Distinguished Alumni, Honorary Alumni & Early Career Acheivement Award Recipients
2011 Recipients
Early Career Achievement Award: William Thorell, M.D., 1996
Distinguished Alumnus Award: F. William (Bill) Karrer, M.D., 1956
Honorary Alumnus Award: David A. Crouse, Ph.D
William E. Thorell, MD '96 William Thorell is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Universityof Nebraska Medical Center. He is board certified in neurological surgery by The American Board of Neurological Surgery. His
expertise combines two disciplines, namely neurosurgery and
interventional neuroradiology. Having specialized in endovascular
neurosurgery, Dr. Thorell offers patients a minimally invasive approach
for the treatment of neurovascular diseases. Conditions in the past
that would have required open surgery now have the benefit of Dr.
Thorell's skills utilizing advanced imaging and microcatheter
technology. He provides individualized neurosurgical care to patients
with cerebral aneurysms, vascular malformations, strokes and brain
hemorrhages, carotid and vertebral stenoses, tumors, and spine and
peripheral nerve diseases. Dr. Thorell has been instrumental in forming
an inter-disciplinary stroke team, the Nebraska Stroke Center, right
here at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medical
Center. Dr. Thorell graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln
with distinction. He earned his medical degree from the University of
Nebraska Medical Center with highest distinction, where he also
completed his internship, residency, and served as Chief Resident. He
accomplished a two-year fellowship in endovascular neurosurgery at the
Cleveland Clinic Foundation. F.
William Karrer, MD, spent most of his career as a cancer surgeon at
Methodist Hospital in Omaha. Dr. Karrer is a 1956 graduate of the UNMC
College of Medicine. Dr.
Karrer is a proud member of a four generation UNMC legacy family. In
addition to himself, his grandfather, his father and his son all
graduated from the UNMC College of Medicine. The Karrer Family was
recognized in 2008 with an Alumni Family Award from the University of
Nebraska; Dr. Karrer is one of 33 members of the Karrer family to attend
the University of Nebraska. David
A. Crouse, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell
Biology and Anatomy (courtesy appointments as Professor in Radiation
Oncology and in Radiology). He now serves as the Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean for Graduate Studies. Dr. Crouse was born in Canton, Illinois. He
was raised as an "army brat" living all over the world (including 3
years in Germany and 3 years in Japan) and did not settle into a
permanent US residence until his mid-teen years. He received his BS in Physics in 1966 and MS in Zoology in 1968 from Western Illinois University. This education was followed by an unsolicited 2-year interruption by the US Army including a one year tour in Vietnam. In 1970, he returned to graduate school, completing his PhD in Radiobiology at the University of Iowa in 1974. In
1977, after a three-year post-doc at the Argonne National Laboratory in
Chicago, studying the late effects of radiation, Dr. Crouse moved to
UNMC as a very green Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy
(now Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy). His research
interests, mostly funded by the NIH, have been related to the
re-development of the immune and hematopoietic systems following
radiation exposure and bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell
transplantation. Most of these studies have been with animal models but collaboration with his clinical colleagues was also common. Dr.
Crouse has had teaching experience and recognition in many areas of
cell biology and radiation biology. He has taken a lead role in
promoting an understanding of the science and ethics that relate to stem
cell biology as well as developing programs and teaching courses
related to "Responsible Conduct in Research" and other important career
issues for graduate students, post-docs and junior faculty. He spent the
entire 1994-1995 academic year working as American Council on Education
Fellow with Dr. Graham Spanier in the Chancellor's Office at UNL. He
returned to UNMC, and has served a total of nearly 4 years as the
Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs under both Chancellor
Berndt and Chancellor Maurer. He is now in his fifteenth year in the
Office of Academic Affairs and Dean for Graduate Studies.
the
Throughout his career, Dr. Karrer has
served as a clinical professor, medical director and physician. He has
treated patients at Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Children's Hospital,
Clarkson Hospital, Immanuel Hospital and the Methodist Eastabrook Cancer
Center. He also taught at UNMC for nearly ten years, sharing his vast
medical knowledge with generations of aspiring future physicians.
In 1990, Dr. Karrer started weekly treatment planning conferences for
breast cancer patients at Methodist Hospital. He encouraged his
colleagues to discuss all the options for treating patients, as a way to
provide the most thoughtful and thorough care possible. His work ethic
served as an inspiration to his colleagues, who describe him as a
"mentor" and the "kind of doctor" that they want to be. In 2010,
Methodist Health System honored Dr. Karrer by naming a conference room
at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center in his honor.
Dr. Karrer has served this
community through many civic organizations, including as Past President
of the American Cancer Society, Nebraska Division; Board Member of the
Museum of Nebraska Art; Director of the Howard B. Hunt Tumor Registry
from 1965-2005; and countless others. He is a member of the American
College of Surgeons Board of Governors, the American College of Surgeons
Cancer Commission, and the Society of Head and Neck Surgeons.
Dr. Karrer was born in Palisade, Nebraska and attended McCook High
School and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is married to his
high school sweetheart, Beverley Anne Karrer, and they have two adult
children, Suzan Rae Karrer and Frederick Merril Karrer. Dr. Karrer now
serves as a development consultant at the Nebraska Methodist Hospital
Foundation, raising money to help generate $40 million for capital
projects.
Past Recipients
2010 John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D. Honorary Alumnus Award
2010 Myrna Newland, M.D., '64 Distinguished Alumnus Award
2010 Robert Wigton, M.D., '69 Distinguished Alumnus Award
2010 J. Scott Neumeister, M.D., '95 Early Career Achievement Award
2009 Michael F. Sorrell, '59 Distinguished Alumnus
2009 Scott C. Hofmann, '90 Early Career Achievement
2008 Paul R. Young, ’58
2007 Robert G. Volz, ’57
2006 No awards given
2005 James Christensen, '57, Peyton Pratt, '44
2004 John Goldner, '63, Rowen Zetterman, '69, and John Niemann named an Honorary Alumnus
2003 James Dunlap, ’50, Fred Ware, ’56 and Carol Angle, Honorary Member
2002 L. Thomas Hood, ’46, John C. Filkins, ’46, Edward Malashock, ’46
2001 James O. Armitage, ’73, Warren L. Berggren, ’55 and Gretchen M. Berggren, ’58 Charles W. Durham Received Honorary Distinguished Alumnus Award, Harold M. Maurer Received Honorary Distinguished Alumnus Award
2000 Richard B. Wilson, ’45, Doyt L. Conn, ’63
1999 Leland J. Olson, ’44, Wayne O. Southwick, ’47
1998 C. John Tupper, ’48, Donald P. Skoog, ’58
1997 George W. Loomis, ’47, Denham Harman, Honorary
1996 M. Lois Murphy, ’44, Harold A. Oberman, ’56
1995 William L. Rumbolz, ’44, Guinter Kahn, ’58
1994 Mike F. Sorrell, ’59, Joel T. Johnson, ’61
1993 J. Leonard Goldner, ’43, Austin L. Vickery, Jr., ’43
1992 Frederick F. Paustian, `53, Gail Walling, `61
1991 Robert L. Grissom, Honorary, ’41, Robert C. Rosenlof, ’51 Robert H. Waldman (Dean) Named Honorary Distinguished Alumnus Award, Charles E. Andrews (Chancellor) Named Honorary Distinguished Alumnus Award
1990 Merle M. Musselman, ’39 Received Alumni Service Award
Edward A. Holyoke, ’34 Received Alumni Achievement Award
1989 Harry W. McFadden ’43 Received Alumni Service Award
Stanley M. Truhlsen, ’44 Received Alumni Achievement Award
