The Founders Award

The Founders Award was established by the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (Central States) in 1986 to honor its founders, including the fourteen original Board Members: Jermaine D. Arendt, Jacqueline Elliott, Percy Fearing, Anthony Gradisnik, Frank Grittner, Gilbert Kettelkamp, Charles Kirk, Wallace Magoon, Barbara Ort, J. Henry Owens, Richard Payne, J. Thomas Shaw, Lorraine Strasheim, and Albert Turner. It was first awarded in 1988.

The award may be conferred annually on an individual or group from within the language teaching profession. Current or retired members of the profession may be nominated for the award.

Nominees for the award should exemplify the following qualifications:

• excellence in the promotion of language learning and international studies 

• leadership in the language teaching profession as exemplified by the founders of Central States. 

• strong ties with one or more of the fourteen Central States 

• professional dedication and enthusiasm

Nominations

Supporting documentation may not exceed 15 single-sided pages and should be submitted to the Awards Committee chairperson by December 15, 2024. The person completing and submitting the nomination must be a current Advisory Council member. Nominate a colleague for the Founders Award here!

Nominations of a group or organization should include the primary goals of the organization, the relevance of the goals to the profession, a history of the accomplishments of the group or organization, the sphere of influence of the group, the nominator's professional relationship to the group, a resume of the group's director or leader, and support documentation that bears direct relevance to the nomination.

Nominations of an individual should include the candidate's present position and role in the world language profession; the ways in which the candidate meets the specific criteria for the award, including significant contributions to Central States over the years; the capacity in which the nominator has known the candidate; the candidate's current curriculum vitae; and support documentation that bears direct relevance to the nomination.

2023 Martha Halemba Ohio 2005 Dena Bauer Bachman Missouri

2022 Mary Goodwin Ohio 2004 David McAlpine Arkansas

2021       Leann Wilcoxen       Illinois 2003 Walter Bartz Indiana

2020 Tom Alsop Indiana 2002 Valerie Babb North Dakota

2019 Pamela Gemmer Indiana 2001 Helene Zimmer-Lowe New Jersey

2018 Patrick Raven Wisconsin 2000 —

2017 Phyllis Farrar Kansas 1999 John Janc Minnesota

2016 Anne Nerenz Michigan 1998 Diane Ging Ohio

2015 Aleidine Moeller Nebraska 1997 Emily Spinelli Michigan

2014 Jayne Abrate Illinois 1996 Dorothea Bruschke Missouri

2013 Helena Curtain Wisconsin 1995 Lynn Sandstedt Colorado

Carol Ann Dahlberg Minnesota 1994 Suzanne Jebe Minnesota

2012 Donna Clementi Wisconsin 1993 Irene Kraemer Wisconsin

2011 Janice Holter Kittok Minnesota 1992 Leon Twarog Ohio

2010 Laura Terrill Indiana 1991 Roma Hoff Wisconsin

2009 Mary Carr Indiana 1990 Constance Knop Wisconsin

2008 Sharon Rapp Arkansas 1989 Ortrun Gilbert Tennessee

2007 Gale Kent Crouse Wisconsin 1988 Eward Allen Ohio

2006 Phillip Campana Tennessee