Distinguished Alumni Service Award
Recipients (2005 Inaugural Year)
Sheryl W. Lange, 1966 BA Psychology
Sheryl Lange is the "Supreme Volunteer." Her role as volunteer has led to a term on the Chico City Council, four bond committees, the CUSD Foundation Board, numerous PTA boards, and the American Cancer Society. At Chico State she is considered to be a most valuable volunteer, having served as secretary, vice president, president, and past president of the Alumni Association. She has also served on the University Advisory Board, the Wildcat Century Club, the Northern California Natural History Museum Board, and the WASC Committee. For her role in advocating for the University and the CSU system, Lange was named the 2007 California State University Advocate of the Year for CSU, Chico.
Judy Lynn Sitton, 1968 B.A. Social Science, 1969 Credential, 2003 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
Judy Sitton defines volunteerism. She is chair of the CSU, Chico Advisory Board, vice chair and trustee of the Enloe Board of Trustees, president and past treasurer of the Northern California Natural History Museum Board, and past chair for the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Business Advisory Board. Sitton was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2003 by the California State University Board of Trustees and CSU, Chico in recognition of her personal and professional achievements and service to the system and institution. In 2000, Sitton retired as executive vice president from Bi-Tech Software, the computer software company she co-founded with her husband.
Leonard A. Whitegon, 1951 BA Elementary Education, 1955 MA Elementary School Education
Len Whitegon may have served as a teacher and elementary school principal for more than 33 years, but it is his volunteer service for which he is best known. Whitegon is credited with saving the school fight song from total extinction. When Royce Tevis, the director of bands and a music professor, came to campus he found the music to the school fight song, but no lyrics. Whitegon was able to recite the words from memory. For the past two years, he has taken on the task of getting Wildcat fans to stand when the fight song is played at basketball games. Whitegon has received numerous volunteer service awards including the 1996 Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award and the 2005 Jackie Faris-Rees Community Leadership Award.
Mackay Martin*, 1946 BS Business Administration
Mackay "Mac" Martin was an avid supporter of Chico State athletics. Martin entered Chico State College in 1938, but left in 1941 to enlist in the U.S. Navy following the attack on Pearl Harbor . He returned to Chico State after WWII, and completed his degree in Business Administration. Martin went to work for Chico State College in 1947, and oversaw the bookstore, food service, athletics, drama, and team transportation until his retirement in 1976. He helped to launch the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985, and became director of the Chico Invitational Basketball Tournament which was later renamed the Mac Martin Invitational. Martin served as treasurer of the Alumni Association for 30 years, and established the Mac Martin Student Leadership Endowment in 2002.
* Deceased
