Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement honor for alumni or friends of the college who display exceptional stewardship to Coe through their service and/or financial contributions.
2026 recipients | Nancy Hamblin Evans ’71 &
Tom Hazelton ’77
After graduating from Coe College in 1971, Nancy Evans earned her J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1974. That same year, she began a career dedicated to law, education, civic leadership and service to her community.
Nancy served as an Assistant County Attorney from 1974 to 1976, becoming the first woman hired for the position. She went on to spend more than four decades teaching at Coe, where she was an Assistant Professor of Business and Political Science from 1975 to 1997 and later served as adjunct faculty from 2000 to 2015.
Her commitment to public service led her to elected office. From 1996 to 2000, Nancy served as Public Safety Commissioner for the City of Cedar Rapids and as a full-time member of the City Council, the only woman ever to hold the Public Safety Commissioner position. After leaving the Council, the City invited her to serve on the City Planning Commission, joking that she “was used to being yelled at.” She currently serves as Chair of the City of Cedar Rapids Civil Service Commission.
Nancy’s volunteer service has taken her well beyond Cedar Rapids. As President of the Association of Junior Leagues International, she led a roundtable with the White House on women’s and children’s health, attended the United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing and addressed members of Congress alongside Peter Jennings and Captain Kangaroo about the needs of America’s children. She also served as a judge for President Clinton’s National Service Awards.
Her community leadership has included serving as President of Cedar Rapids Junior League, Vice-Chair of the 6th District Department of Correctional Services, Chair of the Community Corrections Improvement Association and Chair of Alternative Services, as well as board service with the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation, St. Luke’s Hospital, Guaranty Bank and Trust, Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, Diamond V Mills, YWCA/Waypoint and Iowa Finance Authority.
Nancy has been recognized with the 2010 Woman of Influence Award, the 1996 Women’s Equality Day Award, and the YWCA Tribute to Women in Business and Industry.
Of all her accomplishments, Nancy is especially happy to share life with her husband, Jack Evans. Together they have three sons and three grandsons. Her career and volunteer work reflect a lifelong belief in education, community involvement and making a difference through service.
Tom Hazelton is a Cedar Rapids native and a 1973 graduate of Kennedy High School. He is married to Lisa Hazelton and has three children and five grandchildren. He entered Coe College in the fall of 1973 in pursuit of a business major, and by the end of his first semester, he had swerved to pursue a biology major. At the time, a neighbor of Tom’s parent’s, Robert Drexler — then the biology department chair at Coe — had a significant impact on Tom’s direction through college and life.
It was a spring term internship through Coe that launched Tom into his conservation career in December 1976, which continues today, as Tom is some 50 years into the parks and natural resources field. The internship with Linn County produced a 35-year career as Park Ranger & Community Outreach Specialist. During this time, Tom pioneered numerous innovations: the County Conservation Peace Officers Association, the Association for Integrated Roadside Management, the MyCountyParks.com website, the Winterfest Conference for all 700+ county conservation employees and numerous other expansions. This fostered the next 12 years as CEO of Iowa’s County Conservation System and, most recently, three-plus years as the statewide Internet Systems Manager for the worldwide MyCountyParks.com website presence. Along the way Tom received awards and recognitions from Iowa Tourism, the National Association of Counties, the Iowa Academy of Science and more.
Tom joined the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity in the fall of 1973, not realizing the impact that decision would have on both his collegiate and life experiences. He accepted opportunities the fraternity offered for leadership and followed those throughout his undergraduate years and beyond. He served as the House Manager for several years and was voted the chapter’s Outstanding Underclassman his junior year, partnering with Coe’s Office of Alumni Engagement on numerous campus activities. Upon graduation, he took on Domain Directorship, a regional volunteer role for the national fraternity, and continued in this capacity for over a decade — notching six years on the fraternity’s National Council — twice winning the Stennis Award as the fraternity’s most valuable Regional Director. During this time, he also guided the Coe chapter to achieve the fraternity’s most coveted Maxwell Award in 1985 as the most outstanding chapter in the nation, shining light on the college for these successes in the process.
