Honored Alumni
The University of Northern Colorado boasts outstanding alumni and dedicated friends from all walks of life, and each year the UNC Alumni Association recognizes some of them with the Honored Alumni Awards.
For more information on the Honored Alumni Awards, including a list of past recipients, please visit alumni.unco.edu/honored-alumni.
Minseok An (EDD ’93)
UNC Professor Emeritus George Sage, An’s advisor and nominator:
“An has been outstanding in his commitment toward public education, public physical
education and sports. His work has made a positive impact toward improving sports
in the schools, in community recreation programs and has nurtured and encouraged widespread
participation in sports. An has been very active in promoting UNC. He uses his degree
to tell people about the school and about his own experiences here.”
Dan Carey (MA ’72, PhD ’75)
“I believe that alumni can best advance the mission of UNC by advocating for the institution, by referring students to the campus. The alumni network can be a powerful force in helping to market and brand the institution — with everyone from higher ed professionals, to government officials, to families, to potential students — these are ways alums can make a difference for UNC.”
Robert A. Clark (BA ’60)
“The alumni are critical to the creation and continuance of a school. With state funding diminishing all the time, more and more falls on the shoulders of the alumni, which it should, because those of us who benefited from the education we received should give back. And it doesn’t really matter how much. It doesn’t have to be huge amounts of money. I mean, you think of the thousands of students who have come through this institution. If they just each gave a small amount it adds up to an awful lot of money. And it’s going to be critical to the future of not just UNC but all higher education institutions.”
Somphol “Pia” Dounglomchunt (BA ’74, MA ’75, EDD ’81)
“Alumni can help and they can reach out to other alumni to help. For example, we can bring people who have never been here to come to Greeley and to UNC, especially the teachers. I would like the other people to come to the United States to experience our education, because I would like them to have the same good experience I have had here.”
Bob and Bonnie Phelps (Honorary Alumni)
Bonnie:
“We fell in love (with UNC) immediately. Our son had a wonderful experience at the
University of Northern Colorado, and I would recommend that for anyone. I think what
Bob and I have chosen to do is beneficial to students, and we’re trying to raise our
own kids with a philosophy that doing something for other people is really good for
your own soul.”
