One of the most exciting times on a university campus comes at the end of the academic year, when graduates are rewarded for their hard work.

Events leading up to Old Dominion's spring commencement also include an annual awards program to recognize and reward faculty and administrators. This year, three of the honorees happened to be alumni of the university.

Nina W. Brown (M.S.Ed. '68), professor of counseling, was presented the university's A. Rufus Tonelson Faculty Award. Sponsored by the Alumni Association, the $2,000 award honors excellence in teaching, research or service.

The committee that selected Brown recognized her accomplishments in all three areas. One of the first graduates of Old Dominion's master's program in counseling, Brown has taught at the university for the past 29 years. She has written six books and is an expert in group counseling.

A number of current and former students supported Brown's nomination, including G.W. Thompson (M.S.Ed. '76), senior adviser for Advising and Transfer Student Services at the university. He wrote,

Dr. Brown is an outstanding instructor who utilizes her intellectual capacity and quick wit to keep her students engaged in the process of learning. She challenges her students to think for themselves . . . ."

Brown's award, incidentally, is named for Rufus Tonelson '33 of Norfolk, the first male student to enroll at the Norfolk Division of William and Mary and who later went on to become a teacher and administrator at Old Dominion.

Scott R. Sechrist '75 (M.S. '89) is one of two faculty honored as TELETECHNET Teachers of the Year. His award, which includes a check for $500, recognizes faculty who excel at teaching classes which are broadcast to distance learning sites throughout the state.

An associate professor and program director of medical laboratory sciences and environmental health, Sechrist joined the faculty in 1987.

Susan Zvacek, director of Old Dominion's Center for Learning Technologies, said Sechrist's lively personality and enthusiastic teaching style make him a popular teacher on and off campus.

Catherine S. Austin '78 (M.B.A. '92) was named Administrator of the Year by the Association of University Administrators.

She has been the controller for Old Dominion since 1991 and has worked at the university since 1982. She consistently achieves the commonwealth's management standards for Old Dominion and is credited with implementing the Direct Lending Program on campus.

"There is no better administrator here if you are measuring the essentials: staff morale, productivity, leadership, managing money and improving customer relations," says Ann Reid Tatman, customer service manager for the Office of Finance.

Austin donated her $500 winnings to the university's capital campaign.

Something new was added to the spring commencement this year. At each of the individual college ceremonies, representatives of the Alumni Association board were on hand to pass out keychains to Old Dominion's latest graduates and officially welcome them to the alumni family

Charlie Roddy is not an Old Dominion alumnus, but he could easily be mistaken for one. As assistant vice president for institutional advancement and director of alumni relations for the university, a job he has held for the past year, he has turned into one of the staunchest advocates of Old Dominion you'll find. Just check out his MONARCH license plate. (You, too, can order a special plate with the Old Dominion logo from DMV.)