Northwestern University Alumni

Service to Northwestern

Presented to alumni in recognition of leadership and service excellence rendered to the University via the Northwestern Alumni Association, an affiliated alumni group, school or unit, or other University associated program.

Nancy A. Abshire ’61

Nancy A. Abshire is vice president for programming of the NU Club of Chicago. She has served on class reunion committees, the NAA Board, and the selection committee for the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Service to the University Award. Abshire is a registered architect at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, working in both the Chicago and London offices as an associate and project manager during the course of her career. She earned a bachelor of arts in interior design with departmental honors from Northwestern and a bachelor of architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Michele Bresler ’63

Michele Bresler is president and public relations chair of The Alumnae of Northwestern University, an organization of volunteer women more than 100 years old. Previously, Bresler was a membership marketing specialist at the American Dental Association, where she provided expertise in communications, strategic planning, and marketing. Earlier in her career, she worked at American Hospital Supply Corporation in Evanston and taught elementary school in Skokie and Chicago. Bresler is a graduate of the School of Education and Social Policy, with a bachelor’s degree in education.

Carla R. Hightower ’85, ’87 MD, ’91 GME, ’02 MBA

Carla R. Hightower is active in numerous Northwestern organizations, including the Council of One Hundred, Northwestern University Black Alumni Association, and Kellogg Executive Women’s Network. She has also served on the NAA Board and Feinberg School of Medicine Medical Alumni Association Board, Ward Rounds Editorial Board, and Education Advisory Forum. A certified integrative health coach and corporate wellness consultant, Hightower earned her BS and MD through the Feinberg School of Medicine honors program in medical education. She completed her anesthesiology residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Club Leader of the Year

Presented to alumni in recognition of leadership and service excellence rendered to an affinity, international, and/or local club.

Andrea Chen ’07
NU Club of Hong Kong

Andrea Chen is adviser to and former president of the NU Club of Shanghai and an executive committee member of the NU Club of Hong Kong. She previously served on the NU Club of Beijing Executive Board, NAA Global Connection Committee, Alumni Admission Council, and Alumni Mentor Network. Outside of Northwestern, Chen is a strategist for Philips, a health technology company. She received a BA in communication studies and minor in business institutions from Northwestern as well as an MBA from Peking University in Beijing and Vlerick Business School in Belgium.

Club of the Year

Presented to alumni clubs who have excelled in the following categories in the given year: governance, finance/scholarship, programming, membership, and communication.

Affinity Club
Council of One Hundred

International Club
NU-Kellogg Club of Singapore

Local Club with a Small Alumni Community
NU Club of Las Vegas

Local Club with a Large Alumni Community
NU Club of Colorado

Staff Award

The NAA has a team of dedicated individuals that work to ensure diverse and robust programming and engagement opportunities throughout the year and around the world on behalf of all Northwestern alumni. The NAA Staff Appreciation award is given each year to recognize one member of the professional staff who embodies that vision for an engaged global alumni community.

Bobby Dunlap

Bobby Dunlap has more than a decade of experience in higher education alumni and student engagement. He currently serves as senior associate director of alumni engagement, overseeing a team that manages all student and recent alumni relations, including the Homecoming festivities. Dunlap joined Northwestern in September 2014 as associate director of recent alumni engagement, building programs and events to engage alumni who are within ten years of their undergraduate experience. Prior to Northwestern, he served as assistant director of student and young alumni relations at Loyola University Chicago and as assistant director of student activities at Elon University. Dunlap holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University in Ohio and master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from The Ohio State University.

Learn More About the Previous Service and Club Award Recipients

2023 recipients
2022 recipients
2021 recipients
2020 recipients
2018 recipients
2017 recipients