2009 Alumni Achievement Awards

Knox celebrated the 172nd anniversary of its founding with the presentation of Alumni Achievement Awards at the 2009 Founders Day Convocation on Friday, February 13, in the Muelder Room, Seymour Library.

At the celebration, three alumni were awarded 2009 Alumni Achievement Awards -- Carol M. Craig '89, P. Christopher Earley '80, and Charles Kartman '70. Bree Elrod-Novak '00 was the fifth recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award.

2009 Alumni Achievement Award Recipients

Carol M. Craig '89

Carol M. Craig graduated from Knox College in 1989. Enrolled in Knox's 3-2 Engineering Program, Carol earned a bachelor of arts in computer science from Knox and a bachelor of science in computer science engineering from the University of Illinois. She holds a master of science in electrical computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and has completed Ph.D. coursework in electrical computer engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology.

After graduation, Carol went to work for the Department of Defense, where she focused on developing software for aircraft cockpit systems. Wanting more than to work on planes, Carol received a commission through Aviation Officer Candidate School, became a Naval Flight Officer, and was the first woman aviator in her P-3 Orion squadron. Prior to her service, she was a key computer engineer for Naval Air Warfare Center-Indianapolis, concentrating on the integration of Global Positioning Systems and cockpit display development for several Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.

Today, Carol is founder, president, and CEO of Craig Technologies, which has grown from one employee in 1999 to a national engineering and technical services company with more than 170 employees. Headquartered in Cape Canaveral, the company operates offices in Illinois, Florida, and Washington, DC. Craig Technologies has secured several defense contracts, including an award as prime contractor for the Naval Air Warfare Center. Carol's in-depth knowledge of military information technology security and installation is a result of her tenure as the Automated Information Security Manager for the Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific in Lemoore, California. She previously represented Craig Technologies through a contract at the Strike Fighter Weapons School, Atlantic in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she instructed Navy Portable Flight Planning System software and developed mission planning training courseware.

In 2008, Carol was selected "Space Coast Outstanding Woman Engineer" of the year by The Society of Women Engineers of the Space Coast and "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Society of Women Engineers. She serves as secretary for the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research, an international non-profit organization founded in 2003 by Carol and other parents of children with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Its mission is dedicated to funding research and finding treatments for this complex birth defect.

Listen to the presentation by John Dooley, professor of computer science, and Carol's comments (9:45)

P. Christopher Earley '80

After graduating from Knox, Chris went on to earn a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Illinois.

Chris has worked in education -- as both a faculty member and administrator -- for more than 20 years. He was chair and professor of organizational behavior at the London Business School in England. He has taught on the faculties of National University of Singapore, London Business School, Indiana University, University of Arizona, University of Minnesota, and University of California, Irvine.

Chris served as dean of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School-one of the top business schools in Asia. During his tenure at the NUS Business School, he created new strategies that resulted in a rapid rise in rankings and a record growth of both undergraduate and MBA enrollments. He expanded the school's executive education division via a $1.2 million contract with the Nestle Company to train 300 managers, resulting in a four-fold increase of the school's profitability. And he raised approximately $30 million to underwrite the construction of a new business school on the NUS campus.

Chris' academic focus is on the cross-cultural and international aspects of organizations, including the dynamics of multinational teams, negotiation and conflict, and motivation across cultures. An internationally recognized scholar, he has written 10 books and more than 100 articles and book chapters. His experience extends beyond the classroom, having consulted for companies around the world such as Nestle, Cisco Systems, Samsung, General Motors, Unilever, British Aerospace, Mercury Asset Management, and Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals.

Chris is currently the dean of the University of Connecticut School of Business. Upon his hiring, University Provost Peter Nicholls said that "Dr. Earley has all the leadership attributes necessary to take the School of Business to the next level of excellence in today's competitive global business educational arena. . . . His leadership will help us to capitalize on the enormous potential of the School of Business to reach new heights of academic excellence."

Listen to the presentation by Frank McAndrew, Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology, and Chris' comments. (8:50)

Charles F. Kartman '70

Charles Kartman graduated from Knox College in 1970 and went on to earn a master of science in foreign service from Georgetown University.

Charles has had a long and distinguished career in diplomacy and international security, first with the U.S. Department of State, and then with the multi-national effort to resolve North Korea's nuclear program -- one of today's most sensitive strategic impasses.

In his 26 years with the State Department, he served many roles, including U.S. special envoy for the Korean peace talks, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. Charles has received the State Department's highest honors, including several Superior Honor Awards, the James Clement Dunn Award for outstanding service, the Secretary's Distinguished Honor Award, and the Secretary's Distinguished Service Award. In 1998, he received the Institute for Corean-American Studies Liberty Award.

After retiring from the Department of State in 2001, Charles served as executive director of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization. Known as KEDO, the multi-national effort sought to freeze and ultimately dismantle North Korea's nuclear program, in exchange for alternate energy sources, including a multi-billion dollar supply of crude oil. He left KEDO in 2005, when North Korea terminated its negotiations with the organization.

Charles is recognized for his expertise on Northeast Asia, having earlier specialized on Japanese affairs, working as a political officer in the Embassy in Tokyo, Consul General in Sapporo, and twice in the office of Japanese Affairs at the Department of State. He has held a variety of other positions focused on Asia: in the department on politico-military Affairs; for the Under Secretary for Political Affairs; and on loan to the congress. Charles' work has provided him the opportunity meet five American and four South Korean presidents, Emperor Hirohito, Kim Jong Il, prime ministers, cabinet members, and parliamentarians beyond counting.

Most recently, Charles has been an adjunct senior research associate at Columbia University and a co-leader of the KEDO Oral History Project, a joint program of Columbia University and The Stanley Foundation.

Listen to the presentation by Tim Heimann '70, and Charles' comments. (10:45)

2009 Young Alumni Achievement Award Winner

Bree Elrod Novak '00

Bree Elrod Novak graduated from Knox College in 2000 with a bachelor of arts in political science. She went on to earn a master of fine arts from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

In the eight years since leaving Knox, Bree has appeared in more than 20 plays in New York and around the country. She received acclaim on the stage of the Old Globe Theatre for her performance in Two Noble Kinsman. The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle honored Bree with a 2004 Craig Noel Award for Excellence in Theatre.

My Name Is Rachel Corrie, a one-woman play directed by noted actor Alan Rickman, marked the off-Broadway debut for Bree. The play tells the story of an American college student and member of the International Solidarity Movement who traveled to the Gaza Strip. She was killed by an armored Israeli bulldozer during a protest against the destruction of Palestinian homes. Initially, Bree was cast as an understudy and played Corrie at the Saturday and Sunday matinees. When My Name is Rachel Corrie was extended, Bree portrayed Corrie at the play's six weekly evening performances.

Bree earned recognition for her portrayal of Harper Pitt in Angels in America as outstanding actress in a small/midsize company at the Elliot Norton Awards ceremony, an annual event honoring excellence in the greater Boston theatre community. A review in Boston Theatre Works stated, "It's Elrod who nearly steals the show in an incredible performance as Harper Pitt. Acting of this caliber is a rare treat."

Bree has had roles in several productions with New York City's 52nd Street Project and most recently completed work on the Martin Scorsese movie Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and slated for release in October 2009.

A review of her work in the play Realism by Anthony Nielson states that "Elrod commands her scene with a hushed gracefulness. Beneath the playful warmth she adds to her lines and movements, her guarded posture and wide eyes show a layer of fragility and fear . . ."

Listen to the presentation by Elizabeth Carlin-Metz, professor of theatre, and Bree's comments. (8:50)

Previous Alumni Achievement Award Recipients