Alumni Awards
Since opening in 1963, Tri-C has awarded more than 100,000 degrees and certificates to alumni. We are proud of our graduates and the contributions they make to Tri-C and our community, across hundreds of professions.
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to an alumnus or alumna who has established himself or herself as an accomplished professional, demonstrating notable achievements and/or College and community service, having attended Tri-C more than 10 years ago.
Rising Star Award
Rising Star Alumni Award is presented to an alumnus or alumna who attended Tri-C within the last 10 years whose work and commitment is making a difference for our College or community.
2023 Tri-C Alumni Award Honorees
Alumni Relations is pleased to announce the recipients of the 6th Annual Alumni Awards, providing recognition for professional accomplishments and service to Northeast Ohio and the College.
Distinguished Alumni Award winners for 2023 are Gloria Moosmann, Joseph A. Yurko, P.E., Dr. James I. Merline, M.D., Sherri Brandon, and Beverly Owens-Jackson. Samuel Noyola received the Rising Star Award.
Gloria Moosmann received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. Working as a student assistant for the College’s first president, Dr. Charles Chapman, Gloria did not realize that she had begun a career at the College that would span more than 50 years.
She served the College in a number of capacities, including Finance and Risk Management, Human Resources and the Tri-C Foundation. She was Vice President of Resource Development from 1999 to 2015, before transitioning to a part-time advisory role in the President’s Office for six years. During this time, she remained an active member of the Tri-C Foundation Board of Directors.
Gloria was and is steadfastly devoted to Tri-C students. Under her leadership, the Tri-C Foundation raised over $225 million and created its endowment. Gloria secured significant scholarship and endowment funds and established Tri-C as a national leader in fundraising. In addition, she expanded the Tri-C Foundation Board, which today remains a premier board in our region and now serves as a Director Emeritus.
Joseph A. Yurko, P.E., received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. He promotes sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, aiming to combat global warming. Joseph's experience in the chemical engineering field includes roles at Xellia Pharmaceuticals and Boehringer Ingelheim Ben Venue Laboratories. He worked on facility renovations and the production of anti-infectious and chemotherapy drugs.
Joseph has been a student mentor, leading educational initiatives and promoting awareness of engineering and chemistry. He has also been a Boy Scout Troop Leader and received numerous awards and recognition for his achievements.
Joseph holds bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering from Cleveland State University.
James I. Merlino, M.D., received the 2023 Distinguished Award. Dr. Merlino is the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Most recently, he was the Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at Cleveland Clinic, where he was a champion for advancing patient care and enhancing the overall healthcare experience.
With a career spanning over 30 years, Dr. Merlino has been consistently recognized as one of the top 50 experts in healthcare safety. His skills in healthcare strategy have led him to work closely with more than 70 of the largest and most successful healthcare organizations in the U.S.
Previously he helped Press Ganey become one of the top 10 fastest-growing consulting firms in the U.S., as President and Chief Medical Officer of its strategic consulting division.
Dr. Merlino also serves his alma mater as a member of the Tri-C Foundation Board of Directors.
Sherri Brandon received the 2023 Distinguished Award. Sherri is the Chief Executive Officer of Front Steps Services, which over the past 20 years she has transformed into a dynamic force addressing the social drivers of health while fostering hope for those in need.
She has forged partnerships with corporations, government agencies, and philanthropists. Sherri also co-developed St. Joseph Commons, an innovative project offering permanent supportive living to chronically homeless individuals
Sherri has studied internationally, and experienced immersion, with a major focus on community development and economic sustainability amongst impoverished communities both in Jamaica and Ghana, West Africa.
Sherri has received numerous awards, including the Community Service Award from Cleveland Clinic Hospitals, the FBI Citizens Hero Award, and the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Board of Directors of Transitional Housing,
She founded Victorious Women's International Fellowship, a ministry focused on building a community of support for women who have faced unique challenges. She is also an ordained minister and co-pastor at N 1 Achord (pronounced: N-One-Ah-Chord) Church Ministries, alongside her husband, Senior Pastor, Patrick Brandon.
Beverly Owens-Jackson received the 2023 Distinguished Award. Beverly is a resilient individual dedicated to empowering others through her own journey of triumph who uses her personal experiences to advocate for at-risk women and inspire change.
