Hartwick’s Alumni Awards Salute Influential Graduates, Faculty and Staff

Five members of the Hartwick College community have been selected to receive a 2026 Alumni Award. These honors salute graduates and current faculty or staff for their service to the College and Hartwick community.

This year’s winners are:

• Kimberly Carr ’96 of Gilbertsville, N.Y., is the College’s Outstanding Employee, recognizing someone who has gone above and beyond their job to support the Alumni Association of the College.
• Sharon Davidson Dettenrieder ’65 of Williston, Vt., will be presented the Outstanding Volunteer Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership and sustained volunteer service to the College.
• Thomas Holmgren ’13, Warrensburg, N.Y., has been named the Outstanding Recent Alumnus. This award recognizes graduates who have demonstrated outstanding and sustained volunteer service to the College. Nominees may be alumni, retired employees, parents or friends of the College.
• Lisa Christensen Mayer ’05 of New York, N.Y., is the winner of the Distinguished Alumna Award, given to a graduate who has distinguished themselves through outstanding achievements in their professional career, civic and/or charitable activities.
• Elizabeth (Betty) Powell ’82, PM ’25 of Oneonta, N.Y., will be presented the Meritorious Service Award for demonstrating outstanding loyalty and effective service to the College.

The group will be feted at an on-campus ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 26, during True Blue Weekend.

“We’re thrilled to honor this year’s extraordinary recipients during an extremely special True Blue Weekend, where we will also celebrate the inauguration of our 13th president, Laurel Bongiorno,” said Seth P. Lucas ’10, president of the Hartwick College Alumni Association Board of Directors. “These peer-driven awards reflect the powerful impact each honoree has made in their community. Sincere thanks to all who submitted nominations and to the Alumni Association Board of Directors for choosing this year’s class.”

Kimberly Carr ’96 was chosen as the College’s Outstanding Employee for her exceptional dedication and tireless service as manager of the Foreman Gallery, where she connects with current students, faculty and alumni across the years. She was specifically cited for her work on last year’s alumni exhibition, which was called “incredible” by one nominator. Further, her efforts to bolster Gallery programming – through talks, guest curators and art shows – were seen as helping fortify the space as “a bridge connecting the past and future, benefitting both communities and bringing them together.”

Sharon Davidson Dettenrieder ’65 has served with dedication and deep love for Hartwick College on its Alumni Board of Directors since 2018, making her an easy choice for the Outstanding Volunteer Award. She has chaired the nursing committee, led the successful development of two nursing funds, and met hundreds of nursing students during the annual process of awarding the Alumni scholarship.

Since graduating in 2013, Thomas Holmgren ’13, the Outstanding Recent Alumnus, has distinguished himself among his peers through rapid and impressive achievements, which have included earning a law degree and building a successful legal career in New York City. More importantly, as one nominator cited, he has “remained deeply committed to giving back to Hartwick and creating opportunities for the next generation of students.” The proof of his extraordinary leadership is best reflected through the College’s Moot Court Competition, which he created, directed and funded. He also developed the constitutional law cases used in the competition, coordinated multiple rounds of oral arguments, recruited and organized dozens of Hartwick alumni attorneys to serve as judges, and traveled to campus to participate in the final rounds. The experience Hartwick students gain in legal analysis, persuasive advocacy, critical thinking and public speaking through the competition is immeasurable. Holmgren has created a legacy that continues to enrich both our students and broader community.

Throughout her career, Distinguished Alumna Award winner Lisa Christensen Mayer ’05 has been a trailblazer as a CEO, entrepreneur, author and dedicated advocate for thousands of women, girls and students of all backgrounds. Founding Boss Beauties, an empowerment brand, has her sharing her mission with some of the highest-profile influencers worldwide. Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, Reese Witherspoon and brands like Mattel’s Barbie have all recognized the importance of her work. Additionally, her deep commitment to mentorship is often on display at her alma mater. Hosting students through the Baker-Simpson Entrepreneurial Fellowship, welcoming Hartwick interns into her company, and hosting students in New York City for J Term experiences are several examples of her commitment to the College. In 2015, Mayer was named Young Alumna of the Year from the Alumni Association, and now adds the Distinguished Alumna Award to her growing list of achievements.

Few in the history of Hartwick College are more beloved than Betty Powell ’82, PM ’25. The many contributions she has made in her more than 50-year tenure on Oyaron Hill to support and advance the mission of Hartwick athletics more than qualify her for the Meritorious Service Award. She has been called the “backbone of Hartwick College athletics,” and her work was recognized in 2025 when she was awarded the President’s Medal for Extraordinary and Exemplary Loyalty to the College. Whether cheering on athletes from the sideline or volunteering to help with events, she has always been there for the thousands of student-athletes and coaches who have stepped into Binder Physical Education Center. Betty will be recognized twice during True Blue Weekend, once with this award and again when Binder Physical Education Center sees its entrance to its main lobby named the Betty Powell ’82 Foyer as an everlasting monument to her dedication to her alma mater.

For more information on the awards, visit the website. For more information on True Blue Weekend 2026, visit the webpage or contact David Lubell, assistant director of Alumni, Parent & Family Relations, at 607-431-4031 or [email protected].