2026 Alumni Merit Awards and Pioneer Award Honorees Announced
Each spring, Saint Louis University honors more than a dozen outstanding graduates with an Alumni Merit Award or Pioneer Award. The 2026 honorees will receive their awards at SLU’s annual Commencement Recognition Dinner on May 15. They will also be celebrated during the May 16 commencement ceremony.
Saint Louis University established the Alumni Merit Awards in 1955 to recognize outstanding SLU graduates and acknowledge their notable successes. Those selected for the award have lived the mission of Saint Louis University in daily life, achieved outstanding success in civic leadership, professional and social welfare activities and intellectual and cultural pursuits, and have a continued interest in and service to supporting the University's enhancement. Learn more about the award and past honorees.
One Pioneer Award is granted each year, and Alumni Merit Awards are granted by their respective school or college.
Meet the Awardees
The 2026 recipients are listed in the order in which the school or college was founded, beginning with the earliest.
Anita Lyons Bond (A&S ’50), 2026 Pioneer Award (Posthumous)
The late Anita Lyons Bond (A&S '50) made history at Saint Louis University and across the country. As SLU’s first Black student to graduate with honors (magna cum laude) and the first Black female at SLU to be admitted into three national honor societies, Bond forged a path of equity that continues to pave the way for generations of Billikens today.
After earning her bachelor’s degree from SLU in 1950, Bond was named to the Bunche Fellows Program and earned a master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She remained a champion of social justice and equal access to education for all students throughout her life.
In 1961, she was appointed to the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity by then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson. She served as a delegate to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission as a member of the Missouri Citizens Advisory Committee during the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1965, the Supreme Court of Missouri ruled in favor of a lawsuit Bond filed that challenged the Missouri State Board of Education’s civil rights violations in election procedures. As a result, Bond created the Citizens Education Task Force, which served as an independent organization of the Missouri State Board of Education.
Bond was elected president of the Board of Education of the City of St. Louis in 1974 and helped to establish Harris-Stowe State University as a state college. In 1981, she was appointed to the committee responsible for writing the desegregation plan for St. Louis Public Schools. Her groundbreaking speech-correction techniques for underserved populations continue to improve lives today.
Michael F. Isaacson (A&S ’86, GRAD CSB ’96), College of Arts and Sciences
Michael F. Isaacson, a 10-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, discovered his affinity for theater in the summer of 1982 during freshman orientation at Saint Louis University. When his Oriflamme leader mentioned that the Fabulous Fox Theatre was seeking volunteer ushers, Isaacson left his group and signed up. That decision ignited his illustrious career journey.
Isaacson continued his passion for the performing arts during his undergraduate studies and co-founded a theater company to bring popular musicals to campus. He graduated from SLU in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in English and returned to his alma mater to work as assistant to then-president Lawrence Biondi, S.J. After earning his MBA from the University in 1996, Isaacson joined the Fabulous Fox Theatre, beginning a 14-year tenure supervising the U.S. Bank Broadway Series. The Broadway League honored him in 2010 with the Samuel J. L’Hommedieu Award for Outstanding Achievement in Presenter Management, making him the youngest recipient in the award’s history.
Isaacson has served as artistic director and executive producer at The Muny since 2012, and is only the third person to hold the role in the St. Louis landmark’s 108-year history. During that time, he has produced 89 shows, 39 of which were new to The Muny’s stage. The Arts and Education Council honored him for his work with its “Excellence in the Arts award in 2017, and in 2025, he led The Muny to earn the prestigious Regional Theatre Tony Award.
Stephen C. Peiper, M.D. (MED ’77), School of Medicine
Stephen C. Peiper, M.D., (MED ’77) is recognized as a pioneer in genomic medicine, molecular diagnostics, characterization of receptors on human target cells for infectious agents (malaria and HIV-1), and leukemia research. His groundbreaking discoveries in the 1980s and 1990s led to a more accurate diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and the identification of Epstein-Barr virus genomes in the characterization of malignant lymphomas. He is the Peter A. Herbut Professor and Chair emeritus of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, focusing his current efforts on the molecular characterization of neoplastic hematopoietic cells using contemporary molecular and genomic technologies.
