WKU will welcome four alumni to the WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni at Homecoming 2023, recognizing them for their accomplishments.
The 32nd class of noted alumni will be inducted on November 9th during the inaugural Hilltopper Excellence Awards, the WKU Alumni Association stated. The four alumni, Claude Bloch, Charles Reynolds, Renee Shaw and Amir Zaheri, each hold differing backgrounds as WKU alumni.
Late Claude Bloch was the former commander in chief of the United States Naval Fleet, and was also commandant of the 14th Naval District in Pearl Harbor at the attack on December 7, 1941 of the Japanese, WKU Alumni Association stated.
“During his career he was also awarded the Navy Cross and the Legion of Merit — two of the most prestigious commemorations in the U.S. military,” the WKU Alumni Association stated.
Justice Charles H. Reynolds will also be joining the WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni, a distinguished attorney, decorated World War II veteran as well as justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court.
“A native Kentuckian, Reynolds was born in Bowling Green in 1924,” the WKU Alumni Association stated. “His service to the Commonwealth and his country included air combat during World War II, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor on three separate occasions.”
In addition to Bloch and Reynolds, Renee Shaw, director of public affairs and moderator at KET, will be joining. In addition, she is host of KET’s weeknight public affairs program “Kentucky Edition,” the signature public policy discussion series “Kentucky Tonight” and the weekly interview series “Connections” which is election coverage and KET forums, WKU Alumni Association stated.
Shaw has earned top awards from the Ohio Valley chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, with three regional Emmy awards, and was inducted into the Silver Circle of the NATAS.
The final inductee is Amir Zaheri, who currently works at the University of Alabama and holds multiple roles, including the associate director of the school of music, director of academic affairs, student wellness and student affairs and composition and theory program chair.
“Dr. Amir Zaheri is an American composer, conductor, performer and educator of Persian and Appalachian lineages with a multifaceted career in professional, faith-based and academic settings,” the WKU Alumni Association stated.
Zaheri receives high praise in his award-winning career that spans over almost three decades within multiple professional settings, the WKU Alumni Association stated.
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