The Butler University Alumni Association has announced the 2026 recipients of eight alumni awards, which honor individuals for their commitment to the University and to their communities. Award honorees will be recognized at a special Alumni Recognition Ceremony on September 18, 2026, during Butler’s annual Homecoming festivities.
This year’s recipients are:
- The Butler Medal: Jane E. Magnus-Stinson ’79
- The Butler Service Medal: Dr. Kenneth C. Creech
- The Robert Todd Duncan Alumni Achievement Award: Adam W. McKinney ’98
- Katharine Merrill Graydon Alumni Service Award: Stephen Key ’77
- Hilton Ultimus Brown Alumni Achievement Award: Umayr (Umy) R. Shaikh MPH ’21
- Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award: Brent Sever ’11
- Mortar Award: Midge (Dadd) Decker ’66
- Foundation Award: Jace ’13 and Linnea Tennant MBA ’15, PharmD ’15
The Butler Medal: Jane E. Magnus-Stinson ’79
Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson’s lifelong journey of leadership and service exemplifies the spirit of the Butler Medal. A 1979 cum laude graduate of Butler University, Magnus-Stinson has built a nationally recognized legal career defined by integrity, profound public service, and leadership in legal and civic causes. Her career highlights an extraordinary trajectory from local litigation to the United States District Court, making her a fitting recipient of the Alumni Association’s highest honor.
After graduating from Butler and earning her law degree cum laude from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law in 1983, Magnus-Stinson began her career in civil litigation before serving as Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to Indiana Governor Evan Bayh. In 1995, she was appointed, and later twice elected, to the Marion Superior Court, where she presided over more than 100 jury trials and supervised the probation department, helping create mentorship programs for young offenders. Nominated by President Obama in 2010, she served as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana, leading the court as Chief Judge from 2016 to 2021 before assuming senior status in 2024. Across her decades on the bench, she has served on numerous judicial committees, shaping federal and state jury instructions, courthouse security, and diversity initiatives.
Central to Magnus-Stinson’s distinguished life is her deep and enduring devotion to Butler University. A former member of the Butler University Board of Trustees, her leadership has directly influenced the direction and growth of the institution, perpetuating its legacy as a premier educational and cultural center. She was inducted into Butler’s prestigious Phi Beta Kappa chapter in 2014, following her receipt of the University’s Robert Todd Duncan Alumni Achievement Award in 2013.
In addition to her service to Butler, Magnus-Stinson has lent her leadership to civic and legal causes, including serving as Board Member and Past President of Big Sisters of Central Indiana and Past Member and Vice-Chair of the Wishard Memorial Foundation Board. Her contributions have earned her wide recognition, including being named Outstanding Judge by the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, receiving the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Paul H. Buchanan Award of Excellence, and being named one of the 500 Leading Judges in America. Through decades of dedicated service and leadership, Magnus-Stinson has profoundly shaped both Butler University and the broader legal community.
The Butler Medal is the highest honor conferred by the Butler University Alumni Association, recognizing individuals for a lifetime of distinguished service to either Butler or their local community while at the same time achieving a distinguished career in their chosen profession and attaining a regional or national reputation. Since 1959, it has recognized individuals who have helped immeasurably toward perpetuating the University as a great educational and cultural institution and have had, during their lifetime, a profound influence on the course of Butler University.
The Butler Service Medal: Dr. Kenneth C. Creech
Dr. Kenneth C. Creech’s legacy as an innovative educator, national media scholar, and vision-driven administrator embodies the essence of the Butler Service Medal. Over his decades of dedicated service at Butler University, Creech helped transform the University’s media and communications programs while maintaining a distinguished national profile in higher education. His work left an enduring structural mark on the institution, ensuring that generations of Butler students received both world-class instruction and real-world experience.
A nationally recognized expert in media law, Creech holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from Wayne State University, as well as degrees from the University of Cincinnati. He is the author of the widely respected textbook Electronic Media Law and Regulation, now in its sixth edition, and has frequently shared his scholarship at national conventions of the Broadcast Education Association. In 1995, honoring his academic stature and leadership, Butler appointed him as the inaugural Fairbanks Endowed Chair in Communication—a position he held with distinction until his retirement in 2016.
