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On a night dedicated to legacy and connection, BW honored its finest on Friday, June 5, presenting the 2026 Alumni Awards during the Alumni Weekend All Class Dinner.
The evening highlighted two distinct honors for exceptional professional achievement, community service, and dedication to BW: the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and the Alumni Merit Award.
Award recipients and their families reflected on the lasting impact of BW and the connections that continue long after graduation.
Alumni Merit Award winner Michael Rogers noted, "My time at B-W was arguably the most consequential in my life. It was because of B-W that I got the opportunity to study in Hungary in the early 1990s . . . That study abroad changed the direction of my life and eventually led me to work at the US Department of Commerce's Central and East European Business Center, which was my first job in the civil service. Over 25 years later, I am still going strong in federal government service. Thanks B-W!"
After accepting the Alumni Merit Award posthumously for her father, Blake Lyons, BW alumna Rachel Breithaupt '21 shared, "This campus shaped him long before it shaped me, and I could never repay my dad for introducing me to the school that gave us both so much. The connection he and I shared because of BW was priceless and I will cherish that and this campus for the rest of my days . . . I know he was beaming with Yellow Jacket pride and looking down on me as I stood in his place to accept these honors."
Alumni Merit Award winner J.R. Rudolph stated, "BW helped shape my commitment to service, leadership, and creating opportunities for others. I am grateful to the faculty, mentors, classmates, colleagues, friends, and family members who have encouraged me along the way."
This year's distinguished recipients include:
This award recognizes extraordinary young alumni who graduated within the last decade or are under the age of 40 for their achievements and service to their profession, community and alma mater.
Armand Rivers '15, MBA '15
Carmel Boyer School of Business
Armand Rivers is a graduate of BW's dual-degree MBA program where he specialized in accounting. Armand's tenure as a student at BW was defined by an enduring passion for higher education and campus leadership.
During his collegiate years, he distinguished himself as a Student Ambassador, Orientation Leader, President of Men in Action, and a dedicated member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Since graduating, Armand has established himself as a highly motivated professional and a prominent leader in his community. His career in audit spans multiple industries, including critical roles at Fortune 500 giants such as Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, General Motors, and Sherwin-Williams.
Through these positions, Armand has developed deep expertise in risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and project management. He has been specifically recognized for his impactful work regarding vehicle product safety audits at General Motors and his efforts in sustaining vital client relationships at EyeMed.
Beyond his professional achievements, Armand is a catalyst for community growth and educational equity. In Atlanta, Georgia, he serves on the board of Atlanta Thrive, a nonprofit organization that empowers parents to disrupt inequities in education for students ages 5 to 18. His philanthropic footprint further extends to organizations such as the Grady Young Professionals, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and RenderATL.
Driven by a commitment to collective success, Armand is a founding member and president of The Cashlennials Investment Club, an initiative started by four BW alumni to build wealth through the stock market. He remains deeply connected to his alma mater, serving on the BW Alumni Council and as a co-founder of the Black Alumni Network.
This award celebrates outstanding alumni for their achievements and service to their profession, community and alma mater. It is the highest honor conferred upon a graduate by the university.
Master Sergeant Joseph G. DeLuccio, USMC (Ret.) '99
Conservatory of Performing Arts
Joseph G. DeLuccio holds a Bachelor of Music degree, magna cum laude, from the BW Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree, with distinction, from DePaul University. He also pursued doctoral studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
His principal teachers include Mark Ostoich, Michael Henoch, Elizabeth Camus, Jan Eberle, and John de Lancie, and he has performed in masterclasses with leading artists such as Alex Klein, Larry Combs, and Nancy Ambrose King, among others.
Joseph served as a member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band and Chamber Orchestra in Washington, D.C., from 2005 to 2025, retiring as a Master Sergeant after a distinguished 20-year career. During this time, he performed extensively at major national and international conferences, including the Midwest Clinic, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and the American Bandmasters Association.
