It was a weekend for recognizing the achievements of several Missouri Southern alumni as well as non-Southern graduates who are known as outstanding supporters of Southern. Awards given on Sept. 30 were the Southern Outstanding Alumni Award and the Lion-Hearted Award.

“Friday night we had the awards banquet,” said Lee Pound, director of the alumni association.

“On Saturday, we had the Hall of Fame Brunch, where the hall of famers were inducted. We recognized [the award winners] with jackets that they could wear throughout autumn and winter seasons to signify that they received these awards. And, finally, they rode in the homecoming parade and, during the football game halftime show, they were honored for the awards they received.”

The Outstanding Alumni was presented to Lonny Chapman, actor, and Michael LaFerla, local dentist and orthodontist.

Following was James Zerkel, a local contractor, who was presented with Southern Lion-Hearted Award.

Pound said it isn’t easy to obtain either of these awards.

“We receive nominations throughout the year,” Pound said. “We cut off getting nominations in May. In order to be eligible for the Outstanding Alumni Award, you have to have been out of school for at least 10 years.”

Pound said they look at what the alumni have been doing in their career field to help local, state or national government, programs or projects.

She said other criteria include being published or something which would signify what has made the nominee reach this point in his or her career.

“The Lion-Hearted Award is given to someone who is not a graduate, but has the heart of a lion,” Pound said. “After the committee reviews the nominations, we make contact with the recipient in order to make sure they can make arrangement to participate in the parade.”

LaFerla graduated from MSSU in 1989, went on to the University of Nebraska and finished up at the University of California-Los Angeles in 1996. He is now a local orthodontist.

Pound said LaFerla has done much for Southern.

Chapman is a 1940 graduate of Joplin Junior College. Graduating with a degree in dramatics, Chapman has appeared in many films such as Nightwatch, Reindeer Games, The Hunted, and The Birds.

Zerkel attended the University of Purdue Extension in Fort Wayne, Ind. In 1954, Zerkel graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force.

Retiring from the Air Force in 1974, Zerkel moved to Joplin, joined Snyder Construction and later started Snyder Bridge Co.

Zerkel currently runs both companies with his family and is also a member of the Missouri Southern Foundation Board as well as the Stadium Committee.

“All were really deserving recipients,” Pound said. “We were pleased to add them to our list of wonderful alumni and friends to Missouri Southern. We’re already looking forward to next year.”