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September 25, 2002 WKU Alumnus, Faculty Member Col. Terry Wilcutt, who has made four trips into space aboard NASA's Space Shuttle, was one of three recipients of the OAK (Outstanding Alumnus of Kentucky) Award. Dr. Erika Brady received the Acorn Award, which recognizes an outstanding faculty member. Wilcutt is the first native Kentuckian among NASA's 214 astronauts. He piloted shuttle missions in 1994 and 1996 and was the mission commander in 1998 and 2000. He has remained close to Western, taking WKU memorabilia with him on each mission. He is a member of Western's Board of Advisors, has been inducted into the Hall of Distinguished Alumni and was awarded an honorary doctorate of science. The OAK Awards were created in 1987. Recipients must hold an undergraduate degree from a Kentucky university or college, have achieved national stature and reputation in their career field and exhibit a lifelong affection for, and attachment to, their alma mater and Kentucky. Other recipients were Edward Eckenhoff, founder, president and CEO of National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C., and a Transylvania University graduate, and Lee Todd Jr., president of the University of Kentucky and a UK graduate. Dr. Brady received the Acorn Award, which recognizes the role of the teaching profession in creating outstanding alumni. She has been a member of the Modern Language and Intercultural Studies faculty at Western since 1989. In 1997, she received the Faculty Excellence Award in Public Service. The Acorn Award was established in 1992 and is presented each year to a professor exhibiting excellence in service and commitment to students. Both awards were presented by the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
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