ALMA, Mich. — The Alma College Advancement Office has announced the recipients of the 2026 Tartan Awards, recognizing distinguished alumni and community members whose leadership, service, and professional accomplishments exemplify the values of Alma College.
Honorees include Dr. Amy B. McGinnis, recipient of the Hugh Brenneman Distinguished Alumni Award; Ryan Webb, recipient of the George and Bess (Brown) Hebert Award; Brent Neubecker, recipient of the Smith Distinguished Service Award; Libby Flatoff, recipient of the Young Alumni Award; Betsy Pilon, recipient of the Lynne Sherwood Women’s Leadership Award; and Dr. Will Nichols, the 2026 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal.
Alma College will celebrate these outstanding honorees during Homecoming 2026, which takes place September 25-27. The award recipients will be recognized at the Golden Thistle and Tartan Award Luncheon, which will also feature the induction of the Class of 1976 into the Golden Thistle Society, on Saturday, September 26.
All alumni, family members, and friends of Alma College are welcome to register and attend the Golden Thistle and Tartan Award Luncheon and Homecoming festivities.
Hugh Brenneman Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. Amy McGinnis ’95
The Hugh Brenneman Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed by Alma College, recognizing alumni whose professional achievements, leadership, and service bring distinction to the college. The award is named in honor of Hugh Brenneman ’67.
For nearly three decades, Amy McGinnis has dedicated her career to higher education and student success. She serves as a faculty member in Central Michigan University’s Management Department, Director of the Student Engagement & Professional Development HUB, and Director of the Queller Leadership Scholars Program. Before joining CMU, she worked at Lansing Community College as an HR & Communication Leader in the Business & Community Institute while completing her master’s degree at Michigan State University.
A first-generation college student, McGinnis chose Alma because it offered both opportunity and accessibility. Scholarships, financial aid, and the support of faculty and staff helped her pursue a college education and discover her passions. At Alma, she was active in Gamma Phi Beta, EPIC, intramural sports, The Almanian, and an internship with the Alma Chamber of Commerce. She has remained deeply engaged with the college through mentoring, strategic planning initiatives, workshops, student programming, alumni panels, and advocacy for prospective students.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, McGinnis is deeply committed to community service and civic engagement. She has served on the West Midland Family Center Board of Trustees for six years and has volunteered with the Business Professionals of America regional competition for more than a decade. She is a former board member of both the Midland Area Football League Booster Club and the Midland Gymnastics Training Center Booster Club, supporting youth activities and community programs. At CMU, she mentors incoming doctoral students through the Get ConnectEdD program.
McGinnis is deeply committed to advancing the human resources profession through service with local, state, and national organizations, including Valley SHRM, MISHRM, and SHRM National. As MISHRM’s Director of College Relations, she works with undergraduate HR programs across Michigan to support student engagement and professional development opportunities. A recognized leader in human resources, leadership development, and first-generation student success, she has contributed to the field through publications, conference presentations, professional certifications, and numerous honors, including the MI-ACE Distinguished Woman Leader in Higher Education Award, CMU Excellence in Teaching Award, and CMU SHRM Outstanding Advisor Award.
McGinnis says she stays connected because Alma transformed her life. The friendships, mentorship, and encouragement she received as a student continue to influence her work today. Among her most meaningful memories are the lasting relationships she formed with faculty mentors Dr. Carol Bender and the late Dr. Roseanne Hoefel, whose support inspired her academic and professional journey.
Her advice to current students: Say yes to meaningful opportunities, stay curious, and embrace new experiences. Make the most of your time at Alma while remembering to care for your well-being along the way.
George and Bess (Brown) Hebert Award
Ryan Webb ’00
The George and Bess (Brown) Hebert Award recognizes alumni whose loyalty, service, and commitment have strengthened Alma College and its Alumni Association.
Since graduating from Alma College in 2000, Ryan Webb has built a successful career with Pfizer, where he currently serves as a Team Lead in cardiovascular marketing. During his 25-year tenure, he has held a variety of leadership roles in sales, marketing, training, operations, and commercial effectiveness, while also earning an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
Beyond his professional career, he is deeply involved in service and leadership as an elder at Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church, where he teaches, mentors, and leads adult education programs. He and his wife, Julie, are active supporters of their community and enjoy raising their sons, Tyler and Luke.
