Four Albrightians Receive Top Alumni Honors

Alumni awards are presented at Alumni Reunion Day in May.

Distinguished Alumna Award

Given for outstanding service and accomplishments in at least one area, including church, community, state, nation, profession, academic and/or service organizations.

Beverly Edwards, Ph.D. ’79

As executive director of learning and education in the Division of Human Resources at the University of Pennsylvania, Beverly Edwards, Ph.D. ’79 provides strategic leadership in the assessment, design and delivery of training opportunities and programs.

She led an effort to redesign the course catalog and enrollment process to allow a single, web-based portal to enrollment, has redesigned the curriculum to match participants’ needs, and has formed a strategic alliance with a local public television station to deliver presentations by world-class business leaders on site.

In addition to her bachelor’s degree in English, Edwards holds a master’s degree from Bryn Mawr College, a doctoral degree from Lehigh University and a master’s of business administration from the Wharton School.

She received a senior professional designation in the Society for Human Resource Management. At Albright, she served as a member of Albright College’s Commission on the Future.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

Given for outstanding service and accomplishments in at least one area, including church, community, state, nation, profession, academic and/or service organizations.

Gerald A. Tartaglia ’72

He’s an internationally renowned filmmaker, a writer, an archivist and a professor of communications, film & video, at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.

But Gerald A. Tartaglia ’72 is especially known in Berks County for founding Berks Filmmakers, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation and exhibition of alternative film and video.

Tartaglia’s work mainly explores gay identity and AIDS representations. His films have been screened at museums and festivals around the world, and he has restored the films of the legendary ’60s film artist, Jack Smith. He also founded Franklin Media Distribution, an organization that brings experimental film to the public in a home video format.

Tartaglia earned his bachelor’s degree in English and German and went on to earn a master’s degree in English from San Francisco State University. He has won numerous awards for his work including the Director’s Choice at the 2000 Black Maria Film Festival for the film “Amnesia.”

Young Alumna Achievement Award

Presented to an alumnus/a who graduated within the past 15 years for outstanding achievement in at least one of the following areas: profession or career, dedicated volunteer service to Albright, church or community.

Saidah A. Ekulona ’92

She played a nurse who took care of Gene Hackman in the movie “The Royal Tannebaums.” She played a detective on television’s hit series “Law and Order,” and has graced the stage in both off-Broadway and regional theatres.

Saidah Ekulona ’92 attended the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Theatre Institute in Waterford, Conn. and went on to earn a master’s degree in acting from the University of Minnesota.

In addition to those previously mentioned, Ekulona’s television and film credits include “Law and Order Special Victims Unit,” “Sex and the City,” “Promised Land,” “Wonderland” and “Happy Accidents” starring Marisa Tomei. She has appeared in both off-Broadway and regional theatre productions such as: A Streetcar Named Desire at the New York Theatre Workshop; A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater; and Having Our Say, The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years at the San Jose Repertory Theatre.

Along with her acting talents, Ekulona is also a South African dialect coach.

The Alumni Association Service Award

Presented annually to an Albright College faculty/administrator/staff member for outstanding service to Albright College.

Lois Kubinak, Director of Conferences

From volunteering to serve at Admission Open Houses and alumni events such as Homecoming, to painting lion’s paws on 13th Street, Lois Kubinak, director of conferences, has exhibited the spirit of a true Albrightian.

As director of conferences, Kubinak is responsible for the overall management of the College’s facilities for all events. She also coordinates summer conferences and markets the College’s facilities to bring groups to campus.

Kubinak also finds time to volunteer. She helps new students move into their residence halls in the fall, serves each year as a Shirk interview assistant, is an integral member of the Administration Steering Committee, and continually assists with campus clean-up projects.

Kubinak earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Millersville University, completed a post-baccalaureate certification program at Kutztown University and attended Dale Carnegie Leadership Training.