Forever Bulls
The recipients of USF’s highest alumni honors – including one non-alumnus – have excelled in their respective professions while giving back immeasurably to the world around them, including to USF and its students. Here’s a look at our 2017 honorees.
PHOTO Left to right, Dr. Brian H. Williams, Dennis W. Zank, Joan “Sudsy” Tschiderer, Debbie Nye Sembler, and retired Rear Admiral John Kirby
Rear Admiral (retired) John Kirby History ’85 – Distinguished Alumnus Award Recognizing a USF alumnus who has reached the pinnacle of success in his career Rear Admiral John Kirby served as U.S. State Department spokesman and assistant secretary for the Bureau of Public Affairs from 2015-17. Prior to that, he served as Pentagon press secretary and Department of Defense spokesman. He’s currently a national security analyst for CNN cable news network. Kirby was commissioned into the Navy in 1986 and qualified as a surface warfare officer aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Aubrey Fitch. He eventually made a lateral move to the job of public affairs officer and served in that capacity in numerous assignments at sea and ashore, including duty aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal; with the Navy’s flight demonstration team – the Blue Angels; and as spokesman for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Kirby also served as spokesman for the Department of the Navy, leading a public affairs team of more than 2,700 communications professionals. Kirby earned master’s degrees in international relations and national security and strategic studies, and received numerous awards throughout his military service. Those include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. He and his wife, Donna, also a Navy veteran, have two grown children. Meagan recently gave birth to the Kirbys’ first grandchild and Colin is an officer candidate in the Navy ROTC at North Carolina State.
Dr. Brian H. Williams Doctor of Medicine ’01 – Distinguished Alumnus Award Recognizing a USF alumnus who has reached the pinnacle of success in his career Dr. Brian H. Williams is a trauma surgeon and associate medical director of Surgical Intensive Care at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, and a keynote speaker on racism and social equality.
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