Creech joined Butler in 1990 as Chair of Radio and Television and General Manager of WAJC, Butler’s formerly held commercial radio station. Throughout his tenure, he championed a student-centered approach blending academic study with hands-on practice. When WAJC was sold, Creech spearheaded the effort to secure a non-commercial television license to create WTBU, Indianapolis’s second non-commercial station, preserving vital experiential learning opportunities. He continually expanded Butler’s curriculum into emerging areas like web development and recording industry studies, established an endowment to keep student media labs state-of-the-art, and collaborated with faculty to launch a media-focused study abroad program in Germany.
Creech’s leadership was pivotal in laying the groundwork for today’s growing media and communication studies programs at Butler. His deep commitment to experiential learning remains a hallmark of a Butler CCOM education, evident through current initiatives such as the Butler Institute for Sports and Entertainment. A key architect of the College of Communication when it was established in 2010, Creech built a culture of innovation and mentorship that still defines the College today.
The Butler Service Medal is the second-highest honor conferred by the Butler University Alumni Association. It recognizes former faculty and staff for extraordinary and distinguished service to Butler University while at the same time achieving a distinguished career in their chosen profession and attaining a regional or national reputation. All recipients have had, in the course of their service, a profound influence on the future course of Butler University.
The Robert Todd Duncan Alumni Achievement Award: Adam W. McKinney ’98
Adam W. McKinney has a diverse and accomplished background in arts leadership across the globe, having served as an arts organization director, tenured professor, choreographer, dancer, educator and activist. He currently serves as Artistic Director for the prestigious Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Prior to this, McKinney was most recently an Associate Professor of Dance in Ballet with tenure in the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance at Texas Christian University. There he taught courses in classical ballet, modern dance and choreography. He was the Co-Director/Co-Founder of DNAWORKS, an arts and service organization committed to healing through the arts and dialogue. Previously, he was the inaugural Dance Department Chair at New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe.
He has danced with some of the world’s preeminent dance companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Béjart Ballet Lausanne (Switzerland), Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet Company.
McKinney has led dance work with diverse populations across the U.S. and North America, and in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. A leader who is committed to making ballet and dance accessible to all, he served as a U.S. Embassy Culture Connect Envoy to South Africa through the U.S. State Department. McKinney has created community social justice and awareness projects including the interactive Fort Worth Lynching Tour: Honoring the Memory of Mr. Fred Rouse and “The Borders Project” at the Mexico/U.S. and Palestine/Israel borders. He was also honored with the NYU President’s Service Award for his dance work with populations who struggle with heroin addiction.
McKinney was named one of the most influential African Americans in Milwaukee by St. Vincent DePaul. He earned his BFA in Dance Performance with high honors with a focus on classical ballet from Butler University and went on to earn an MA in Dance Studies with concentrations in Race and Trauma theories from the Gallatin School at New York University.
The Robert Todd Duncan Award recognizes a graduate who is established in their career and whose personal and/or professional accomplishment brings honor and distinction to the University and individual attainment and/or contributions for the betterment of society. This award honors the spirit and accomplishments of Robert Duncan, a 1925 graduate, noted opera singer, and educator who in 1945, became the first African American to sing with a major white opera company, the New York City Opera Company.
Katharine Merrill Graydon Alumni Service Award: Stephen Key ’77
After graduating from Butler University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism—a formative era during which he served as Editor of the Butler Collegian—Stephen Key established a distinguished career spanning media, law, and public advocacy. Fondly remembering late nights in the newsroom working alongside lifelong friends, Key built on his Butler foundation to earn a Juris Doctor from the Indiana University School of Law–Indianapolis in 1994. Across a 13-year newsroom career as a reporter and editor, including roles as Managing Editor at the Noblesville Ledger and Assistant Editor at the Daily Journal in Franklin, Indiana, he established an early reputation as a steadfast champion of public information and legal ethics.
