DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University celebrated seven remarkable members of the Big Blue family at the 2025 Alumni Awards Dinner during the University’s 110th Homecoming, a night President Dr. Dean Pribbenow called “a night of recognition and a night of gratitude.”
Pribbenow welcomed alumni “home to Millikin,” highlighting that this was his first Homecoming celebration as president, and that it was both a celebration of achievement and a heartfelt thank you to the alumni whose pride and loyalty strengthen the University.
“I do hope that you take pride in knowing that your contributions, your time, your resources, your belief, and abiding love for Millikin are the foundation for our success,” Pribbenow said. “This is a night of recognition, but it is also a night of gratitude, and that gratitude truly runs deep. On behalf of the entire University, thank you for everything that you do. And once again, welcome home.”
Here are this year’s Alumni Award winners:
Alumnus of the Year – Charles “Chuck” Yurieci ’68
A four-year letterwinner for Big Blue Football and Baseball, Chuck spent more than 30 years with GROWMARK and is a tireless champion of Big Blue Athletics and the arts — regularly attending games and performances, traveling to CCIW events, and supporting scholarships and facilities. He previously received Millikin’s Loyalty Award in 2013.
During his speech, Chuck paid tribute to former Millikin President Patrick White, donning White’s trademark baseball cap, and shared warm memories of previous campus “footprints,” from residence halls to the old baseball field, which underscored how alumni support has transformed campus, while preserving its spirit.
“(My first footprint at Millikin was the Men’s Residence Hall (MRH)) and in fact, the site of MRH just served as a construction site for the beautiful donor-built Rathje Athletic Center that was just dedicated this morning,” he said. “In fact, fittingly, the new center sits on top of part of the hundred-year-old Old Gym that housed my football locker rooms. I like to say when I come back to campus, although I'm houseless, I never feel homeless. Progress is great, but its unintended consequences are often rough on our old footprints.”
Merit Award – Caylee French Noggle ’01
President & CEO of the Georgia Hospital Association, Caylee leads statewide efforts on behalf of nearly 150 hospitals and previously served the State of Georgia in multiple senior roles, including Interim Chief of Staff to the Governor—the first woman to hold the post.
She credited Millikin’s “who am I, how do I know, and what should I do?” framework for shaping her career and leadership, and reflected on the power of relationships in times of crisis — a lesson rooted in her student years.
“While serving as the CEO of one of Georgia's oldest and largest trade associations, every step of the way, I used those same three questions to know that I was on a great path,” she said. “Now I get to share those same lessons that I learned in Millikin with every young person who calls up on me for career advice.”
Merit–Loyalty Award – Lucas “Luke” Bills ’03 and Jodi Fearday Bills ’03
A Presidential Scholar and two-time Scovill Award recipient, Luke is President of Independent Agent Distribution at Liberty Mutual; Jodi co-founded a luxury real-estate firm after a successful sales career. Together, they’ve supported the Millikin Fund, scholarships, the Center for Theatre & Dance, and helped launch the Tabor Global Scholars Program. They also named a space in the new Rathje Athletic Center.
In remarks read on their behalf, Luke and Jodi said Millikin “opened our world,” adding that the greatest gift the University gave them was each other—and a lifelong commitment to pay it forward.
“It is hard to believe it's been 26 years since we both arrived at Millikin from two small towns in Central Illinois. MU is where our world first opened up, where we began to see and believe in opportunities far beyond anything we previously imagined through the guidance and mentorship from our outstanding professors,” they said. “We gained the kind of hands-on, real-world experience that prepared us exceptionally well, both personally and professionally. Since graduating, our careers have taken us to Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and now Boston, with travel that spanned the country and the world. Yet, no matter where life has left us, Millikin has never been far from our hearts.”
Young Alumnus Award — Dr. John Blakeman ’13/MSN ’15
An Associate Professor at Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing, John has published 30+ peer-reviewed papers, authored a book, and earned national recognition, including the American Heart Association Council’s Clinical Article of the Year. A highly engaged Millikin alumnus and former School of Nursing Instructor, he supports scholarships and campus initiatives and was named the School of Nursing Alumnus of the Year in 2020.
“To say that Millikin University changed my life is an understatement. I came in my first year as a wide-eyed, eager, curious student, and I left with two degrees and a lifetime of memories and friendships,” he said. “My professional successes are, in large part, due to the influence of so many people. I not only learned fundamental information that has supported my academic and professional success.
Loyalty Award – Kenneth Davis ’74
A 50-year career in church music ministry, Davis has led large choirs, performed in major congregations, and remained an engaged Millikin supporter across decades—from choir tours to today’s events. He summed up his Millikin loyalty in one word: “gratitude,” citing a campus culture that instructed, inspired, and affirmed him from day one.
“The reason why I have always been so loyal to Millikin right from the time I was a freshman is out of a sense of gratitude. There was a feeling of family, as President Pribbenow said. A feeling of belonging, a feeling of inclusiveness. Even 50 years ago, there was an inclusiveness about our student body, the administrators, the faculty, the staff, the custodial staff, the mail room staff, the finance office, the cafeteria workers,” he said. “All over the campus, there was a feeling of family. And so for that, I'm grateful and I always have been.”
Faculty/Staff Award (Posthumous)-- Dr. Edward “Dr. Ed” Acheson, Chemistry
In his 35 years as a Chemistry faculty member, Dr. Ed served as Department Chair for two terms and earned the Teaching Excellence & Campus Leadership Award in 2006. He mentored generations of students and young faculty, and the Chemistry Department established the Dr. Ed & Lucy Acheson Award for Excellence in First-Year Chemistry in 2018 to honor his legacy. Dr. Ed passed away in 2019, and his long-time Chemistry Department colleague, Dr. Clarence Josefson, shared his thoughts on his close friend.
“Ed was my best friend and colleague for 30 years, and we both love chemistry, and we both love Millikin. In many ways, we were opposites. Ed was structured, and I was not. I've always been an Apple guy, and he was a PC person, and those don't mix very well. Ed worked hard to create an environment where students and faculty worked together in the learning process,” Clarence said. “The door to his office was always open with an M&M dispenser close by. He always had time for conversation with students and faculty alike. He was a great listener who knew everyone at Millikin. My wife would wonder where I was at 6 p.m., and I wasn't home for dinner. She would call Ed, not me, because she knew I was most likely talking with him and it was him listening to me.”
