Dickinson Announces Recipients of 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Honorees include two inaugural Community Impact Award winners

Dickinson is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards. Bestowed by the Alumni Council, the Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize outstanding Dickinson alumni who demonstrate exemplary service to the college, accomplishment in their professional and civic lives and strength of character.

Six award recipients will be honored during an Alumni Weekend ceremony:

This year marks the inaugural bestowing of the Community Impact Award, established to celebrate Dickinson alumni who have made substantive contributions to the betterment of their communities. The award recognizes alumni who live out Dickinson’s deep commitment to the education of ethical citizen leaders and the grounding of the Dickinson education in a strong sense of civic duty and service to one’s community, however that community is defined.

The awards will be presented to the recipients during a ceremony at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 13, as part of Alumni Weekend.

Walter E. Beach Award for Distinguished Service: Carol Graebner ’75

Carol Graebner ’75 describes her undergraduate years as “magical”—a time that not only launched a successful career but also continues to enrich her life. Over the years since graduation, she has paid it forward in many ways.

At Dickinson, Graebner was a double major in international studies and Russian, was active in Student Senate, Wheel and Chain and Delta Nu and served as a resident advisor. After graduating cum laude, she earned a J.D. at American University Washington College of Law, paving a path forward in corporate law at a time when there were few women entering the field. She became the chief legal officer and led government relations and communication teams in the energy industry, working in Houston and London.

With her partner, Scott Debold ’71, Graebner is a member of the Old West, John Dickinson and Mermaid societies. Longtime loyal donors, they recently endowed a Dickinson scholarship. Graebner also supports her alma mater as an impassioned volunteer.  

A devoted Delta Nu alumna, mentor and member of the Delta Nu Alumnae Advisory Board, she was instrumental to the planning of Delta Nu’s 50th reunion celebration. In 2017, she helped establish the Delta Nu scholarship. Graebner has served on multiple Wheel and Chain anniversary committees, playing a key role in the centennial celebration. She has hosted and attended regional alumni events and has been a valuable member of all of her class reunion committees, including this year’s 50th celebration.

This loyal Dickinsonian also finds deep meaning in her work with the Sandia Foundation, a major benefactor to Dickinson established by 1908 alumni Hugh Woodward and Helen Kisner. The foundation’s assets of over $100,000,000, actively managed by its trustees, funds scholarships for students at Dickinson and the University of New Mexico, along with other causes in Albuquerque. Graebner has been a board member since 2012.

It’s all part of an overarching mission to support the successes of a younger generation, celebrate and deepen connections and advocate for the college that played a pivotal part in her own life.

 “That I lived and learned in such a nurturing environment, surrounded by incredible faculty, administrators and fellow students—many of whom have become my lifelong friends—is still a source of wonder to me. I want others to experience the fun and fulfillment that I did at Dickinson. It’s just that simple.”

Professional Achievement Award: William A. Gray ’80, P’11

Pioneering cardiologist William A. Gray MD ’80, P’11, is dedicated to advancing the interventional (nonsurgical) treatment of heart disease and prevention of stroke, and in doing so, spurred key developments in his field.

Gray majored in chemistry at Dickinson and was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma and the college’s varsity football and track teams. He pursued his medical degree at Temple University’s School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in cardiology at the Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, including a year in basic science research.

Over the years since, Gray has moved the needle on interventional cardiac care, not only as a clinician and researcher but also as an educator and inventor.

Early in his career, Gray led research at Southwest Cardiology and was a founding member of the Heart Hospital of New Mexico. He then founded and led the endovascular care team at Swedish Medical Center. From 2005 to 2015, Gray started and directed the endovascular intervention and research program at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. As an associate professor of medicine at Columbia University, he also taught medicine, and as a co-director of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s annual meeting, he further helped shape cardiovascular care.

Gray, now back in Philadelphia, serves as system chief of the cardiovascular division of Main Line Health. He is a professor of medicine at the Sidney Kimmel School of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, and he holds the Phillip D. Robinson Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine. A prolific researcher, Gray has led nearly 20 national and global clinical trials leading to device approvals by the FDA, has published more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, authored two books and several book chapters and is a frequent speaker at national and international symposia. He also holds several medical device patents.

