Park University Annual Awards Honorees Announced by Alumni Association for 2021
Kenthedo Robinson, a 1980 graduate and resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been honoured as Park University’s 2021 Distinguished Alumnus. This recognition comes in acknowledgement of Robinson's work in writing and producing plays, particularly those that dramatise African American history and veterans' stories, such as "The Buffalo Hero of WWI: The Wayne Miner Story." [1]
Robinson's plays have been produced off-Broadway and have been selected for staged readings at prestigious venues like the Schomberg Center for Culture and History and the National Black Theatre Festival. Some of his works have been staged in notable festivals such as the Harlem Fringe Theatre Festival, the Women of Color Theatre Festival, and Provocative Playwrights Festival.
In addition to his theatrical endeavours, Robinson has also been a dedicated educator, teaching in the New York City public school system for 25 years.
Meanwhile, Donna Bachmann, professor emerita of art, will receive the 2021 Paul H. Gault Service Award. Bachmann was a member of the Park faculty for 27 years (1986-2013) and served in various roles, including program coordinator and chair of the Department of Art and Design, and the director of the University’s Campanella Art Gallery, which she helped found in 1988.
A ceremony recognising Bachmann will be held on Friday, Oct. 1, starting at 1 p.m. inside Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the Parkville Campus.
Edna Martinson, a 2012 graduate, will receive the Park Promising Young Professional Award. Martinson, who resides in Tulsa, Okla., co-founded Boddle Learning, an education technology organization with a mission to help kids grow their love for learning, in 2018. In February, she was named to Forbes magazine's first class of the "Next 1000."
Carneysha Mendoza, a 2016 graduate and a resident of Suitland, Md., will receive the Marlowe Sherwood Memorial Service Award. Mendoza is a U.S. Capitol Police captain and was the initial speaker at the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee joint oversight hearing on security failures during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The ceremony for the presentation of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Park Promising Young Professional Award, and the Torchlighter Award will take place on Sept. 30, 2021, during Park's Homecoming Weekend, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater. Rich Linden, a resident of Overland Park, Kan., will receive the Torchlighter Award for his advocacy work for Park University, particularly as the game announcer for various Park athletics events since 2006.
Linden has also been a speaker and advocate for regional and national youth issues, including the Youth/Adult Alliance Against Underage Drinking, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Turning Resources and Energy in New Directions, Camp Quality, Missouri Association of Peer Helpers, National Association of Teen Institutes, and Camp Fire.
Boddle Learning, the education technology organization co-founded by Edna Martinson, is another notable entity being recognised during the ceremony.
These recognitions highlight the diverse achievements of Park University alumni and community members, demonstrating the university's commitment to fostering excellence and impact in various fields.
Kenthedo Robinson's plays, focused on education-and-self-development through personal-growth and career-development of African American history and veterans, showcase his contributions in the field of theatre. Edna Martinson, a recipient of the Park Promising Young Professional Award, has founded Boddle Learning, an organization prioritizing personal-growth and education-and-self-development, embodying the university's commitment to fostering excellence and impact in various fields.