Currently a Records Specialist II in the Registrar's Office at Cuyahoga Community College, Beverly is actively involved in mentoring programs and community development initiatives. She is currently the Executive leader for SEIU 1199 FT staff. She is also an elected Precinct representative for Cleveland's Ward 5M and a Board member for Burten Bell Carr Community Development Corporation.
Her entrepreneurship shines through her small business, Undeniable CHOICES LLC, where she provides affordable resale items and accessories to the community. Her compassionate nature is evident as she fills purses with toiletries for those in need.
Beverly's greatest aspiration is to leave a legacy of respect for self and others and the understanding that one's past does not define them.
Her background includes degrees in photography, organizational management, human resource management, criminal justice, and chemical dependency, and she is committed to expanding her knowledge and skills.
Samuel Noyola received the 2023 Rising Star Award. As a Tri-C Foundation Hispanic Scholarship recipient, Samuel graduated with honors. He was a leader in campus activities and completed Student Leadership Boot Camp. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance at Cleveland State University.
Samuel is a Financial Planner at Northwestern Mutual, where he runs a practice focused on comprehensive financial planning. He helps clients pursue their goals, providing a 360-degree financial blanket and improving economic wellness for individuals, families, and businesses.
Samuel has a passion for growing financial literacy within the Hispanic community, hosting educational sessions to empower individuals and enhance their financial understanding.
Past Honorees
Erin Huber received the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award. She is a rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene expert, social entrepreneur, author, documentarian, and the executive director and founder of Drink Local, Drink Tap, Inc. For nearly 25 years, she has been a strong advocate and civic leader, working with underserved communities throughout the world. Erin is the executive producer of the documentary “Making Waves,” the executive producer and director of the 2020 documentary “The Last Drop,” co-author of Make Waves 4 Change, and advocates for equitable water and sanitation domestically and internationally.
Olena Firman received the 2022 Rising Alumni Award. After graduating from art school and about to continue her studies at the Lviv Academy of the Arts, she had the opportunity to move to Cleveland at the age of 20, where she discovered Tri-C, enrolled in the College’s English as a Second Language program, and pursued a culinary degree. The passion of Tri-C’s faculty chefs inspired her to think of opening her own business. Olena graduated in 2017 with an Associate of Arts degree in Restaurant and Foodservice Management, earning another degree in 2018 in Culinary Arts, along with three certificates. She opened La Crepe Bakery and Café in Berea in March 2017, where she serves a wide variety of sweet and savory crepes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She combines Ukrainian, French, and European-style preparation with an American touch, which has been her recipe for success.
Agustin Torres received the 2022 Rising Star Award. Agustin immigrated to the United States in 1996, working in the restaurant industry as he had in his native Mexico. At Tri-C, he focused on enhancing his leadership skills and became a peer mentor. Auggie graduated as a Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Scholar with his Associate of Arts in 2018. Inspired by his studies, he returned to his native country to interview Mexicans of African descent to learn about their transitions, families and how they cope with discrimination. Auggie graduated from Case Western Reserve University in the Spring of 2020 and began working at a local firm Sus Abogados Latinos, the first Spanish speaking law firm, in Ohio, where he serves as the director of client relations
Dr. Terri Pope received the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award. Former president of the Westshore Campus, Dr. Pope served in numerous academic and administrative roles at the College since 1988. Her efforts have garnered numerous awards, including Tri-C’s Ralph M. Besse Award for Teaching Excellence and the League for Innovation’s John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award.
Ariane Kirkpatrick received the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards president and CEO of The AKA Team, a full-service commercial construction and facilities company with multiple divisions including general trades, commercial cleaning and commercial waterproofing. She serves on the College’s Workforce, Community and Economic Development Board of Visitors and has volunteered her time as an alumna, serving on career panels for students. Kirkpatrick is also an advocate for small businesses, graduating from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Tri-C.
Harry Quiñones received the 2021 Rising Star Award. As a Tri-C student, developed a business plan, aspiring to bring part of his Puerto Rican heritage to Cleveland by opening a restaurant or market. Earlier this year, that dream turned into 787 Market and Café in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood, specializing in Puerto Rican goods, groceries and prepared food and coffee. At Tri-C, Quiñones was active in the College’s Hispanic Council. He was also a Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholar and a Tri-C Foundation scholarship recipient.
