Distinguished Alum Award

2013 Distinguished Alum Recipients
Norma Rae Hunt '84 and Karen Smith Sellers '76

Rev. Norma Rae Hunt '84, lead minister at St. Paul's United Church of Christ (UCC) in St. Paul, and Rev. Dr. Karen Smith Sellers '76, conference minister with the Minnesota Conference UCC, were selected to receive United's 2013 Distinguished Alum Award.

Norma Rae Hunt '84 is serving as a revitalizing pastor at St. Paul's UCC in St. Paul, Minn., where she is in her 6th year, turning around a church that almost closed its doors seven years ago. She has served as associate minister at Robbinsdale UCC and in interim ministries at Macalester College, Minnehaha UCC, Minneapolis; Congregational UCC, Faribault; Community UCC, St. Paul Park; First United Church, Little Falls; First Congregational UCC, Alexandria; and God's Family UCC, Lakeville. She has also served as director of admissions and student life at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and interim associate conference minister for the Southern Association. She has served on committees in the Minnesota Conference, Nominating Working Group, and others concerned with spiritual development, higher education and youth. As part of Norma Rae's Lilly grant she will be attending General Synod this summer.

Norma Rae was nominated by Rev. Kay Welsch '89, visitation minister at St. Paul's UCC.

Karen Smith Sellers '76 is a member at Mayflower UCC, where she has served as deacon and chaired their Personnel Committee. She currently is vice president of the Minnesota Council of Churches and a member of the Minnesota Church Foundation Board. She is convener of the West Central Region of the UCC and a member of the UCC Council of Conference Ministers and its Cabinet. She served on the UCC Strategic Planning/ Alternative Futures Committee, the UCC Nationwide Special Counsel Oversight Committee, the CCM/National UCC Partnership Committee on Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) and on Conference Financial Development. From 1977-88 and 1997-2002 she served on the faculty and staff of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities as professor of ministry studies, director of student services and M.Div. program director. From 1989-1996 she was at North Central Ministry Development Center.

Karen was nominated by Rev. Dr. Gary Reierson '78 '86, M.Div., president and CEO of Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches.

Both recipients will be honored at Spring Convocation's Dinner for Alums & Friends on Wednesday evening, April 24, at Northwestern College. Please join us in celebrating and honoring the remarkable ministry of two United alums.

Distinguished Alum Award Recipients:
2012 Jon Gunnemann ’66
2011  Kimberly Vrudny ’95
2010  Susan K. Ebbers ’78, Rick Yramategui ’87
2009  Howard J. Vogel ’78
2008  Peg A. Chemberlin ’82
2008  Herbert Zimmerman ’46
2007  Paul Olm-Stoelting ’46 ’74
2006  Christie Cozad Neuger ’80
2005  Gene E. Miller ’83
2004  Robert H. Tucker ’81
2003  Gary Reierson ’78 ’86
2002  Kathi Austin Mahle ’78, Ernest Strandberg ’67
2001  Sheila C. Gustafson ’77, Helen Wells O’Brien ’90
2000  Obid Hofland ’68 ’88
1999  John Heinl ’61
1998  Thomas Townsend ’60
1997  Eugene Grau ’44
1996  Marva Jean Hutchens ’80, Gary Miller ’68
1995  Carla Bailey ’81 ’92, Hobart (Fid) Sailor ’69
1994  Martha Ann Baumer ’73, Nelda Lockwood ’51, Alma Stepanek ’51
1993  Vernon Jaberg ’47, Fred Schneider ’43
1992  Theodore Bader ’51, Ralph Ley ’39
1991  John Krueger ’63