College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

Three accomplished graduates from the University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences were honored Saturday, Sept. 10, among the University's 2016 alumni awards recipients.

The College's honorees were Matt Maroon '06; Toni Moore '68, '87 and '99; and Fred Tenover '76. They were joined by Allen Hill '67 and '72, who holds degrees from both the School of Engineering and the School of Business Administration; and Dennis Marx '68, a School of Business Administration alumnus and member of the University board of trustees.

Hosted by the Alumni Association, the awards were presented at a dinner ceremony at River Campus that included remarks by University President Eric F. Spina. Music for the dinner and an Alumni Center reception was provided by department of music professor Eric Street, assistant professor James Hiller and professor Susan Gardstrom.

Maroon, who holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University, received the Joe Belle Memorial Young Alumni Award for volunteer service to students and early career achievement. He also holds a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Cincinnati.

Maroon is the founder and director of Determined to Develop, a nonprofit nongovernmental organization that works to empower the citizens of Malawi, Africa, to create sustainable, community-driven solutions to issues facing their communities. The organization, known as "D2D," focuses on education and youth support, women’s empowerment, health and nutrition, and environmental needs.

Each summer, Maroon hosts undergraduate students from the College’s Malawi Research Practicum on Rights and Development, as well as the School of Engineering’s ETHOS program.

Moore holds three degrees from the University of Dayton: a bachelor’s in economics; a master's in interdisciplinary studies in education; and a doctorate in educational leadership. She received the Christian Service Award for living out the Marianist ideals in today’s society.

Moore is a national leader in Catholic education who spent four decades as an educator, much of it as principal of Holy Angels School in Dayton. In 2001, the National Catholic Education Association honored her with its Distinguished Principal Award.

In 2006, Moore helped develop the St. Remy Initiative, a collaboration between the University and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to provide religious and spiritual support for Catholic school teachers. She also created and serves as the director of the Catholic Leadership Institute Project for Catholic school leaders.

Tenover, who holds bachelor's degrees in biology and chemistry from the University, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award for national or international achievements. He also holds master’s and doctorate degrees in microbiology from the University of Rochester.

A board-certified clinical microbiologist, Tenover has more than 30 years of experience directing diagnostic laboratories and working in academic, governmental and corporate settings, including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Currently, he is vice president for scientific affairs with Cepheid, a molecular diagnostics company in Sunnyvale, California, and a consulting professor of pathology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Tenover’s studies of how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, including the 2001 discovery of the first real "superbug resistance gene" in the U.S., place him among the top five experts in the world on the subject.

The alumni awards program was created in 1967 by the Alumni Association to recognize and honor University alumni whose accomplishments exemplify what it means to learn, lead and serve.

To nominate an outstanding alumnus for the 50th anniversary alumni awards in 2017, please visit the website at udayton.edu/advancement/alumni-awards.

- Dave Larsen, communication coordinator, College of Arts and Sciences