The fraternity also introduced Tom to Special Olympics in 1973, a passion for which he has carried throughout his life. In 2027, he will orchestrate his 54th consecutive East Central Iowa Spring Games at Coe College. The core of his 45+ person cadre of volunteer officials are primarily Coe alumni and generations of their families. Most agree with Tom that it is one of the “bestest days” each and every year. He is also very proud that Coe continues to host and support “Special O’s” for over five decades.
Please note: while nominations are accepted year-round, only those submitted by March 1 will be considered for awarding at that year's Homecoming celebration.
Past recipients
2025 | Bill Schalk ’65 and Dougie Peters ’81
2024 | Tony Patterson, Jr. ’70
2023 | Harold Robinson ’68 and Steve Kennedy ’78
2021 | Heather Daniels ’95
2019 | Kevin Welu ’86
2018 | Peter Bryant ’62
2017 | Kent Herron
2016 | Terry Hiebert ’76
2015 | Bob Trimpl ’60
2014 | Barbara Powell Sherman ’61 and Bob Sherman ’62
2013 | Mary Ann Turnbull Kucera ’58
2012 | Cece Lynch Van Metre ’52
2011 | Robert and Joan Kocher
2010 | Ralph LaCombe ’50 and Wanita Ward LaCombe ’50
2009 | Jayne and Allan Peremsky ’54 and Jean Johnson
2008 | Don E. West ’53 and Mary Lou Pazour ’58
2007 | Dr. Margaret Haupt
2006 | Nancy Lamb Skogsbergh ’53 and John Skogsbergh ’56
2005 | David L. Marner, Sr. ’55 and Don R. Dempsey ’65
2004 | Helen Wilson Casali ’49 and Chet Casali ’51
2003 | William C. Smith ’43, Frank E. Kinney ’48 and Dr. Karl Goellner
2002 | Shirley Engelbert Grimes ’42 and Donald M. Ross ’42
2001 | Bill Fletcher
2000 | Carolyn J. Schmidt
1999 | P. Jack Laugen and Patti K. Owara
1998 | Dorothy Dukes and Takao Kitamura
1996 | William H. Quinby
1995 | Elizabeth Gotschall Slappey ’74
1994 | James C. Manville ’34
1992 | Barrie W. Ernst ’76
1991 | John R. Battin ’51
1987 | Gene D. Carson ’37 and Margaret Hawkins Pugh ’49
1984 | George T. Henry ’49 and Ruth Moon Dooley
1982 | Frank W. Pfaff ’32
1981 | Norman E. Erickson ’41
1980 | Russell F. Knapp ’30, Reginald K. Watters ’30 and Paul S. Ray
1978 | Roger W. Baxter ’28 and Lois McBroom ’35
Award eligibility
- This award is given to alumni or friends of the college who display exceptional stewardship to Coe through their service and/or financial contributions.
- Nominees must have graduated from Coe College a minimum of 25 years ago.
- Award may be presented posthumously but living award recipients or a designee must be present to accept the award.
- Current members of Coe's Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors/President's Advisory Council, or Alumni Council cannot receive this award while serving their term.
Judging criteria
The Coe Alumni Council evaluates nominees based on the following weighted criteria:
20 %–Distinction in their professional field
Recognition including, but not limited to, scholarship, awards, and leadership recognition by one's peers in, trade associations, business, education, sports, and medicine.
50%–Loyalty to Coe
Dedication to the college measured in volunteer service or financial stewardship including, but not limited to, admission assistance, student engagement, alumni events, Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors/President's Advisory Council, Alumni Council or Coe Fund.
30%–Community Engagement
Service to the nominee’s community, including, but not limited to, board, committee, task force, and volunteer service.