The alumni chapter of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at California State University, Fresno has honored five people with the 2010 Kremen Education Awards for their significant contributions to education.
The recipients are Dr. Luz Gonzalez, dean of Fresno State’s College of Social Sciences; Supt. Marcus Johnson and Deputy Supt. Richard Smith of the Sanger Unified School District; Delbert Cederquist, a member of the Fresno County Board of Education; and Dr. Carl Stutzman, a professor emeritus of education at Fresno State.
“These outstanding recipients have had significant impact on education in our Valley,” said Dr. Susan Schlievert, president of the Kremen Alumni chapter after the award ceremony on March 4. “Each honoree is recognized for contributing to the quality of education for students.”
The award recipients are:
Gonzalez received the Noted Alumni Award for her contributions to education, especially her motivational impact on Latinos. She is a former migrant worker who earned four college degrees, including a doctorate from the University of Arizona. Before becoming dean in 2005, she headed the university’s Faculty Mentoring Program, designed to retain and underrepresented students. She coordinates the Latino Commencement Celebration at Fresno State – one of the nation’s largest such events – and helped establish the César Chávez monument in the campus Peace Garden. Gonzalez has been recognized as Latina Woman of the Year in Education and with the 2007 Latino Heritage Award of Education.
Johnson and Smith received the Professional Alumni Service Award. Johnson’s 26-year career in public education, the past seven as head of Sanger Unified, has led his district to significant student academic achievement and awards and spoken about that success at state and national conferences. In his six years at Sanger Unified, Smith has used his 33 years as a teacher, resource specialist, learning director and principal to work promoting student academic achievement.
Cederquist was recognized with the Friend of Education Alumni Award for sustained impact on education. He has been a school trustee for more than 56 years, is the longest-serving school board member in California. Cederquist, a grape grower, was 21 when first elected a trustee of the University Colony School District, which eventually merged into the Pacific Union district, where he served until 1991. Since 1994, he has been a Fresno County board member.
Stutzman received the Kremen Noted Alumni Special Recognition Award. His 36-year career in public education includes public schools, state agencies and university settings. At Fresno State, where he was on faculty from 1969 to ’94, he served as interim dean, department chair, program coordinator, professor and consultant.
