FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cindy Deppe, media relations, 641-269-4834

June 4, 2008

LOCAL RESIDENTS HONORED AT GRINNELL COLLEGE ALUMNI REUNION

GRINNELL, IA - Grinnell College recognized the professional accomplishments and service contributions of 12 alumni during Alumni Reunion Weekend, May 28-June 1 on the Grinnell campus. Alumni Award winners are members of reunion classes who have distinguished themselves in their careers and communities and embody Grinnell’s mission of life-long learning and service. Two Grinnell residents received Alumni Awards:

Susan Ratcliff Drake, a 1958 graduate of Grinnell College and a resident of Grinnell, received an Alumni Award as a member of the 50th reunion class. Following is the citation read about Drake’s accomplishments: "Whether in the middle of America or the middle of southern Africa, this alumna has spent her life devoted to educating children and teachers. After graduating from Grinnell with degrees in elementary education and art, this alumna worked as a teacher in Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, and England. In 1979, she returned to Grinnell when her husband, George Drake ’56, became the college’s president. She helped organize dinners at Grinnell House, hosted faculty events, and even sang as part of a barbershop quartet—all while raising three children.

From 1991 to 1993, she worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho in southern Africa. While she was there, this alumna often traveled by horseback to meet with teachers to help them create curriculum and organize lesson plans. She helped raise funds for desks and benches, and encouraged friends and family to send books to stock a small library.

For the past 12 years, this alumna has played a critical role in the growth of the Stewart Public Library in Grinnell. She has helped organize summer programs, and her storytelling and music have inspired and entertained countless children. She helped start a major fundraising effort to build a new library. Her persuasiveness, says one nominator, ‘is so compelling that she draws others to participate in accomplishing the goals.’ The new library building will be named to honor this alumna and her husband. For her commitment to improving education for children and teachers around the world, Grinnell is proud to recognize Susan Ratcliff Drake ’58."

Henry G. Wilhelm, a 1968 graduate of Grinnell College and a resident of Grinnell, received an Alumni Award as a member of the 40th reunion class. Following is the citation read about Wilhelm’s accomplishments: "A photograph captures a moment in time. This alumnus has dedicated his life to ensuring that the photos we create last a lifetime—and beyond.

This alumnus first gained notice as a photographer for the infamous 1966 Grinnell yearbook. The publication included photographs addressing the era’s defining issues, from civil rights protests to Vietnam War activism. The yearbook was banned by the College, and was not published until 1986.

After Grinnell, this alumnus began a lifetime of research to help protect and preserve photographs. For more than a decade, he manufactured archival print washers and print dryers. He served as a technical adviser to director Martin Scorsese on motion picture preservation issues. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship to do a long-term study of color print fading.

His clients include some of the largest and best-known institutions and companies in the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, Kodak, and Canon. When Bill Gates purchased the Corbis Bettman Archive with more than 12 million photographs, this alumnus advised a radical cold-storage solution to preserve the deteriorating collection. His work with manufacturers has helped create printers that can produce long-lasting images for our personal collections.

He has earned a special commendation from the Society of American Archivists for his book, The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs. Last year, the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association honored him with a lifetime achievement award. For helping preserve of society’s most important photographs, as well as our own, Grinnell is proud to recognize Henry G. Wilhelm ’68."

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