Hall Of Fame Nominees Announced By UI

Following are this year’s nominees to the University of Idaho Alumni Hall of Fame. They will be honored during commencement May 20:

Dan O’Brien, a UI student, is a decathlon athlete originally from Oregon. He holds the world decathlete record and has won Gold Medals for decathlon events - in Tokyo in 1991 and again in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1993, bettering the record of American decathlete Bruce Jenner. As a result of his honors, he has been in a number of national commercials for Reebok shoes and Ryder Truck Rentals.

Richard Larson, Atlanta, has spent more than 28 years in the Army and is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in transportation logistics. A major general, Larson has held numerous assignments both overseas and in the United States. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the university in 1954, has been honored with the Silver Star for conspicuous valor in combat, the Bronze Star for heroic achievement against an opposing armed force, and the Soldier’s Medal for heroism involving voluntary risk of life under conditions other than combat.

A professor of entomology at Stephen F. Austin University since 1978, David Kulhavy, Nacaogdoches, Texas, also is “Dr. Dave” of “Dr. Dave’s Bugs: Interpreting Insects for Children.” This award-winning program includes audience participation. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the university in 1974 and 1977 respectively. He served as a research assistant at the university from 1970 to 1975 and during that time specialized in examination of root disease.

David Youmans of Moscow is a leader in efforts to internationalize agricultural extension programs in Washington state and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the university in 1969. Since 1977 he has been an extension trade specialist with IMPACT and a professor in the Department of Rural Sociology at Washington State University. Youmans was named International Educator of the Year in 1991 by the Inland Northwest World Trade Council. In 1992 he received the Outstanding Service Award from the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education.

One of the first women to pursue a career in her field, Elizabeth Winegar Molina, now retired in Moscow, has helped establish and promote public health programs around the globe. Molina earned her bachelor’s degree in zoology from the university in 1954 and completed graduate work at Harvard University and the University of London. She traveled extensively as a field representative for U.S. World University Services (USWUS) and spoke to university faculty and students about initiating projects.

After earning her degree at London, she returned to the United States and became administrative secretary at the national headquarters of USWUS in New York. She then was chosen to represent the United States and Canada as the North American administrative secretary at the international headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was responsible for health programs. Molina later joined the medical and natural sciences staff of the Rockefeller Foundation, where she was in charge of premedical training and community development. She was the first woman on the directive board of the American School, the Colegio Bolivar, and the first woman on the board of the Museum of Natural History. She also taught English and was director of the library at the Colombian-American Center.

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