Key went on to devote nearly three decades to serving as a vital advocate for Indiana’s press through the Hoosier State Press Association (HSPA). As Executive Director and General Counsel, he led key lobbying efforts before the Indiana General Assembly across 26 legislative sessions, fiercely defending freedom of information rights and providing essential legal guidance to the HSPA’s roughly 160 paid-subscription newspapers statewide. His extraordinary professional achievements and civic leadership have earned him numerous prestigious recognitions, including the Governor’s Sagamore of the Wabash and awards from the Indiana Judges Association, Ball State University’s journalism department, and the Hoosier State Press Association.
Key has consistently channeled his leadership back into supporting Butler and his community. In addition to serving on the boards of the Friends of Ernie Pyle and the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame (IJHF), he has generously given back to Butler as a long-standing member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Communication. His ongoing commitment to the profession and community was pivotal in the IJHF’’s recent move to the Butler campus. This partnership not only allows the non-profit organization to continue its mission, but it also provides a valuable source of journalistic history and experiential learning opportunities to benefit Butler’s students and faculty. By sharing his extensive expertise in media law and public policy to guide future generations of Butler communicators, Key has played a vital role in strengthening Butler’s curriculum while helping to prepare students for meaningful careers.
The Katharine Merrill Graydon Alumni Service Award recognizes a graduate who has displayed a long-term commitment of outstanding service to the University. The recipients of this award have provided demonstrable service to the University to assist in perpetuating Butler as a great educational and cultural institution. This award honors the memory of Katharine Graydon, who graduated from Butler in 1878 and was a Professor of English Literature at the University from 1907-1930, receiving an honorary doctorate of literature in 1928. Graydon served as the Alumni Secretary and Editor of the Alumnal Quarterly from its first edition in 1922 until her retirement in 1929, when she was named Professor Emerita.
Hilton Ultimus Brown Alumni Achievement Award: Umayr (Umy) R. Shaikh MPH ’21
Since graduating from Butler University in 2021 with degrees in Organizational Communication and Spanish, Umayr (Umy) R. Shaikh, MPH, has blazed an extraordinary path as a clinician-investigator and public health advocate. During his time at Butler, Shaikh was moved to pursue a career in healthcare while volunteering as a Spanish interpreter at a local health clinic during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. There, he saw firsthand how language barriers and systemic gaps impact vulnerable patients navigating complex conditions. That pivotal experience inspired him to bridge the gap between human communication and direct clinical care. After earning a Master of Public Health from Dartmouth, Shaikh entered the Georgetown University School of Medicine to pursue his MD.
Shaikh’s accomplishments since leaving Butler reflect an unwavering commitment to high-impact research, clinical excellence, and health equity. He recently completed a research fellowship with the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Dermatologic Oncology and Mohs Micrographic Surgery, where he was investigating surgical outcomes, complex reconstructive techniques, and racial disparities in dermatologic oncology. His academic contributions have earned publication in top-tier journals, including the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, and he has presented groundbreaking work on advanced wound-healing techniques at national surgical conferences. In addition to his research, Shaikh was awarded a prestigious national 2026 Skin of Color Society Observership Grant, reflecting his dedicated focus on addressing health disparities in skin cancer prevention, rural health access, and dermatologic care for underserved populations.
Through his scholarly rigor, leadership, and community devotion, Shaikh has consistently directed his passions and expertise toward serving others. Whether delivering a competitive TEDx Georgetown talk on the vital role of the humanities in pre-medical education, mentoring the next generation of medical students, or serving marginalized patient populations, Shaikh embodies the Butler University spirit of pursuing excellence for the greater good.
The Hilton Ultimus Brown Alumni Achievement Award honors a recent graduate whose personal and/or professional accomplishment brings honor and distinction to the University, and individual attainment and/or contributions for the betterment of society. Hilton U. Brown gave a lifetime of service to his career and Butler University, including serving on the Board of Trustees for 71 years. He was an award-winning newspaper journalist and Managing Editor at the Indianapolis News for more than seven decades.
Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award: Brent Sever ’11
Brent Sever ’11 earned his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Lacy School of Business. As a student, he was a member of Delta Tau Delta and both the Butler Football and Track and Field teams, later translating these experiences in campus leadership into a dynamic career. Today, he serves as a Regional Sales Manager based in Tampa, Florida, where he manages a team of seven territory managers across Florida and Georgia.
