Southwestern Magazine | Spring 2019

Mr. Homecoming: Kerry Bruns, Professor of Chemistry Professor Bruns has been a quiet leader on campus, helping our students pursue their goals and dreams of becomingmedical professionals. Described as consistently approachable, respectful, and willing to listenandhelp, Bruns teaches general chemistry andbiochemistry courses at Southwestern. He has also led the University’s Pre-Medical Advisory Committee, which provides professional- development programming and handles all the applications, recommendations, and interviews for any SU student or graduate interested in applying to medical school. He organizes the annual Health Care Professionals Breakfast, a successful event that provides current students opportunities to network with our alumni. Bruns is retiring at the end of the year, and his retirement will leave a void not only in the Chemistry Department and the Garey School of Natural Sciences but also across the campus as a whole. Distinguished Young Alumna: Casey Grier Blades ’09 Casey Grier Blades is an art teacher and head girls’ soccer coach at Cypress Lakes High School. Blades has dedicated her career to helping students from low-income families succeed by pushing for systemic changes in high-school athletics that remove barriers and create lasting opportunities. She was recognized for these efforts when she was named Cypress–Fairbanks ISD’s Classroom Cheerleader Spotlight Teacher in fall 2017, District Co-Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2018, and one of the United Soccer Coaches’ (USC’s) 30 under 30. She also serves on the USC High School Advocacy committee, working to legitimize and promote the opportunity to play high-school soccer within the soccer community. In service to her almamater, Casey uses her position as a teacher to encourage her best and brightest students to go to Southwestern, and she has personally played a part in recruiting a number of students and student- athletes to become Pirates. Distinguished Young Alumna: Jessica Hager ’08 JessicaHager is the external engagement manager of community health and nutrition for Feeding America in Chicago, Illinois. Since graduating from Southwestern, Hager has worked tirelessly for various organizations dedicated to eliminating hunger and improving nutrition in high-need communities. She beganher careerwith theCapital AreaFoodBank during her senior year at South- western andwent on to get her master’s in social work at the University of Chicago before taking a position at Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization. Hager has pioneered a range of programs supporting regional food banks around the country, including thewidely influ- ential Health Food Bank Hub and Hunger and Health , which supports innovative efforts to increase access to healthful foods and promote nutrition and wellness while addressing the root causes of food insecurity and the social determinants of health. 2018–2019 Distinguished Alumni Awards 40 SOUTHWESTERN During our 2018Homecoming celebrations, the Southwestern University Alumni Association honored the followingmembers of the SU community who exemplify the core values of the University and themission of the Association.