A black gerbil, a green lizard and an eastern-chain king snake each live in one of the 10 aquariums Linda Kirby has set up around her classroom at Charleston High School.

Kirby came to Eastern in the early 1970s as a freshman never dreaming she’d become part of the community.

Now, more than 30 years later, Kirby teaches science at the high school and is an adjunct professor at Eastern in the special education department.

“I’m doing exactly what I want to do,” she said. “I think that’s the great value. You don’t ever want to stop learning.”

This Homecoming, the Alumni Association will recognize Kirby with the Distinguished Educator Award.

She is one of nine graduates who will ride in the Homecoming Parade and then have a dinner hosted in their honor on Saturday.

Steve Rich, director of the Alumni Association, said the association presents the winners of alumni awards during Homecoming on purpose.

“That’s such an opportune time and we certainly want to do it while the current students are here,” he said. “They ride in the parade, tent city, football game. It’s a wonderful weekend to showcase them and their successes.”

Distinguished Alumnus Award

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is one of the most prestigious awards.

Five winners were selected this year: Gregg Altobella, 1988 graduate; Brigadier General Joseph Balskus, 1976 graduate; John Currey, 1962 graduate; Gordon Grado, 1974 graduate; Jerry Van Dyke, attended in 1955; and Paul Ward who graduated in 1971.

Currey served as president of Boreal Laboratories, a division of Science Kit, Inc., from 1981 until his retirement in 2005.

The company, which serves the Canadian science education market, dominates the industry with a market share of 85 percent.

Currey said he was “honored and humbled” to be added to the list of distinguished graduates.

“I was fortunate to have educators at Eastern who cared about the individual student,” he said. “Many times in my career I encountered situations where lessons from their teachings came naturally.”

One of those lessons Currey learned outside the classroom was when Dean Hammond visited his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon.

“During his talk he stressed that there were many social skills that should be learned at Eastern and one was, ‘Never wear brown socks with black shoes and vice versa,’ Currey said. “There was not one person in the room that did not stop listening, reach down and pull up their pant leg to check.

“It was this, ‘Hammond Moment’ and the book, ‘Dress for Success’ that was the topic of many discussions with new recruits during sales management days early in my career.”

Altobella is the senior administrative director of orthopedic services for Cardinal Health System in Muncie, Ind., as well as the chief operations officer for the affiliate organization Midwest HealthStrategies, a provider of physical rehabilitation therapy services.

Altobella was stunned when he found out he’d been chosen as a distinguished alumni.

“My years at Eastern changed my life as a person, provided me with an outstanding education and defined career path, as well as provided me with many examples of the type of professional and person that I would aspire to be through faculty and the residence hall and housing department staff,” he said.

Altobella advised current students to take advantage of Eastern’s opportunities as they will “influence the personal and professional success” of the rest of their lives.

Award winner Gordon Grado agreed.

“Eastern did not just give me a degree, but the skills necessary to become successful,” he said.

Eastern provided educational opportunities with activities after normal school hours, he said.

He said through the money he earned while working as a photographer at the Daily Eastern News he was able to help defray the costs of his education.

“After graduating from Eastern, I have had the opportunity to train and work at many prominent academic centers around the country, and I still cannot believe what Eastern offered and offers compared to these other ‘centers of excellence,'” he said.

Grado is the founder and medical director of the Southwest Oncology Centers – with two locations in Arizona and two additional treatment facilities in Minnesota – and the Grado Radiation Center of Excellence.

He has also helped teach and develop prostate brachy therapy programs worldwide for early stage, advanced and recurrent prostate cancer.

Ward is the vice president for university administration and legal affairs at Arizona State University.

“My first reaction was I was a little embarrassed by the attention, but very appreciative of the recognition from my alma mater,” he said about receiving the award.

He never questioned his decision to attend Eastern during his undergraduate years and said he feels he was more than adequately prepared for graduate school and law school.

This Homecoming, in addition to seeing his friends and family, he is looking forward to seeing the Panthers beat Murray State University.