Harold Anderson received the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award. Decorated service in the U.S.. Army Reserve and work as an educator and community leader highlight this 1983 Tri-C graduate's resume. Anderson enlisted in the military more than three decades ago and his risen to the rank of colonel. During his service, he has deployed to the Middle East twice and been assigned to the Pentagon. Though his work with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Anderson founded and chaired Cleveland’s first Thurgood Marshall Oratorical Debate competition in 2018. He also created an urban student forum for more than 250 middle and high school students.
Jamal Julia Boudiab received the 2020 Rising Star Award. This 2013 Tri-C graduate is part of the leadership board of the Arab Americans of Cleveland (AAC) – Young Professionals Network and a founder of Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi, a Cleveland Public Theatre program by and for Arabic-speaking communities. Boudiab studied graphic design at Tri-C and earned an Associate of Applied Business degree in 2013. She’s currently a licensed real estate agent and operations manager at B2B Realty, where she leads the property management department. Born and raised in Lebanon, Boudiab immigrated to the United States with her family in 2006. She enrolled at Tri-C after graduating from Cleveland’s Lincoln-West High School. The AAC formed last year to connect young Arab Americans in the city, organize events and create a solid network of professionals. Boudiab said she joined the board to help support the close-knit ethnic community.
Lawrence Heller received the 2020 Rising Star Award. This 2013 Tri-C graduate found a new future at the College. Today, he works to help others find a better tomorrow as an addiction counselor at Northern Ohio Recovery Association (NORA) in Cleveland. Heller provides individual and group counseling at NORA while also managing client cases. During the coronavirus crisis, he helped NORA agency groups shift to telehealth services. He serves on the Mental Health Advisory Committee of the Cuyahoga County Opiate Task Force. Heller is also an active community volunteer, distributing meals to those in need every weekend. Last year, he gave out 1,000 coats to take the chill out of Cleveland’s winters. His work at Tri-C, where he helped establish campus food pantries, foretold his desire to go above and beyond to help others. After graduating from Tri-C, Heller earned bachelor’s degrees in social work and psychology from Cleveland State University. He says life’s greatest reward is being able to see the look in someone’s eyes when they begin to find hope.
Terry Calaway received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award. He graduated from Tri-C with an Associate of Arts degree in 1978. Terry spent decades as a higher education leader, serving as president of two institutions — Johnson County Community College in Kansas and Central Arizona College just south of Phoenix. He and his wife, Marlene— also a Tri-C graduate — established a scholarship fund with the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation to help single parents achieve educational success.
Rachel Von Hendrix received the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award. Von Hendrix enrolled at Tri-C in 2006 and committed herself to education, earning an Associates of Arts degree. She attended the Myers School of Art at the University of Akron where she received a bachelor’s degree; and two master’s degrees from Kent State University. In 2014, she returned to Tri-C after being appointed to the College’s board of trustees by Gov. John Kasich. She served four years and raised more than $26,000 for Tri-C’s Women in Transition (WIT) Program. She continues to advocate for Tri-C and WIT.
Ramona J. Smith received the 2019 Rising Star Alumni Award. She earned an Associate of Arts degree before transferring to Baldwin Wallace University, where she graduated magna cum laude. The 2014 Tri-C graduate won the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking in 2018 with a speech focused on overcoming challenges. Smith is an award winning professional speaker, poet and author whose mission is to uplift the world in which we live, one word at a time.
Peter J. Elliott received the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award. He graduated from Tri-C in 1990, earned a bachelor's degree from Capital University and has served as a United States Marshal for three U.S. presidents. Elliott, the longest-serving U.S.. Marshal in Ohio, has been honored by members of the U.S.. Congress on numerous occasions for his innovations and success.
Elizabeth Tilley received the 2018 Rising Star Alumni Award. She earned Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees from Tri-C in 2011 before transferring to John Carroll University where she received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminology and a master’s degree in nonprofit administration. Tilley is the founder and executive director of Royal Haven, Inc., a nonprofit organization and residential facility for men living with mental illness.