Within the Marine Band, Joseph held several leadership and administrative roles, including Oboe Section Supply NCOIC, Chamber Music Coordinator, Auditions Staff member, and Acting Oboe Section Leader. He was also featured as a soloist with the Marine Chamber Orchestra on both oboe and English horn.
An active orchestral musician, he has performed with numerous ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Annapolis Symphony, and Washington Concert Opera. He has also appeared at major festivals such as Aspen, Sarasota, and Chautauqua, and performed internationally in Graz, Austria. His recordings include releases with the United States Marine Band and the DePaul University Wind Ensemble.
A dedicated educator, he has presented masterclasses and clinics nationwide, often as part of the Marine Band's national tours. He is a member of the Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians and the Musicians Association of Metropolitan Baltimore.
At BW, Joseph returned to campus to lead master classes, recitals, career sessions, and military music insights. In 2016, he arranged for BW students to observe a rehearsal of "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band during the Symphonic Wind Ensemble's Washington, D.C. tour.
Dr. Margrete "Gretchen" Siebert Klein '60
School of Science and Engineering
Dr. Margrete "Gretchen" Siebert Klein received her B.S. in mathematics from BW in 1960, followed by an M.S. in physics from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in science education from Northwestern University in 1978.
She began her career teaching astronomy and physics as a member of the Physical Science faculty of the Chicago City Colleges. Her research interest in Communist education developed in 1976 and 1977, when she accompanied her husband on his diplomatic assignment to the U.S. Embassy in East Germany.
During this period, Gretchen studied the East Germany educational system required for all children up to 16 years of age. It was unique since, unlike in Western countries, basic sciences comprised half of the required curriculum. She arranged interviews on her own with leading East German government officials, educators, and other members of the East German intellectual community, since cultural exchanges with East Germany had not yet been formalized, and she studied the foundation of education as it related to post–World War II Germany.
Upon her return to the United States, Gretchen accepted a position at the National Science Foundation as Staff Associate in the Physics Division, and she was subsequently selected as Director of the National Science Foundation's Visiting Professorships for Women Program, an initiative to increase women's visibility in science and engineering.
Gretchen has authored journal articles and two books, "The Challenge of Communist Education: A Look at the German Democratic Republic" and "Science Education in Global Perspective." Her pioneering work reflects the contention that an understanding of any aspect of a society must be based on a strong knowledge of its cultural foundations. In her work, she outlines challenges faced by Germany since World War II and the difficulties of habilitating a population that had come to accept, through active participation, the depravity of the human condition as a norm of existence and the role education played in that process.
A dedicated alumna, Gretchen has also served as a goodwill ambassador for BW, frequently highlighting the impact of her undergraduate education.
Blake H. "Chip" Lyons '88
School of Health Sciences
This award is presented posthumously.
Blake Lyons earned a B.A. in health and physical education with a minor in coaching from BW. Known on campus as "Chip," he was a proud member of Lambda Chi Alpha, played on the 1985 OAC Championship baseball team, and was deeply involved in campus life.
Blake began his coaching career at his alma mater, Ontario High School, before dedicating 32 years to teaching and coaching at schools across Georgia, including Oakland Elementary School, Eagle's Landing High School, Cotton Indian Elementary School, and Jones County High School.
Throughout his career, Blake devoted himself to athletics, coaching softball, baseball, basketball, and golf. He led two fastpitch softball teams to state championships, Eagle's Landing High School in 1999 and Jones County High School in 2010 and guided numerous teams to district and region titles. Over the course of his career, he accumulated more than 500 softball wins, numerous honors, and served as co-athletic director at Jones County High School from 2012–2015.
After retiring in 2020, he returned to the field at Northwest High School in 2021 and led the 2023 team to the region finals, a first since 1984.
Even with his athletic accomplishments, Blake's greatest legacy lives in the countless students and athletes he impacted. He was a teacher, mentor, and leader who believed deeply in the potential of others and worked every day to bring out their best.
At BW, he supported the Fund for BW and athletics. In honor of his life and legacy, a scholarship at BW supports students who demonstrate financial need and strong leadership, qualities Blake exemplified throughout his life.