Despite his busy professional schedule, Sever has maintained a deep, steadfast commitment to giving back to Butler. Soon after graduation, he stepped into leadership as a member of the Butler Chicago Community Steering Committee, ultimately serving as Chair from 2018 to 2023. He also served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, providing a vital young-alumni perspective. During his tenure on the Board, Sever was instrumental in developing the Putnam Society, an initiative designed to keep former Board members actively connected to the University. In recognition of his enduring impact, he was named an emeritus member of the Putnam Society in 2022.
Sever’s devotion to Butler extends directly to the next generation of Bulldogs. Over the years, he has generously volunteered his time to admissions recruiting, mentored current students, and championed the Chicago Trek program through both philanthropic support and hands-on organizing, ensuring current students are able to begin building meaningful alumni networks.
The Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award recognizes a recent alumnus who has demonstrated a significant commitment of outstanding service to the University. The award’s recipients have provided demonstrable service to the University to assist in perpetuating Butler as a great educational and cultural institution. The award honors the spirit and example of Joseph Sweeney, a young student with a great deal of potential, whose life was tragically cut short.
Mortar Award: Midge (Dadd) Decker ’66
Midge Decker ’66 graduated from Butler’s Pharmacy program and spent her career in retail pharmacy. For many years, she and her late husband, John W. Decker ’67, co-owned and worked side-by-side as pharmacists in their independent pharmacy in Huntington, IN. After selling their store, they continued their work in retail pharmacy in the Huntington area and stayed engaged with Butler University by serving as externship coordinators for Pharmacy students completing their rotations in northern Indiana.
Giving back was always a core value in their marriage and they credit Butler with preparing them for the careers they loved. Midge, now retired and living in Indianapolis, continues to give back to the University that gave her and her family so much. In 2021, Midge and her family gave a gift in memory of John to renovate two labs in the Pharmacy and Health Sciences Building, bringing both spaces up to date with the latest technology and equipment to simulate real-life professional healthcare settings. In 2026, she and her family honored her late son pharmacist J.R. Decker ’93 with a gift to renovate a classroom in the Pharmacy and Health Sciences Building.
Midge is a member of the Carillon Society and President’s Club and enjoys attending Butler giving society events, participating in the Butler Lifelong Learning Collaborative, and listening to Woods Lecture Series guest speakers.
The Mortar Award, created in 1995, honors one person or couple each year who personifies the Butler spirit by demonstrating great vision, leadership, and generosity to Butler University.
Foundation Award: Jace ’13 and Linnea Tennant MBA ’15, PharmD ’15
This year’s Foundation Award recipients, Jace ’13 and Linnea Tennant MBA ’15, PharmD ’15, embody leadership, career achievement, and an enduring loyalty to Butler. Both Jace and Linnea have established highly successful careers since their days on campus. After four years as a student-athlete on the Butler Football team, Jace graduated from Butler in 2013 and began a career in the insurance industry, eventually moving to St. Petersburg, Florida, to take on a sales position with Peachtree Special Risk. Moving back to Indiana in 2019 to establish a satellite presence in the Midwest, he now serves as Executive Vice President at Bridge Specialty Insurance Brokerage, where he leads a multimillion-dollar revenue brokerage team and serves as a vertical practice leader specializing in national commercial property insurance.
Linnea earned both her Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration from Butler in 2015 before obtaining a Master of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the University of Florida. An accomplished professional in the pharmaceutical industry, she brings extensive expertise in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) and Market Access strategy, having gained experience across more than 50 pharmaceutical brands and 25 therapeutic areas. She currently is dedicated to staying at home to support their young children.
Beyond their individual professional accomplishments, Jace and Linnea share a joint commitment to investing in the future of Butler University and its students. In July 2023, the couple demonstrated their leadership and philanthropy by creating an endowed scholarship fund. Their gift provides meaningful financial support to a Butler student-athlete majoring in Risk Management. Proud parents of two young children, Jace and Linnea exemplify the transformative power of young alumni giving, guided by the conviction that true success includes reaching back to open doors for those following in their footsteps.
The Foundation Award, created in 2011, honors one person or couple (age 40 and younger) each year who personifies the Butler spirit by demonstrating leadership and generosity to Butler University.