L-R Margie Bryant, Clifton Smith, Judy Gillies (accepting for U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici), Deborah Sawyer

Outstanding Alumni Award
Deborah M. Sawyer

Deborah M. Sawyer is an environmental scientist, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, and Founder, President and CEO of Environmental Design International Inc. (EDI), a full-service minority and woman-owned, licensed, professional engineering firm specializing in hazardous waste management and civil engineering services. Ms. Sawyer’s interest in the environmental field emerged while she was still in graduate school. After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science, she completed a master’s degree in petroleum microbiology while managing a synthetic fuels research laboratory. She joined the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency as an Environmental Scientist where she assisted with regulations enforcement, conducted compliance audits and revamped the Ohio Hazardous Waste Rules. She received the U.S. SBA's Minority Small Business Person of the Year award at the district, regional and national levels in 1994, and was recently showcased on the Today Show where she was interviewed by Marlo Thomas on the Modern Working Woman.

Outstanding Alumni Award
Clifton Lee Smith
Clifton L. Smith is a professor at the University of Georgia. Prior to this, he held a full professorship at the University of Missouri-Columbia in the Department of Practical Arts and Vocational-Technical Education from 1979 until 1991. Dr. Smith received his Ed.D. in vocational-technical education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1979. He has authored or co-authored books, data-based refereed journal articles, reviewed journal articles, monographs, technical reports, ERIC printed publications and a variety of other creative work. His research agenda focuses on the continuous improvement process needed for the advancement of career and technical education, at the secondary and post secondary levels, into the 21st century, as well as the practice of integrating school-based learning with work-based learning that results in the successful transition of students from school to employment and post secondary education. Clifton Smith has held a variety of administrative appointments at the University of Georgia as well as being an inspiration and stellar example to his students.

Distinguished Service Alumni Award
Margie and Allen Bryant
Eastern New Mexico University has always held an important place in the hearts of Margie and Allen Bryant. It is where they came to meet in the fall of 1954. Margie began her freshman year at ENMU and Allen transferred to Portales to play football for Coach Carl Richardson. Together, they have supported Eastern’s athletic programs throughout the years. It has been important for them to show their school spirit by attending as many sporting events on and off the road as possible. Not only have they cheered on the teams but also supported athletics as Bench Club members and contributors. Everyone who has ever known Allen and Margie, have considered them to be true ENMU ambassadors with a dedication and loyalty that is unmatched.

Honorary Lifetime Alumni Award
U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici
Already the longest serving U.S. Senator in New Mexico history, U. S. Senator Pete V. Domenici continues to be a respected leader on some of the most important issues of our time. Legislation, prepared in part by Sen. Domenici, has been signed into law to ensure the nation retains its competitive edge. The America Competes Act legislation dramatically increases the nation’s investment in science and technology, and puts a new, heavy emphasis on mathematics and science education. It also provides grants of up to $6 million to help states create specialty math and science schools. Department of Energy laboratories will be partners in this effort in several ways, including “adopting” schools to strengthen their math and science capability. It creates a broad range of programs to strengthen the skills of math and science teachers and encourages mathematicians and scientists to become teachers. U.S. Senator Pete Domenici joined the Senate in unanimously passing a bipartisan compromise bill that will ease financial burden on university students and improve access to higher education for students in New Mexico and across the nation.