Peiper’s breakthroughs in medicine have been recognized many times, including the 1989 Benjamin Castleman Award from the U.S./Canadian Academy of Pathology, the 1998 President’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity from the University of Louisville, and the 2007 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Clinical Ligand Assay Society.
Peiper has served on the Saint Louis University School of Medicine Dean’s Advisory Board since 2020, contributing his expertise and insights to advance the University’s mission and provide strategic guidance in research, clinical care and community engagement. He and his wife, Zi-Xuan “Zoe” Wang, Ph.D., established the Stephen C. Peiper and Zi-Xuan Wang Institute for Vaccine Science and Policy at SLU, supporting leading-edge vaccine science research and enrichment programs in the School of Medicine. The couple created the Gwendolyn Peiper Endowment for Music in Medicine in 2023 in memory of Peiper’s mother, reflecting a belief in the healing power of music as a complement to modern medicine in both patients and caregivers.
The Honorable Lisa S. Van Amburg (LAW ’75), School of Law
The Honorable Lisa S. Van Amburg made history after graduating from Saint Louis University School of Law, co-founding St. Louis’ first all-female law firm, Anderson, Everett, Sedey & Van Amburg. She specialized in employment and discrimination law for 27 years, winning significant cases for her clients, including one that opened employment opportunities for women at the Missouri State Highway Commission. She also argued before the Supreme Court of the United States, with the court ruling that the U.S. Postal Service would be required to pay full damages in employment cases.
Van Amburg was appointed to the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri in 2003. In 2012, she was named to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, where she served for six years, including as chief justice for the 2016-2017 term. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was selected by the Supreme Court of Missouri to co-chair the committee that advised the court on operational rules.
A member of the 2018 SLU LAW Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame, Van Amburg has many additional accolades to her name. She was awarded the Theodore M. McMillian Judicial Excellence Award by the Missouri Bar in 2025 and is an honoree of the Law Library Association Judicial Legacy Project. She received the Women’s Justice Award from Missouri Lawyers Media in 2016.
Van Amburg retired from the bench in 2018 and continues to mediate cases and teach as an adjunct professor at SLU LAW.
Martin J. Lyons Jr. (CSB ’88), Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business
When Martin J. Lyons Jr. took the helm of Ameren Corporation in 2022 as president and chief executive officer, he was charged with ensuring services for the company’s 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers. He joined the company as vice president and controller in 2011 and has served in several leadership roles, including chief financial officer and president of Ameren Services.
Lyons graduated from Saint Louis University in 1988 with his bachelor’s degree in accounting and earned his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He has been a loyal supporter of the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business for many years, serving on the Chaifetz Executive Board and the B&A Accounting Advisory Board. He established the Lyons Scholarship in Accounting in 2018, providing financial assistance to a SLU undergraduate accounting student with financial need and showing his commitment to advancing SLU’s tradition of excellence. He is also a member of the University’s President’s Circle leadership giving society.
Lyons has supported many nonprofits throughout years of dedication to serving others and strengthening the metropolitan area. He was a co-leader of the 2023 United Way of Greater St. Louis Community Campaign and the 2022 Salvation Army’s Tree of Lights, as well as a board member of City Academy, the Saint Louis Zoo and other organizations. He has served on the Nuclear Energy Institute Board of Directors, Edison Electric Institute Finance Executive Advisory Committee and the Edison Electric Institute Accounting Executive Advisory Committee.
William L. Smith Sr., Ph.D. (PC ’63), Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology / School of Science and Engineering
Credited with developing the first operational atmospheric sounding retrieval system for meteorological studies in 1969, William L. Smith Sr., Ph.D., launched a new, practical source of satellite observations critical for weather forecasting that continues to impact the field today.
Smith’s interest in atmospheric sciences grew while taking a weather-awareness course during his undergraduate pilot training at Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in meteorology. He then continued his education, earning his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin.
