Alumnae Awards

The Newcomb Alumnae Association Awards are presented annually at the Under the Oaks celebration in May:

• Outstanding Alumna - The recipient of this award must reflect Newcomb’s tradition of excellence and should exhibit prominence in a business or professional field and in her contributions to the well being of national, state, or community life. The recipient’s accomplishments and contributions should have been sustained over a long period of time. Optimally, the recipient should have achieved some measure of recognition on the national or international level.
• Young Alumna - This award is given to a Newcomb/Tulane alum who has exhibited ongoing contributions or achievements. Nominees who have not yet attained the age of 40 are eligible for fifteen years beyond graduation.
• Community Service - The recipient of this award will be recognized for a significant, long-term commitment to community service.

Nominations are good for three years. The nomination period for 2020 is now closed.

Congratulations to our 2020 Alumnae Award Winners!

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 Newcomb Alumnae Association Awards. These alumnae have represented Newcomb with distinction since their graduation, and all alumnae are invited to celebrate their achievements at the Under the Oaks Ceremony. See the date, time, and location details located under the Events Tab.  

This year’s recipients are:

Outstanding Alumna:

Carter Flemming (NC '70)
After graduating from Newcomb in 1970, Carter Dudley Flemming spent her adult life in volunteer service to her community in Alexandria, VA. She has worked at every level of the organizations she has served and has taken on in leadership roles for many non-profits, including the Alexandria Red Cross, the Campagna Center, the United Way, the Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and countless others. Her focus has been on organizations that seek to serve those who have not had the same opportunities as she has. Her work has touched people of all ages, from the children for whom she has advocated in court as a CASA volunteer, to the senior citizens of public housing who needed a voice to represent their needs. When you add up the years of service, she has given to all these organizations the total exceeds 150 years.

In 2005, Carter was elected to serve on the Newcomb Alumnae Association Board. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina struck just before her first scheduled board meeting in October of that year.  Her first meeting was delayed until January 2006. Seeing the staggering devastation of Katrina first-hand, and the impact it had on Tulane and those who served in volunteer or paid positions, she turned her energies to doing whatever she could to rebuild the Alumnae Association. Within two years, she became the President of the NAA. She made countless trips to New Orleans and helped alumnae navigate the difficult and stressful years that followed Katrina. She served on other Tulane boards, including the Newcomb Directors Advisory Council, the Tulane Alumni Association, and was the co-chair of her Class reunions in 2015 and 2020.

Community Service Award: 

Nancy Godecke (NC '81)
Giving back and making a difference no matter how big or small has always been a driving force for Nancy. Her parents. Patsy Weil Collat, Newcomb Class of 1953, and her father Charles Collat have always been her mentors. By giving of their time and resources they set an example she has followed throughout her life. Upon entering Newcomb, Nancy jumped in, joining Newcomb Senate and her sorority. She regards her time as President of the Senate as one of the best leadership experiences of her career.

Today, Nancy is the Chair and CEO of her 90-year-old business, Mayer.  Back in her native Birmingham, Nancy has volunteered in the community as well as in the business world. She served as the chair of the board of directors for the Birmingham Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and also was the 2019 Chair of the Birmingham Business Alliance.  She serves on the board of directors for the Birmingham Zoo, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama, Smile-A-Mile and United Way to name a few.  In 2015, Nancy was chosen to be the first woman in the 93-year history of United Way of Central Alabama to chair the organization's annual fundraising campaign. It will come as no surprise that she has received many service awards in her community. Nancy has also served the Newcomb Alumnae community as a dedicated volunteer and as a member of the Newcomb Institute Directors Advisory Council.  I am honored to present Nancy Goedecke the 2020 Newcomb Community Service Award.

Young Alumna Award: 

Nicole Hutchinson (SLA '07)
Nicole is currently an attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel at the United States Secret Service. At the Secret Service, she provides advice regarding legal issues relating to the protection of the Secret Service's protectees and National Special Security events, the investigation of counterfeit crimes, and polygraph examinations. In addition, Nicole is a certified instructor at the Secret Service's training facility, where she provides legal training to new agents and officers.  Nicole is currently on detail to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  