At Alma, he embraced opportunities across campus as a four-year varsity soccer player, three-year varsity tennis player, resident assistant, fraternity member, and student representative to the Board of Trustees. During a semester at The Philadelphia Center, he interned with the city’s professional soccer team while completing coursework, an experience that broadened his professional perspective. He was also active in the Men’s Glee Club and the Alma College Dance Company, even performing on stage in The Nutcracker while wearing a kilt, experiences he says he never would have imagined before coming to Alma. He credits Alma’s culture of opportunity and involvement for encouraging him to explore interests far beyond athletics and develop lifelong relationships through Sigma Alpha Epsilon (now DGT).
His connection to Alma remains strong through guest lectures in Professional Selling courses, career workshops, speed interviewing programs, mentoring current students and recent graduates, and regular participation in Homecoming and SAE/DGT reunions. He also co-founded and now leads fundraising efforts for the Eric M. Didocha Memorial Merit Award, a fully endowed scholarship honoring a fellow DGT brother, and he and his wife Julie have supported recent campus initiatives, including the chapel renovation project.
Among his fondest Alma memories are winning two MIAA soccer championships and returning years later to celebrate those teams’ induction into the Alma College Athletics Hall of Fame.
His advice to current students: Say yes to new experiences. Embrace every opportunity, build meaningful relationships, and make the most of your time at Alma. The experiences you gain today will shape the person you become tomorrow.
Smith Distinguished Service Award
Brent Neubecker ’95
The Smith Distinguished Service Award is presented to graduates who demonstrate a deep commitment to Alma College through service, mentorship, student recruitment, and alumni engagement. The award is named in honor of Art ’38 and Carra (Jones) ’42 Smith.
A 1995 Alma College graduate with degrees in history and political science, Brent Neubecker has built a career centered on service and community leadership. He currently serves as a Sales Advisor at Jay’s Furniture Barn in Alma and previously held roles with Central Michigan Athletics, Alma College, and a U.S. Congressional office. During his time at Alma College, he served as Alumni Director, Annual Fund Director, advisor to the Student Alumni Association, and an ex-officio member of the Alumni Board.
His commitment to service extends throughout the community. A former president of the Alma Kiwanis Club, he has coached youth football, baseball, and softball and remains active with Delta Gamma Tau Fraternity as both a member and advisor.
A four-year starter and captain of the Alma baseball team, he continues to stay connected through Homecoming, athletic events, campus visits, and by encouraging local students to consider Alma College. He credits Alma as his first home away from home, where lifelong friendships and meaningful experiences shaped both his personal and professional life.
Among his most memorable Alma experiences are competing in the NCAA baseball tournament as a student and later helping students launch successful careers while serving on the college staff.
His advice to current students: Your degree may open doors, but your character, integrity, and willingness to serve others will determine how far you go and the impact you leave behind.
Young Alumni Award
Libby Flattoff ’21
The Young Alumni Award recognizes alumni of the past five to 15 years who are living out the values of Alma College through professional achievement, leadership and service.
As Program and Policy Associate for the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C., Libby Flattoff works to advance public understanding of effective arms control policies and nuclear disarmament. Since earning a master’s degree in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies from the Middlebury Institute for International Studies, she has built a career dedicated to international security and global engagement. She also hosts a local networking event, Gin and Atomics, which connects emerging professionals in the nuclear policy field.
Beyond her professional work, she remains active in community service through the Old Dominion Alumnae Club of Alpha Gamma Delta, supporting efforts to fight hunger through volunteer projects and outreach initiatives.
Drawn to Alma College by its close-knit community and opportunities for experiential learning, she immersed herself in campus life through Model United Nations, the swim team, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Phi Omega, Order of Omega and Phi Beta Kappa. Through Alma, she studied in Peru, participated in a cybersecurity Spring Term in Washington, D.C., attended Model UN conferences and spent 10 weeks in India through the Posey Global program. These experiences helped shape her worldview and inspired her passion for international affairs.