Smith made many vital discoveries in meteorology and radiation research throughout his more than 50-year career, earning him the title “father of satellite atmospheric sounding” among his peers. While working at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he pioneered the hyperspectral-resolution sounding technique used in operational polar satellite sounders. Additionally, he refined techniques to observe the atmosphere’s planetary boundary layer and shipboard instruments to measure sea-surface skin temperature and ocean radiant emittance, both of which are important for predicting weather and climate change.
Demonstrating their dedication to supporting and mentoring students majoring in atmospheric and aviation sciences, Smith and his late wife, Marcia Smith, established the William L. Smith Sr. Atmospheric and Aviation Sciences Scholarship at Saint Louis University in 2023.
Smith is an emeritus professor and senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin. He attributes his achievements at NASA, NOAA and as a professor and instrument-rated private pilot to Parks College.
Marilyn “Lynn” Schallom, Ph.D., (VSN ’83, GRAD VSN ’90), Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing
Marilyn Schallom, Ph.D., has improved clinical nursing practices nationwide through her deep commitment to effective and compassionate patient care, especially for critically ill patients. Her extensive research led to the adoption of numerous clinical practice guidelines and procedures across the health care sector.
Schallom fosters a culture of inquiry and professional growth as the deputy director of the Washington University Medicine Center for Perioperative Mental Health and director of research for patient care services at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Her clinical research spans several disciplines, including physical and speech therapy and nutrition. She has received substantial funding for her research while working as a full-time clinician.
Schallom has mentored SLU nursing graduates interested in quality improvement and evidence-based care throughout her career and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles. She is also involved in many St. Louis-based humanitarian efforts, volunteering with the St. Wenceslaus Food Pantry, Criminal Justice Ministry, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Holy Infant School. She has been invited to participate in key volunteer roles within professional organizations, including the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the Society of Critical Care Medicine and others.
Schallom’s advancements in patient care were recognized in 2013 when she received the Valmi Delfino De Sousa Award of Excellence from the University of Kansas School of Nursing.
Dean F. Kappel (GRAD SW ’75), School of Social Work
Dean F. Kappel’s visionary leadership as president and chief executive officer of Mid-America Transplant revolutionized organ procurement, saving countless lives and shaping national industry standards for organ and tissue donation.
The St. Louis-based organ and tissue recovery organization serves eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and northeast Arkansas. In 2001, Kappel spearheaded the creation of Mid-America Transplant’s first stand-alone organ recovery facility in the country. This new model moved transplant procedures out of donor hospitals, reducing procurement costs by nearly 80% per donor compared to in-hospital procedures, which cost nearly $20,000 at the time. The facility also increased organ transplants by over 153% and the number of tissue donors by 340%, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Before Kappel retired in 2016, Mid-America Transplant became the first organ procurement organization to receive the 2015 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence. Kappel was honored that same year with the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations/Sallop Excellence in Leadership Award for his innovative practices and contributions to the industry.
Today, Kappel is a principal with DFK Strategic Advisors, providing leadership development, strategic planning and Baldrige Performance Excellence Program consultation for nonprofits seeking long-term sustainability. He continues to serve as president emeritus of Mid‑America Transplant.
William P. Hopfinger (DCHS ’78), Doisy College of Health Sciences
Bill Hopfinger spent his career improving lives as a physical therapist. After graduating from Saint Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy in 1978, he served as head athletic trainer and physical therapist for collegiate and professional soccer teams. In addition to his work with the SLU Billikens and the original St. Louis Steamers, he served as the head athletic trainer for the 1984 U.S. Association of Blind Athletes national championships.
Hopfinger is the founder of Rehab 1 Network, which provided physical therapy services in outpatient clinics throughout the St. Louis area from 1978 until 2016, when it consolidated with SSM Health Physical Therapy. Since that time, he has worked as a business development consultant for SSM Health. He also owned and operated a Medicare-certified home health agency, St. Louis Home Health, Inc. from 1998 to 2024.
