1920s

Jessamyn West '23, renowned Quaker author, earned multiple honors for her literary works, including the Thermod Monsen Award, California Literature Medal, and the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction; in addition, she was awarded honorary degrees from nine institutions of higher education. Her 1945 novel The Friendly Persuasion earned critical acclaim and was later turned into an Academy Award-nominated film of the same name; the film's scriptwriter was also West.

1930s

Richard M. Nixon '34 was elected the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969-1974. His term of office is marked largely by his accomplishments in foreign policy, including
his 1972 travels to both China and the U.S.S.R., resulting in significant reduction of political tension with those countries; a treaty with Russia to limit strategic nuclear weapons; and, in 1973, an accord with North Vietnam to end American involvement in Indochina.

1940s

Fred Dukes ’49 earned the 2004 California State University at Bakersfield Presidential Medal for nearly a quarter-century of dedicated service.

Fred Winnen ’49 was honored by the City of Pico Rivera for 50 years of service with the city’s Lions Club.

1950s

Charles Adams ’53 received the Patrick Henry Award from the Ludwig von Mises Institute at Auburn University in recognition of his innovative research, writing, and teaching on the history of taxation.

Don Jenkins ’53 received the “Fellow of the College” Award from the Rio Hondo Board of Trustees.

John Hergesheimer ’54 earned the Hilda Taba Award from the California Council for Social Studies.

Paul Chafe ’55 was voted into the California Coaches’ Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

John Duncan ’57 was awarded the 2002 Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award by the Class of 1957.

Douglas Smith ’57 received the Sharp Grossmont Hospital Lifetime Achievement Award and had a suite of hospital offices named in his honor for over two decades of dedicated service.

1960s

Patricia (Braun) White ’60 received an American Association of Community Theater Award in recognition of her excellence in promoting and contributing to community theatre.

Jim Allen ’60 is the 2004 recipient of the Eddie Pearson Award, the highest honor given by the U.S. Soccer Federation’s National Program for Referee Development.

J. Stanley Sanders '63 was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship.

Glenn Sneddon ’65 was honored with 2004-05 Teacher of the Year Award for La Serna High School.

Inger Sagatun-Edwards ’67, San José State University professor and chair of the Department of Justice Studies, is the recipient of the 2004-05 President’s Scholar Award, one of the four highest faculty awards given at the university.

Penny (Carns) Fraumeni ’68 has been named 2004-05 Elementary School Principal of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators. Fraumeni heads up Fairgrove Academy in La Puente, a K-8 school focused on the arts and technology that serves 900 at-risk Latino students in the region.

1970s

Dena (Turpen) Deck ’71 was named California Science Teacher of the Year for the 2002-03 academic year.

Don Q. Washington ’71, Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy in Seoul, received an honorary doctorate in political science from Dong-eui University in Busan, Korea.

Darryl Walker '76 was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship.

1980s

Pam (Hill) Park ’89 was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship.

1990s

Glenn Bybee ’94 was named Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year 2003-2004 for local district “G” in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Malaika (Williams) Amneus ’96 was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship.

Ryan Brizendine ’98 earned a 2004-05 Fulbright Grant to Syria to pursue Islamic studies.

Salvador “Sal” Placencia ’99
2001 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, the first and only fellow in fiction.

2000s

Irina D. Jeliazkova ’02 won a 2005-06 International Rotary Scholarship and will pursue a double master's degree program in international law and international relations at Brussels School of International Studies at the University of Kent at Canterbury.

Erik Stegman ’04 was awarded a 2004-05 UCLA Graduate Division Opportunity Fellowship to pursue American Indian studies.