UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES YOUNG ALUMNI MERIT AWARD

Craig W. Felzien, area manager of community relations for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. in Cape Girardeau and S. Kirk Hawkins, vice president of broadcast production for Weintraub & Associates Advertising in St. Louis, have been selected as recipients of Southeast Missouri State University's 1992 Young Alumni Merit Award.

The two will receive their awards April 26 at the annual graduation dinner at the Show Me Center. The dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tickets are complimentary to all graduating Southeast seniors.

This is the fourth year the University's Alumni Association has presented the award which recognizes alumni under 36 who have brought distinction to the University through professional growth. Last year's recipient was Dr. David J. Westrich, a Cape Girardeau physician and surgeon.

Recipients are selected from alumni nominations. Twenty-three candidates were nominated this year, said Jane Stacy, Alumni Relations director.

Felzien and Hawkins were selected based on the success they achieved in their fields in a relatively short time, said Ken McManaman, chairman of the 1992 selection committee and Cape Girardeau attorney.

"Both have excelled in their professional area and have served their University well along the way," McManaman said.

"Both of them are outstanding recipients," Stacy said. "Both have their degrees in mass communication and have been supportive of the university as they have been building their careers."

At Southwestern Bell Telephone, a subsidiary of Southwestern Bell Corp., Felzien is responsible for media relations, service monitoring, public presentations, grants and contributions, marketing and advertising. He also handles special activities related to economic development and literacy/education in a five-county area.

Born in Topeka, Kan., Felzien is a second generation "telephone man," following in the footsteps of his father who retired a few years ago. Felzien is a 1988 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University where he earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism/mass communication. He also earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications from Ottawa University in 1986.

"I gained a lot of valuable skills here (at Southeast) that I use now and will use in the future," he said. "I also met my wife in a news writing class in 1987."

Felzien's wife, the former Lauren Hendricks, is a 1988 Southeast graduate. They are the parents of three children, Jesse, Cary and Alex.

Felzien said he chose Southeast because it allowed him to work his way through college. He has been employed by Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. since 1978, having held positions in Kansas City, Joplin, Sedalia, Nixa, Springfield, Independence and Raytown, Mo., before coming to Cape Girardeau in April 1986.

Felzien, who also is a registered lobbyist, serves on boards in 23 counties and is a member of 15 Chambers of Commerce in Southeast Missouri. He recently completed his second year as president of the board of the Area Wide United Way in Cape Girardeau.

"I've been involved with United Way most of my adult life, wherever I've lived," he said. "It's a very important organization, and, for me, a way to give something back to the community."

Felzien was named Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce "Business Person of the Month" in April 1991. He was nominated for "value-added service" in volunteerism, workshops, volunteer recognition and networking of resources.

He also helped create an "old newsboy event" designed to attack area-wide illiteracy. Called "YELL for Newspapers," the event raised nearly $14,000 through newspaper sales on Cape Girardeau County street corners.

Last year, Felzien also was nationally recognized for an earthquake preparedness plan created by Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. in cooperation with Southeast Missouri State University's Center for Earthquake Studies.

He said he hopes other alumni through service return to the University what it has given to them.

"All of us graduates have an obligation to the university for all it's given us," he said. "In our own ways, we need to give back. It doesn't have to be money. It can be time or talent as well as support."

Hawkins, the second Young Alumni Merit Award recipient, earned his bachelor of science degree in art and communication-advertising from Southeast Missouri State University in 1982.

He continued his studies at Southeast and in 1984, he earned a bachelor of science degree in communication-television.

In his current position as vice president of broadcast production for Weintraub & Associates Advertising in St. Louis, Hawkins coordinates production of television and radio commercials and supervises script writing, storyboards, budgets, talent, and equipment rental and purchases. His total annual production budget is more than $750,000.

"I know that many people are happy just to have a job, but I really love my job," Hawkins said. "It's putting something together from nothing."

Hawkins has produced more than 1,000 television commercials, about 800 of them during his tenure at Weintraub & Associates.

Since joining Weintraub & Associates Advertising, Hawkins has won three Emmy Awards for "Best TV Commercial," four Telly Awards, an Addy Award for "Best TV Commercial" and a Marconi Award for a Goldes jingle. He also has been an Emmy Award finalist twice.

He said producing and directing a commercial with Robin Leach in 1990 in which he became an Emmy finalist has been his most rewarding professional achievement.

Before coming to Weintraub & Associates, Hawkins served as producer, director and videographer for KFVS-12, and as an administrative assistant in May Centers, Inc., in the West Park Mall, both in Cape Girardeau. He also previously served as production manager for Ron Duff Video Productions and as a sports writer and free-lance photographer for the Bulletin-Journal, both in Cape Girardeau.

Hawkins says he has fond memories of his years at Southeast.

"I became interested in Southeast's communication program and began attending it right out of high school," he said. "It was small enough to be personalized, and you didn't get lost. And you could get as involved as you wanted to be."

Hawkins was an editor of the Sagamore yearbook for five years and wrote for The Capaha Arrow, the student newspaper. While earning his second Southeast degree, he served as a graduate assistant instructor in the Department of Mass Communication.

He also was involved in the Baptist Student Union and was a member of the varsity track team.

"Dr. Tim Rademaker, the assistant coach of our track team, was very inspirational to me," he said. "He motivated me to excel, not only as a pole-vaulter or a javelin thrower, but off the track as well. He instilled a lot of confidence in me."

Since 1984, Hawkins has volunteered as an official at the annual SEMOtion Relays and at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships at Southeast.

Hawkins and his wife Lyn Riehl-Hawkins, a 1986 Southeast graduate, are the parents of a son, Travis.