Humanitarian Award
The Humanitarian Award recognizes an alumnus or alumna for contributions to the betterment of the spiritual and material welfare of the less fortunate. Since 1968, Alumni Relations has honored an individual each year for their extraordinary contributions.
2021 Humanitarian Award Recipient
Latanya Daniels '01 M.A., '04 Ed.S., '19 Ed.D.
Before taking her current role as assistant superintendent at Richfield Public Schools, Daniels was blazing a trail as principal of Patrick Henry High School. She helped the school earn the 2015 ranking by U.S. News & World Report of third best high school in Minnesota. Now as principal of Richfield High School, Daniels and her team increased graduation rates and doubled the number of advanced courses taken by students of color. No small feat considering Minnesota has one of the largest education achievement gaps in the country.
2019
Beth Burns '94
Burns' nonprofit organization, p:ear, has offered life-changing services to Portland, Oregon’s, homeless youth through programs in education, arts and recreation. As co-founder and executive director, she brings dignity, hope and a positive vision for the future to more than 50 young people a day – almost 5,000 over the course of p:ear’s existence.
2018
James Daly '69
After a 26-year career with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Daly settled into a life of volunteer service the likes of which few people could imagine. He has shown generosity of time and spirit to countless victims of catastrophe as well as those who aid them, from disaster-relief work at 9/11’s Ground Zero, to Hurricane Katrina relief, to on-site management in the wake of the 35W bridge collapse (for which he received a President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Bush himself).
2017
Wayne Thalhuber, M.D. '60
A retired physician, Thalhuber’s contributions to medicine are longstanding and exemplify his devotion to easing the suffering of individuals in their last days of life. He served as diplomat to the American Board of Internal Medicine from 1968-2001, and as diplomat to the American Board of Palliative Care and Hospice from 1992-2001. He also was chairman of the Ramsey County Medical Society in 1987; medical director of Our Lady of Good Counsel from 1968-2008; and medical director of HealthEast Hospice from 1992-2001.