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On June 6, 2009, the UC San Diego community gathered for the 31st Annual Awards for Excellence, which honors outstanding alumni and faculty for their leadership, advocacy, philanthropy and service to UC San Diego. More than 350 alumni and friends joined Chancellor Marye Anne Fox to celebrate the achievements of the five honorees, and the pride their service and accomplishments bring to the university, its students and graduates.

The Awards for Excellence gala raised $55,000 for the Alumni Association’s endowed scholarship program. Since 1994, generous donations and annual sponsorship of the Awards for Excellence have increased the alumni scholarship endowment to $2 million, ensuring continued funding for years to come.

View the Slideshow

Hear a KPBS-FM interview with UCSD Alumnus of the Year

2009 Honorees

Outstanding Alumnus Award

Donald W. Murphy, ’75 MORE
CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and former Deputy Director of the National Park Service

Professional Achievement Award

Abbie Celniker ’80 MORE
CEO of Taligen Therapeutics and

pioneer in late-stage discovery and development of protein therapeutics

Distinguished Service Award

Gary Curtis ’69 MORE
UC San Diego Foundation Trustee, student scholarship donor and biomedical entrepreneur

Distinguished Teaching Award

Jeffrey Rabin MORE
Professor of Mathematics and

former Director of the Algebraic Thinking Institute

Honorary Alumnus Award

Wayne Kennedy MORE
Former UC San Diego Vice-Chancellor and

UCOP Senior Vice President

MEDIA FEATURE:  ALUMNI TRADITIONS