W&J
alumni
Three alumni to be honored at Homecoming ALUMNI AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT
The Honorable Kevin A. Ohlson ’82 The Honorable Kevin A. Ohlson ’82 has made a significant contribution to our nation’s legal system throughout his career and has admirably served our country in a variety of positions.
Ohlson attended W&J on a four-year Army ROTC scholarship, and during his time on campus he was the president of his fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau, and he served as the commander of the College’s corps of cadets and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1985, Ohlson entered into active duty as an Army lawyer. He successfully completed Airborne training, and during the next four years, he parachuted more than 30 times into Honduras, Jordan and Egypt. Ohlson next became a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. However, in October of 1990, he volunteered to return to active duty and deployed to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. Upon his return to civilian life, Ohlson resumed his duties as a federal prosecutor. Over the course of the next two decades, he served in a variety of positions in the Department of Justice, including as special counsel to the United States Attorney, chief of staff to the Deputy Attorney General, director of the federal immigration court system and chief of staff and counselor to the Attorney General. Most recently, Ohlson was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. He assumed his seat on the bench on Nov. 1, 2013, and is one of only five judges who sit on that court. When asked how his education and time spent at W&J have impacted him, Ohlson said, “The power and wonder of W&J is not that it simply ‘let me be me,’ but that it also forged me into who and what I would become. For that I will always be grateful.”
26
FALL 2015 MAGAZINE
Each year, the Alumni Executive Council selects a group of Presidents who, through their personal and professional accomplishments, have made an exceptional contribution to their communities and industries. This year’s Alumni Award for Achievement, Distinguished Service Award and Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipients all serve as role models to current students and graduates alike. They will be honored during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, Oct. 9 & 10.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Patrick Correnty ’87, M.D. Patrick Correnty ’87, M.D., a dedicated and passionate physician, knows what it means to give back, not only in his professional life, but also through a personal connection with his alma mater. Correnty sees W&J students and alumni alike as part of his family. He welcomes them with open arms and a kind nature that extends not just to Washington, D.C., area alumni at his annual gathering, but to current students as well. He regularly hosts students as summer interns at his primary care office, and interns regularly reside with Correnty while completing their internships. Educating today’s students on the importance of giving back and emphasizing that all gifts—no matter the size—make a difference, Correnty regularly matches all contributions to the senior gift. Whether hosting interns or matching donations, Correnty makes it clear that the only thing he wants from today’s students is for them to pay forward the help they’ve received. He is also dedicated to ensuring that future W&J students thrive by establishing the Patrick A. Correnty Endowed Scholarship Fund. A member of the board of trustees since 2006, Correnty has served as chair of the development committee, vice chair of the audit and risk management committee, member of the executive committee and member of the governance committee. He is also recognized as a member of the Lifetime John McMillan Society. Correnty is board certified in internal medicine and owns his own practice, Patrick Correnty, M.D. He has been named a “Top Doctor” by Washingtonian magazine six times and a “Top Doctor” by Consumer Checkbook. A dedicated member of his community, Correnty also volunteers as a clinical professor of medicine at Georgetown Medical School and as the medical director of the Mid-Atlantic Phoenix House, a treatment facility for drug and alcohol addiction. He is a member of the volunteer leadership team for the Virginia Hospital Center Foundation.
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD
Tony Zanders ’07
Tony Zanders ’07 is a New Orleans-based technology guru with a clear passion for education. Currently serving as vice president of global customer development for EBSCO Information Services, a company whose goal is to assist libraries in creating strong user experiences and improve access to information, Zanders has climbed the ranks within the education-technology sphere in just eight short years. Beginning his post-college career in San Francisco as an associate for a global HR services firm, Zanders found himself drawn back to education. Early in his career, he worked for Simply Hired and Uversity, Inc. and, in 2010, landed a director position at Ex Libris in Boston. Zanders founded Applyful.com, an online platform enabling students to collect and share information on colleges. In January 2013, Applyful was named a winner of the College Knowledge Challenge by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. While his passion for education and technology may begin in the office, it certainly doesn’t stop there. In 2014, he served as a lead mentor of a team of five girls age 12-17 at the Black Girls Code Hackathon: “Breaking the Cycle.” Together, they created a mobile app solution to provide access to resources in identifying and managing unhealthy relationships, as well as how to leave abusive relationships. Zanders’ team placed second out of nine teams. Zanders credits a study abroad experience in Tanzania during his time at W&J for expanding his horizons and molding him into a well-rounded professional. “Back then, I had no idea that (an Intersession) course could prepare me for a career where I am consistently required to study new cultures, adjust to new time zones and apply what I’ve learned at home in new contexts.” He leaves Presidents with this piece of advice: “I encourage every W&J student to seize the opportunity to invest in an experience that is radically different from what they’ve been exposed to thus far.”