This Dickinsonian’s loyalty and compassion are well known in the college community, and he is a member of Dickinson’s Gary “Pugs” Knechtel Foundation. Whether flying across continents to attend a friend’s memorial service, ensuring timely access to cardiac care for friends or advocating for patient access to life-saving devices, his actions speak volumes.

“Dickinson College is a unique place, not only for the outstanding education it provides but also the strength of community that it fosters. My experience there created a strong foundation of inquiry, fraternity and open communication. These seemingly disparate qualities have nevertheless served me well, and to which I hope to have done justice.”

Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Carmen Mann Flederbach ’15

Whether protecting natural resources or defending the legal rights of vulnerable citizens, Carmen Mann Flederbach ’15 has long been driven to help build a better world.

At Dickinson, Flederbach majored in environmental science and international studies, played women’s basketball and was a student coordinator for the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring. She completed internships with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. After graduation, Flederbach was a grassroots organizer for the Center for Health, Environment & Justice’s Leaderships Training Academy; an elementary school teacher in Madrid, Spain; and an admissions counselor at Case Western Reserve University. Then she entered the Cleveland State University School of Law, with an initial focus on defending immigrants’ rights.

In law school, Flederbach was an executive board member of the Dean’s Leadership Fellows Program and president of the Hispanic Law Members Association and was awarded the Spanberg Trial Practice Award for excelling in litigation and advocacy. An externship with the Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center stoked an interest in victims’ advocacy, and her work serving underserved residents earned recognition from the Supreme Court of Ohio and Ohio Access to Justice Foundation.

The highly competitive Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps presented an opportunity to work for the government, providing legal services to the armed forces and military members. Drawn to the JAG’s large victims’ services division and litigation opportunities, Flederbach began ROTC training while still in law school and completed her two-week Air Force training while studying for the bar.

Now, she’s an Air Force captain and an active-duty lawyer. She started off her JAG career furthering her advocacy skills and winning the Outstanding Legal Assistance Student Award during the Judge Advocate Staff Officer Course. While in the legal office, she prosecuted four courts martial, receiving favorable outcomes for the government in all four courts. She participated in numerous military exercises, including Resolute Sentinel ’24; collaborated with officers of the Peruvian, Ecuadorian and Colombian Air Forces; and provided trainings on women, peace and security and victims’ rights. Currently, she is the victims’ counsel at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

“Getting this position so early on in my career is a dream come true. I am so excited to do my very best to make a difference, and I’m grateful to Dickinson for this recognition.”

Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Alejo Lifschitz ’10

Alejo Lifschitz ’10 came to Dickinson as a talented painter and graduated as a promising chemist. He now drives innovations in photochemistry and nanomaterials.

Lifschitz grew up in Argentina, attended the ORT School in Buenos Aires and attended Dickinson through a Global Campus Scholarship. Considering a career in art restoration, he took a chemistry class, intending to learn about the chemical makeup of paint. 

“He was brilliant at chemistry,” remembers Professor Emerita Cindy Samet ’86, who enlisted Lifschitz to assist her in developing a nanotechnology lab during winter break. Samet then invited Lifschitz to conduct student-faculty research, pioneering a matrix-isolation technique published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry.

After graduating summa cum laude with a major in chemistry and minor in art, Lifschitz earned a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at Northwestern University and joined the prestigious Mirkin Research Group, directed by Chad Mirkin ’86. He received the Minckler Fellowship, the Gelewitz Award for research excellence, the Graduate Student Leader of the Year Award and the Diversity Leadership Award for community engagement and advocacy. Lifschitz completed a postdoctoral appointment at Caltech and went on to publish 13 journal papers and secure 29 patents. 

In 2016, Lifschitz joined DuPont Electronics & Imaging (formerly Dow Electronic Materials) as a senior scientist. He played a key role in the commercialization of chemistry products used in the production of consumer electronics across the world. In 2021, he joined the hardware team at Meta Reality Labs to kickstart their inorganic chemistry efforts.

Lifschitz now leads the materials program for Augmented Reality Research, where he manages a research network that includes the top universities and the leading chemical companies across the world. His community work in industry includes founding recruitment programs that have placed dozens of Ph.D. graduates in top industrial roles.

