September 28, 2022
The Shawnee State University Alumni Association recognizes six individuals for their achievements in their career fields and their communities in the presentation of the Alumni Awards. The 2022 awards include Distinguished Alumnus, Medal of Merit, Alumni Community Service, Alumni Continued Service, Outstanding Recent Graduate, and Alumnus of Tomorrow.
The Distinguished Alumnus recipient is Dr. Amy Heim. This award is presented to an alumnus who demonstrated distinguished professional achievement, personal qualities, and service to the university. A 2009 graduate of the Biomedical Sciences program (Pre-Med), Dr. Heim was born and raised in Scioto County. She had dreams of pursuing art and design but soon discovered a call for dentistry – in her mind the perfect combination of arts and science. After graduating from SSU she pursued her dental degree at Ohio State University and completed a one-year General Practice Residency at Summa Hospitals in Akron, Ohio. Upon her graduation, she returned to her hometown and purchased Dr. Steve Fitzer’s private dental practice in Portsmouth, Ohio. She prides herself on practicing relationship-based dentistry – taking time to hear her patient’s stories and understand each patient’s needs. She values continuous growth and learning and studies at Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education where she serves as an advisor and visiting faculty member. She is also a member of the SSU College of Professional Studies Advisory Board and regularly leads the Give Kids a Smile event with the university’s Dental Hygiene program each year.
The Medal of Merit recipient is Zachary Brooks. This award is presented to an alumnus who has demonstrated career achievements and outstanding performance in their profession. Graduating in 2012 with a degree in International Relations, Brooks enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He was stationed at JBLM, WA and was a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion. He graduated from U.S. Army Airborne School, Army Ranger School, and was deployed to Afghanistan. After his service in the Army, he earned his graduate degree in Emergency Management from Arizona State University and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Cyber Crime & Digital Investigation. He currently works at a tech startup, mentoring at-risk youth to reach their full potential.
The Alumni Community Service recipient is Nancy Donini. This award is presented to an alumnus in recognition of outstanding volunteer service and contributions to the community. A 1973 graduate of the Dental Hygiene program, Donini worked along with recent graduates to create the Southern Ohio Dental Hygienist Association in December of that year. Since 2012, she has served on the Scioto County Habitat for Humanity Board, offering over 150 hours of service per year in Habitat activities. Holding several positions throughout her time with the organization, her time as the Fundraising Chairman has allowed her to help raise $15,000-$20,000 each year to help build homes in Scioto County. She has also been an advocate to solicit items for the organization’s Tri-State Restore’s. She is an active member of the Golden Bears organization and a dedicated fan of the SSU basketball programs.
The Alumni Continued Service recipient is Paul Yost. This award is presented to an alumnus currently working at SSU who has demonstrated distinguished professional achievements, personal qualities, and service while working at their alma mater. A 1992 graduate of the Computer Engineering Technology programs, Yost is the Founder and CTO of Yost Labs, a leading innovator in low-cost inertial sensors and motion capture that work with industry leaders such as Apple, Google, Nissan, Siemens, Oculus, Lockheed Martin, and the U.S. Navy. He has been active in the technology field for over twenty-five years and has been awarded numerous patents and industry accolades. He is an Associate Professor in the Digital Simulation & Game Engineering program at SSU, of which he developed the engineering track and has seen the program nationally-ranked on The Princeton Review for over ten years. He is an active member of the community, serving on several advisory boards as well as the SSU Kricker Innovation Hub Advisory Board.
The Outstanding Recent Graduate recipient is Nicholas Fryman. This award is presented to an alumnus who has received their first baccalaureate degree from the institution within the last five years and who demonstrates the positive impact their university education has had on their profession. In 2018 Fryman graduated from SSU with degrees in Accounting and Business Management, as well as minors in History and Criminology. He was a member of the Wallyball Club, served as a Resident Assistant and was involved in the Student Government Association and many other clubs during his time on campus. He received his Master of Business Administration in 2019 from Ohio University where he was regularly recognized as a leading student on several projects. In 2020, he released his first eBook titled “Create Yourself”. He currently works as a Financial Analyst for Harley-Davidson and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife and fellow SSU graduate Abby.
The Alumnus of Tomorrow recipient is Christa Harris. The award is presented to a graduating student who has displayed commitment to their individual endeavors – academic, social, and personal – and who shows great promise toward their future endeavors. A 2022 graduate of the Early Childhood Education program, Harris is currently working as a Preschool and Special Education Teacher in Franklin, Ohio. She is a junior varsity girls basketball coach at Carlisle High School and has a passion for both basketball and community service. She has combined these passions to create a free annual basketball clinic for those in grades 1st through 8th that works to raise donations for her local homeless shelter. This year will be the eleventh year of the clinic and it continues to grow every year.
The SSU Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Alumni Awards until Mar. 1, 2023. The nomination form can be found online at shawneestatealumni.com.