Outstanding Alumna
1974    Elizabeth Wisner    N'14    
1975    Bessie Margolin     N'29    
1976    Corinne Claiborne Boggs     N'35    
1977     E. Lucille Smith     N'35     
1978     Ida Rittenberg Kohlmeyer    N'33     
1979     Ruth Rogan Benerito     N'35     
1980     Betty Werlein Carter     N'31     
1981     Lanier Allingham Simmons     N'50     
1982     Mary Lou Mossy Christovich     N'49     
1983     Odaline de la Martinez     N'72     
1984     Evalyn Stolaroff Gendel     N'43     
1985     Betty Stevens Sherrill     N'44     
1986     Hilda Arndt     N'32     
1987     Lynda Benglis     N'64     
1988     Rosa Freeman Keller     N'32     
1989     Martha Crenshaw     N'67    
1990     Marion J. Siegman     N'54     
1991     Barbara Y. E. Pyle     N'69     
1992     Deirdre Melessa Phillips, M.D.     N'69     
1993     Vivian Gussin Paley     N'50     
1994     Lois E. DeBakey     N'40     
1995     Eugénie Ricau Rocherolle     N'58     
1997     Susan Gold Willard Schorin     N'67     
1998     May Hyman Lesser     N'47    
1999     Martha Walters Barnett     N'69    
2003    Marsha Sidel Firestone     N'65     
2004    Cheryl A. Nickerson     N'83      
2005    Elizabeth A. Weaver    N’62    
2007    Jane Davis Doggett     N'52    
2008    Carol Lavin Bernick    N'74    
2009    Florence Weiland Schornstein    N’56   
2010    Berthe Lathrop Marks Amoss    N’46   
2011    Dee Unglaub Silverthon   N '70 
2012    Marlene Esking Moses N '72 
2013    Margaret Burr Leonard N '63 
2014    Merri Steinberg Ex N '73
2015    Regina Rogers N '68
2016    Jennifer Brush N '78
2017    Sally Kittredge Reeves N'65
2018    Meria Carstarphen NC '92
2019    Marcela Villareal de Panetta (NC ’67)

Young Alumna
2005    Jennifer Grotz N’93 
2007    Melissa Ekin Kizildemir N’02 
2008    Erica Trani  N’06
2009    Rebekah Dobrasko N’01
2010    Theresa Schieber N’95
2011    Meaghan K. Callahan N'08
2012    Karoun Bagamain N'01
2013    Elizabeth Bellino N'98
2014    Johanna Gilligan N'03
2015    Jane Kellum N'01
2016    Dr. Mara E. Karlin N'01
2017    Demetria Christo N'06
2018    Lindsey Childs-Kean NC '04
2019    Paula Eichenbrenner (NC ’04)

Newcomb Community Service and Loyalty Award
1987    Sybil Muths Favrot N’56 
1988    Jane Kelleher Riess N’38
1989    Nellie Mae " Bartlett Kelleher N’30
1990    Carol Downes Cudd N’59
1992    Louise Hoehn Hogan  N’35 
1993    Winifred Delery Hills N’75
1994    Polly Phelps Durham N’52 
1995    Harriet Barry Schupp N’59 
1997    Regan Alford Forrester N'71
1999    Carolyn Robbert Davis N'42
2000    Andrée Keil Moss N'59
2001    Helen Schneidau N'67
2002    Patricia Greene N'67
2003    Karen Deener Depp N'66
2004    Virginia Niehaus Roddy N'60
2005    Barbara Bartlett Haddad N'53
2007    Cynthia Roosth Wolf N'68
2008    Eugenie Jones Huger N'53
2009    Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin N’54

Community Service Award
2010    Adele Redditt Williamson N’45
2011    Sharon Kozlowski Bourgeois N'69
2012    Suzy Guichard McDaniel N'83
2013    Newcomb Sisters & Friends Build
2014    Sylvia Klumok Goodman N'62
2015    Julie Schwam Harris N'74
2016    Roberta Guillory N'59
2017    Rhonda Kalifey-Aluise N'92
2018    Millibeth Currie NC '89
2019    Lisa Helfman (NC ’96)

Katrina/Rita Recognition Awards - October 27, 2006
Pamela Montgomery Bryan N'80             
Barbara Gott Bush  N'71    
Beverly Reese Church N'67    
Lea McIntosh Ellison N'69    
Mignon Faget N'55    
Virginia Saussy N'88    
Ruthie Jones Frierson N'62
Patricia Heatherly Gay N'65    
Barbara Barry Hammett N'64    
Leslie Brupbacher Kramer N'77    
Nancy Meyers Marsiglia N'75    
Anne McDonald Milling N'62    
Marcelle D'Aquin Saussy N'61    
Louise Fergusson Saenz N'94    
Cynthia Roosth Wolf N'68    

Newcomb Centennial Awards - Awarded October 11, 1986
Mildred D. Christian N'22, Education/ English
Lucile Jacoby Blum N'24, Music, Performing, & Visual Art
Perrine Dixon McCune N'24, Music
Angela Gregory N'25,  Sculpture
Rena Wilson N'29, Early Childhood Development
Mary Ethel Dichmann N'35, Education
Margaret Pace Willson N'43, Art/ Glass Blowing/ Business
Mary Hanemann Lystad N'49, Social Psychology
Shirley Ann Grau N'50, Author
Mignon Faget N'55, Art/ Jewelry Design
Linda Smith Wilson N'57, Chemistry/EducationalAdministration/Research
Frances F. Switt N'59, Foreign Service/ Cultural Exchange
Emily Watts Card N'63, Financial Management
Shelly Johnson Errington N’66, Anthropology 
Marilyn Thomas Bernard N'68, Music
Janina R. Gerth Galler N'69, Pediatric Mental Health

Alumna of the Year (discontinued)
2005     Helen Carney Evans N’65
2007     Ruthie Jones Frierson  N’62
2007    Anne McDonald Milling N’62