In addition to his professional achievements, Hopfinger built an impressive record as a catcher for the SLU baseball team during the 1970s. He was inducted into the Saint Louis University Billiken Hall of Fame in 1998 in recognition of his accomplishments.
Hopfinger teaches as a guest lecturer at Maryville University, St. Louis Community College and the Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley. He has served on the boards of directors of St. John Vianney High School and Cardinal Ritter Senior Services and as chair of the Missouri Division of Professional Registration’s Advisory Commission for Physical Therapists.
Alexander G. Garza, M.D., (GRAD PH ’03), College for Public Health and Social Justice
Alexander G. Garza, M.D., has made a profound impact on public health in local, national and global communities, emerging as one of the nation’s most trusted voices on public health crises.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1990, Garza decided to delay medical school to become a paramedic. He attended the University of Missouri School of Medicine and graduated in 1996. During his residency at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital in Columbia, Missouri, he developed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocol that doubled the survival rate for patients with cardiac arrest. His innovation was recognized with the American Heart Association’s Young Investigator of the Year award.
In 1997, during his residency, Garza enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve. He served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Action Badge and the Valorous Unit Citation in 2004. Five years later, he was confirmed as the assistant secretary for health affairs and chief medical officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Garza became the associate dean for public health practice and an associate professor of epidemiology at Saint Louis University’s College for Public Health and Social Justice and joined the emergency medicine department at SLU’s School of Medicine in 2013. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was the incident commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. Garza currently serves as the SSM Health chief community health officer.
S. Jay Bowman, D.M.D., (GRAD DENT ’93), Center for Advanced Dental Education
S. Jay Bowman, D.M.D., is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for his orthodontic patients, ensuring that they feel genuinely cared for and understood. In addition to serving as an adjunct professor of orthodontics at Saint Louis University’s Center for Advanced Dental Education, Bowman is also an award-winning researcher, inventor and author. He has maintained a full-time orthodontic practice in Michigan for more than 40 years.
In recognition of his professional excellence, Bowman received the Edward H. Angle Research Prize for his collaborative work on facial esthetics and the Orthodontic Education and Research Foundation Merit Award. Additionally, the Kalamazoo Valley District Dental Society commended him with the Edgar A. Honey Award and President’s Award, which he earned four times.
Bowman has distinguished himself through extensive contributions to orthodontic education and research, including developing a straight wire mechanics course at the University of Michigan, where he is an adjunct clinical associate professor, and teaching at 35 orthodontic residency programs worldwide.
Bowman has held fellowships with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Additionally, he is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and a member of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists.
Beyond his practice, Bowman has volunteered at dental clinics, served on peer-review panels and held leadership positions in professional organizations, including as president of the Kalamazoo Valley District Dental Society and as regent of the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation.
Virginia “Ginger” Shean Purcell (A&S ’66, GRAD ED ’72), School of Education
Virginia Shean Prucell felt drawn to working in underserved communities after she began teaching in Illinois in the 1960s. She went on to dedicate her career in education to helping children become successful readers and motivating teenagers to graduate from high school.
Purcell joined a team of research fellows tasked by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) to develop a language-rich preschool program that would address the needs of children held in a foster placement center while their parents, who were incarcerated, awaited trial.
Wanting to increase her knowledge, Purcell returned to Saint Louis University and completed her master’s degree in education with a focus on urban education in 1972. She worked part-time as an instructional consultant while raising her family, assisting school districts in developing remedial math and reading programs. In 1992, she accepted a position as a reading specialist helping students overcome reading challenges in Catholic and Lutheran elementary schools.
As a community volunteer, Purcell built and funded organizational resources for individuals in need. After experiencing the devastating loss of a child, she and her husband worked diligently to raise awareness and funds for the American SIDS Institute. She collaborated with Saint Louis Public Schools to develop a teen outreach program, served on the Catholic education board of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and was involved with the parish council and school board at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church.
The School for Professional Studies and the College of Philosophy and Letters will not be awarded in 2026.