She remains connected to Alma through alumni events, social media, and the lifelong friendships she formed as a student. One of her favorite memories is the sense of community and resilience she experienced during her senior year amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her advice to current students: Believe in your ability to make a difference. Pursue the issues you care about, embrace new opportunities and stay curious. Most importantly, hold on to your sense of joy and wonder while creating the life you want to live.
Lynne Sherwood Women’s Leadership Award
Betsy Pilon ’03
The Lynne Sherwood Women’s Leadership Award recognizes women whose leadership, service, and professional accomplishments have created meaningful impact in their fields and communities.
As Executive Director of Hope for HIE, Betsy Pilon leads a global nonprofit dedicated to supporting families affected by neonatal and pediatric-acquired hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). A founder of the organization, she helped grow Hope for HIE from a small parent-led support network into an international advocacy organization serving approximately 15,000 families worldwide. Her work brings together families, clinicians, researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to advance education, research, patient advocacy, and systemic change.
A passionate advocate for children with disabilities and their families, she has served in leadership roles with the Bloomfield Hills School District Special Education Parent Advisory Council, the Newborn Brain Society, the American Academy of Neurology Child Neurology Measures Workgroup, and numerous research and advisory initiatives. Her recent accomplishments include co-founding the Neonatal Brain Injury Collaborative and helping develop the HIE Research Registry to improve understanding of HIE across the lifespan.
A lifelong connection to Alma College drew her to campus as a student, where she participated in the Alma Symphony Orchestra, Alpha Xi Delta, the Orientation Committee, the inaugural dance team, and the college’s public relations office. She later discovered that her family’s ties to Alma stretched back generations, including her great-grandmother’s involvement in the predecessor organization to Alpha Xi Delta.
She remains deeply connected to Alma through alumni involvement, mentorship, student referrals, and family traditions. Alongside her husband, an Alma alumnus, she regularly returns to campus and proudly shares the value of an Alma education with prospective students and families.
Among her most cherished Alma memories are meeting her husband, serving on the Orientation Committee, and being invited to speak at the installation service of Alma College’s first woman chaplain, Dr. Christine Vogel.
Her advice to current students: Dig in, get curious, and embrace your roots. Take risks, explore new opportunities, and build meaningful connections. The relationships, experiences, and lessons you gain at Alma will stay with you for a lifetime.
2026 Alma College Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal
Dr. William “Will” Nichols
The parade grand marshal for Alma College Homecoming represents the essence of Alma College: a lifelong commitment to learning, community, leadership, and the transformative power of shared experiences.
Will Nichols has exemplified those values through more than four decades of service to Alma College and its students. From 1983 until his retirement in 2024, he served as conductor of the Alma College Choirs and as the Secrest Professor of Music, shaping the lives of generations of students through music, mentorship, and leadership. He earned both his Master of Music degree and doctorate from Michigan State University.
Throughout his career, Will built a nationally recognized choral program and established traditions that continue to enrich campus life. Among his many accomplishments, he founded Alma College’s beloved Festival of Carols, led the Alma Choir on 12 international tours, and directed more than 35 choir tours across the United States, creating unforgettable experiences for students and audiences alike.
Will’s impact extends far beyond the rehearsal room. Alongside his wife, Pam, he fostered a close-knit choir community that has remained connected long after graduation. Pam, a retired AP English teacher from Alma High School, became a cherished presence in the lives of countless choir students, especially as she traveled with the choirs and helped strengthen relationships among alumni. Together, Will and Pam cultivated a sense of belonging that continues to unite generations of Alma College graduates.
Among Will’s most meaningful experiences at Alma has been witnessing the lifelong friendships formed through the performing arts.
Through his dedication to students, his contributions to the arts, and his lasting influence on the Alma College community, Dr. Will Nichols is a fitting choice to serve as the 2026 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal.
His advice to current students: The friends you make through Alma’s choirs and performing arts organizations can become some of the best friends of your life. No matter your major, add a little art to your daily college experience. The connections you make and the experiences you share will stay with you for a lifetime.