Beyond his career, Blake was a devoted husband of 33 years to Victoria "Vikki" and a proud father to his children, Mitchel and Rachel.
Guided by his belief to "leave things better than you found them," Blake did exactly that, in his classrooms, on the field, and in the lives of all who knew him. His legacy is not only in the championships he won, but in the people he shaped, the standards he set, and the example he leaves behind.
Michael Rogers '93
School of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences
Michael Rogers is a career federal civil servant and a recognized trade and European affairs expert. For more than 25 years, he has held a number of trade policy focused roles in the government.
He is a deputy assistant U.S. trade representative in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which is in the Executive Office of the President, where he manages and develops U.S. trade policy for the European Union and its 27 member states.
At over $1 trillion per year, Michael oversees one of the largest trade and investment relationships in the world. From 2013-2018, Michael was a U.S. diplomat posted at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. Prior to serving in Brussels, he had various roles at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Throughout his career, Michael has worked to grow U.S. exports and advocate for U.S. trade interests overseas. Michael has a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School, an M.A. in International Economic Policy from American University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Baldwin Wallace.
During his junior year at BW, Michael was one of eight students selected nationally for the Samantha Smith Reciprocal Exchange Program, which sent him to study abroad at Janus Pannonius University in Pecs, Hungary. While at BW, he was a member of the Student Senate and an officer in the French Club.
Since leaving BW, Michael remains active in alumni events in Washington, D.C.
J.R. Rudolph '16
Carmel Boyer School of Business
Sean "J.R." Rudolph is a marketing and development professional committed to mission-driven storytelling, community engagement, and advancing equity across public media and nonprofit organizations.
He earned a B.A. in management with a minor in communication studies from Baldwin Wallace University and is a graduate of Ohio Media School.
J.R. most recently served as manager of Marketing and Communications at the Center for Leadership Development in Indianapolis, where he led strategic communications and brand engagement initiatives supporting youth development and leadership programming.
Previously, at WFYI Public Media, he led engagement marketing efforts designed to deepen audience connection and donor participation.
During his tenure, he founded a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employee Resource Group supporting BIPOC staff and served on the organization's Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Committee. In 2023, he received the Public Media for All Development Award for his leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within public media fundraising and marketing.
A former student-athlete competing in swimming and diving, cross country, and track, J.R. remains actively engaged with Baldwin Wallace. He serves on the Alumni Council, the Latino/x/e Alumni Advisory Board, and the Young Alumni Network Leadership Council, and volunteers with the BW swimming and diving team. He also volunteers with Indiana Sports Corp., supporting efforts to bring premier sporting events to Indiana.
Samantha Smith Schaedler '91
School of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences
Samantha Smith Schaedler earned a B.A. in history from BW and later a master's in education administration from Cleveland State University, with postgraduate study in East Asian studies at Indiana University.
A member of Alpha Xi Delta, she began her teaching career abroad, instructing students in Kenya, England, Poland, Cambodia, Japan, and China.
Since 1995, Samantha has served as a middle school social studies teacher in Orange City Schools. In 2023, she was named staff member of the year by the Lander Kiwanis Club, earning recognition for initiatives such as a virtual classroom partnership with students in Ukraine and service-learning projects supporting active military. In 2025, she was awarded The VFW Teacher of The Year for The State of Ohio.
A volunteer at heart, Samantha serves a wide range of veteran and community organizations, including the USS Cod, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Honor Flight Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks as a Trail Ambassador and a Red Coat at Playhouse Square. She also volunteers at Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island.
As a board member of Honor Flight Cleveland, she organizes and accompanies veterans on trips to Washington, D.C. Through her roles as a trail ambassador and teacher-ranger with Cleveland Metroparks, she supports adaptive recreation and veteran-focused programs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she organized over 80 neighborhood birthday party drive-bys and various community events to assist those in need and foster connection during a time of isolation.
In 2025, Samantha fulfilled a lifelong goal of establishing a 501(c)3 nonprofit called Bainbridge Wreaths, to support veterans in her community and promote the Wreath Across America Program.