Lifschitz married Elizabeth Stokely ’08 in 2015, during an on-campus ceremony. Their son, Luke, will make his first visit to Dickinson this year.

“Becoming a scientist requires technical depth, but advancing science is all about creativity, adaptability and free thinking. Dickinson makes sure (science students) understand this. This mindset remains at the core of my work to this day.”

Community Impact Award: Leo Motiuk ’66, P’14

Leo Motiuk ’66, P’14, is co-founder of Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund (AGFAF). As a student, Motiuk was a member of Raven’s Claw and Skull and Key and was president of Phi Kappa Psi. He obtained a J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law and an LLM from New York University School of Law.

From 1969 to 1971, Motiuk served in the U.S. Army, including service in Vietnam. From 1971 to 1976, he was first a New Jersey deputy attorney general and then assistant counsel to the New Jersey governor. Motiuk later forged a private law practice with a concentration in environmental law. He was named by his peers to many “Environmental Law Best Lawyer” lists.

Motiuk’s son, Alex ’14, was part of the inspiration for AGFAF. Alex, then in high school, was concerned about a classmate, a scholarship awardee who returned to her home in Kabul after graduation and was unable to secure sufficient financial assistance to attend college in the U.S. Motiuk co-founded AGFAF, an all-volunteer nonprofit, to help her in 2008. She came to the U.S. and she flourished. From 2008 to 2018, Motiuk led AGFAF as president, and he continues to serve as an AGFAF volunteer.

Since its inception, AGFAF has provided assistance to more than 160 qualifying Afghan students who wish to study at the secondary, college or grad-school level in the U.S. or other countries. Participating institutions hail from 26 U.S. states as well as Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Scotland.

AGFAF students complete projects addressing the needs of others in Afghanistan or in the Afghan diaspora. The students also aid Afghan refugees in the U.S. by acting as translators and helping to secure housing and tutoring.

A number of AGFAF students have received recognition for their achievements. These include Noorjahan Akbar ’14, whose work was hailed by national news outlets during her time as a Dickinson student and who went on to earn a master’s in journalism and public affairs at American University. Akbar’s outstanding record at Dickinson and beyond was instrumental to Dickinson’s decision to fund a scholarship for another AGFAF student, who is now in her second year and making her mark.

Dickinson is grateful for the Motiuk family’s financial support during the past 50 years. Motiuk, in turn, is grateful for the support his organization has received through Dickinson.

“I received enormous support from Dickinson’s Bob Massa and Stephanie Balmer, who helped me learn to navigate higher-ed admission and financial-aid hurdles, and also support from Dickinson alumni who have generously provided AGFAF with donations, advice and connections. Further, the inspiration from a student like Noorjahan has made all this happen. I am forever grateful to all these Dickinsonians.”

Community Impact Award: Vince Sheehy ’80

Sheehy’s own educational journey was rich and varied. He majored in economics, studied abroad in France, played varsity golf, joined Theta Chi and even took flying lessons from his philosophy professor. He also built lifelong friendships and is particularly grateful to a fraternity brother who set him up a blind date with his future wife, Mimi.

After graduation, Sheehy attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, earning an MBA and launching a career in marketing and sales. Seven years in, he brought his experience to Sheehy Auto Stores, founded by his father, Vincent, in 1965. He’s served as president and CEO since 1988.

Sheehy’s business supports a variety of organizations, including the American Heart Association, and provides funding for educational programs for underserved students. With his wife Mimi, Sheehy also focuses personal giving on expanding educational access.

Sheehy values Dickinson’s continuing excellence in sustainability and global education, its commitment to strong student-faculty and student-alumni connection and its organizational and educational innovation and nimbleness. Serving on Dickinson’s Board of Trustees since 2021, he’s a member of its college outreach and governance committees. As a speaker in Dickinson’s Profiles in Leadership series, he’s shared insights with students, and he hosted the April 2023 Scholarship Reception in northern Virginia.

Last year, he and Mimi established a Dickinson scholarship for students in the D.C. region. Named for his father, it provides full tuition for four years of full-time study—plus mentorship, guidance and a built-in peer-support network.

“It’s exciting and unexpected to be chosen for the Community Impact Award. To be given this award by Dickinson, an institution with such a strong emphasis on shaping good global citizens, is truly an honor.”

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Published March 20, 2025