other to support students on study abroad. They have also donated funds to establish the Bissell Theater.

Alex Morgan ’11, the Young Alumni Award. The citation is distributed to chosen K alumni within 15 years of their graduation for outstanding achievement; personal growth in their career; or outstanding professional, civic and cultural service.

After earning a master’s degree from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee and serving Teach for America, Morgan moved to Evanston, Illinois. He worked there for Rep. Brad Schneider’s re-election campaign and organized for the Sierra Club, where he helped close several coal-fired power plants.

In 2015, Morgan—a political science major at K—teamed up with a colleague from the Schneider campaign to start the Progressive Turnout Project, an organization focused on rallying Democrats to vote. The Project has become the largest voter contact organization in the country outside of the collective efforts of the DNC and state parties.

Kim Sullivan Aldrich ’80, the Weimer K. Hicks Award. This award honors a current or retired employee who has provided long-term support to the College programs or activities beyond the call of duty, or who has provided excellent service in the performance of their job, making a significant contribution to the College in ways that have advanced the goals of the Alumni Association.

Aldrich began her career at K as a gift and data systems processor. Two years later, she was promoted to assistant director of management information systems, and in 1988, she advanced to director of development operations and records. By 2006, she had taken on the role of director of alumni engagement, a position she held until her recent retirement.

At the time of her retirement, Aldrich was the longest-tenured employee among those actively working at the College. She served on search committees for the men’s and women’s head basketball coaches, she was staff liaison to the Alumni Association Engagement Board and the Emeriti Club Leadership Council, and her service earned her the College’s LuxEsto Award (2020) and the Honorary Hornet Award (2024).

Jim Cameron ’69, a Chelsea, Michigan, native. Cameron taught Michigan and U.S. history at Saline High School after earning two master’s degrees in health, recreation and physical education, and social studies at Eastern Michigan University.

Cameron has received accolades for service in education including the Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year Award (2010), Hall of Fame honors at Saline Area Schools (2019), the Leadership Award by the Michigan Department of Education (2019) and the Historical Society of Michigan’s (HSM) History Hero Award (2023).

He wrote the books Voices Over the Valley: An Oral History of Saline Valley Farms, earning HSM’s Award of Merit in 2005; and Immigration to Saline and Michigan (1995). He co-authored The Meredith Bixby Marionettes, An Oral History (2024) and As Long as There Are Ships on the Great Lakes, An Oral History (2024), with his late wife, Marcia (Buchmueller) Cameron ’70.

Gwen Fountain ’68, a native of Hart, Michigan. Fountain earned a fellowship, a master’s degree and a doctoral degree from the University of Michigan before teaching economics for two years at Eastern Michigan University, two years at the University of the Philippines and 24 years at Butler University. From 2000-02, she served Butler as interim president.

Later, she was the director of investments at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Fountain served in various positions and on boards for the Indiana Association for the Hearing Impaired, Butler Preschool for the Gifted and Talented, SPARCS for Learning Inc., Orchard Country Day School, Indianapolis Public Schools, Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, Project Leadership Service and others including the Kalamazoo College Board of Trustees from 2000–21.

• Brant Haverdink ’02, football. All-MIAA First Team (2000, 2001); MIAA Defensive MVP (2001); Academic All-American (2001); All-American Third Team (2001).
• Christopher Manning ’12, swimming and diving. All-MIAA (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012); MIAA MVP (2011, 2012); 13-time All-American; nine-time MIAA champion in individual events; nine-time MIAA champion in relay events; set five school records; member of two MIAA championship teams and four teams finishing in the top 13 in the nation.
• Jillian McLaughlin ’10, women’s cross country. All-MIAA First Team (2006, 2008, 2009); All-Region (2007 –09); NCAA Division III Championships qualifier (2008, 2009); GLCA Championships winner (2006); U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Award (2009).
• Stacey Nastase Lambert ’02, women’s soccer. All-MIAA First Team (1998–2001); All-Region Third Team (1998–2001); only player in school history to earn All-Region all four years; scored 16 career goals with eight assists as a defender; member of two MIAA championship teams.
• Beau Wangtrakuldee ’10, women’s tennis. All-MIAA First Team (2007–10); MIAA Co-MVP (2007); 53-22 career singles record; 57-20 career doubles record; member of 2007 MIAA championship team.
• 1898 Football Team. First undefeated team in school history (7-0), MIAA champions.
• 1916 Football Team. Second undefeated team in school history (7-0), MIAA champions.
• 1936 Football Team. Third undefeated team in school history (7-0-1), MIAA champions.
• 1995 Men’s Tennis Team. MIAA champions; third at NCAA Division III championships; 21-7 overall record, 6-0 MIAA record.
• 1996 Men’s Tennis Team. MIAA champions; third at NCAA Division III championships; 23-5 overall record, 6-0 MIAA record.
• 1998 Men’s Tennis Team. MIAA champions; third at NCAA Division III Championships; 21-8 overall record, 6-0 MIAA record.

Kalamazoo College alumnus Sean Smith ’08, a chemistry teacher at Pritzker College Prep, is one of seven serving the network of Noble Schools in Chicago to be admitted into its Distinguished Teacher program this year. 

According to a Noble Schools news release, the program rewards network teachers who have achieved exceptional accomplishments with students in their careers. For the honor, Smith will receive an additional $10,000 on top of his base salary each year for the duration of employment as a teacher at Noble; opportunities to engage in professional development specific to Distinguished Teachers; opportunities to participate in network-wide decisions; and a chance to help select future Distinguished Teachers. 

“Being named a Distinguished Teacher was a nice way to recognize the time, energy and work that I’ve put into my craft of teaching high school chemistry, as well as the expertise I’ve gained over the last 16 years of teaching,” Smith said. “With teaching, there’s no day-to-day recognition of the extra time we put in on the weekends or after school brainstorming lessons, setting up labs, grading or the million other things on our minds, so it’s nice to have the extra recognition for the outcomes that all of these little things produce.” 

While working toward his Bachelor of Arts in biology at K, Smith worked as a YMCA summer camp counselor and waterfront director at Camp Torenta in his hometown of Cadillac, Michigan. The roles inspired him to consider a career in teaching. 

By his senior year, Smith was working in a biochemistry lab at K to conduct research on disulfide bonds. Since graduating, Smith has acquired a Master of Science Education from Lehman College in New York while working with the New York City Teaching Fellows to instruct high-need subjects to the city’s students. Smith additionally served as a science instructional coach at EPIC Academy in Chicago before starting his career at Pritzker College Prep.