PORTSMOUTH- The Shawnee State University Alumni Association recognizes six individuals for their achievements in their fields and their communities with the presentation of this year’s Alumni Awards. The 2024 awards include Distinguished Alumnus, Medal of Merit, Alumni Community Service, Alumni Continued Service, Outstanding Recent Graduate, and Alumnus of Tomorrow.

The Distinguished Alumnus recipient is Sam Bowman. This award is presented to an alumnus who has demonstrated distinguished professional achievement, personal qualities, and service to the university. A Portsmouth, Ohio native, Bowman received a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design in 2009. Since his graduation, he has steadily made a name for himself in the marketing industry by specializing in creative digital strategy and project management. He has served in several leadership roles including at Amify, Freedom AI, Sheakley, Cancooker, Hoyt, and Rocky Brands. In the past year, he transitioned into his current role as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Cart.com where he oversees marketing operations for the global e-commerce company with over 1,500 employees, 13 fulfillment centers, and a $1.3 billion valuation. He has been recognized as a 40-under-40 nominee by the Cincinnati Business Journal and as an American Marketing Award winner.

The Medal of Merit recipient is Anna Ortiz-Trankina. This award is presented to an alumnus who has demonstrated career achievements and outstanding performance in their profession. Graduating SSU with four degrees most specifically focused in Biomedical Sciences and Graphic Design, Ortiz-Trankina (’15, ’16, ’17 and ’18) started her career at her alma mater as senior and graduate intern before becoming the Marketing Content Creator for the university’s Marketing & Communications Department. During her time, she specialized in graphic design and photography for all offices across campus, including as the sole designer for the Waller Gymnasium floor in the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center. She now serves as the Digital Designer & Photographer at the Center of Science & Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio. Combining her scientific, design, and photography background into her role, Ortiz-Trankina has taken her talents around the world with her team, including at the USA Pavilion at the World Expo in Dubai in 2022 and at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2023 and 2024. With her contributions in the redesign and distribution of COSI’s e-newsletter in capturing the museum’s latest exhibitions and news for patrons and enthusiasts alike, the museum won two RUBY Awards for newsletters.

The Alumni Community Service recipient is Corey J. Fischer. This award is presented to an alumnus in recognition of outstanding volunteer service and contributions to the community. Graduating in 2009 with a degree in Sport Management, Fischer is a member public service at the Portsmouth Police Department in Portsmouth, Ohio. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2019 and has been a field training officer for the department for over five years. He serves as a Reserve Deputy U.S. Marshal assigned to the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST), which dedicates itself to searching and apprehending felony offenders. A previous member of the university’s Department of Public Safety, Fischer has been with the Portsmouth Police Department for over 10 years.

The Alumni Continued Service recipient is Heath Waugh. This award is presented to an alumnus currently working at SSU who has demonstrated distinguished professional achievements, personal qualities, and service while working at their alma mater. Waugh graduated from SSU in 2010 with a degree in Mathematical Sciences and was a member of the Women’s Cross Country team. She went on to earn her Master’s in Applied Statistics before returning to her alma mater as an instructor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. During her time at SSU, she has been instrumental in promoting co-requisite math courses, including in the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s former Bridge to Success program and creating curriculums for several general education math courses. She is an active mentor and supporter of current mathematical science students, including as an advocate for the Math Club’s annual Pi Day fundraiser, assisting senior research project committees, and offering a flexibility in scheduling courses. Waugh is known in her department and across campus for going the extra mile for her students and being an advocate for math majors as well as general education students throughout the university.

The Outstanding Recent Graduate recipient is Drew Lowe. This award is presented to an alumnus who has received their first baccalaureate degree from the institution within the last five years and who demonstrates the positive impact their university education has had on their profession. Graduating in 2022 with degrees in Sport Management and Marketing, Lowe recently returned to his alma mater after being named the Assistant Coach of the Baseball program at SSU. Earning his master’s degree at Cumberland University, Lowe served as a Graduate Assistant Coach for the baseball program, helping coach two All-Americans and a regional team in 2023. As a student-athlete at SSU on the baseball team, he pitched in 33 games and threw 101-and-a-third innings over the course of his collegiate career. Outside of his time as a student-athlete, Lowe was a constant presence in the athletic department and within the SSU Development Foundation on campus, promoting student athletics and the mission of the university to campus and the community at large.

The Alumnus of Tomorrow recipient is Chloe Long. The award is presented to a graduating student who has displayed commitment to their individual endeavors – academic, social, and personal – and who shows great promise toward their future endeavors. Receiving her Master of Occupational Therapy degree in 2024, Long entered SSU as a member of the competitive Occupational Therapy 3+2 program – earning her bachelor and master degrees in just five years. On campus, she was a member of the Women’s Bowling team, serving as captain for four years and receiving NAIA All-American recognition in 2020 – a program first. She was named a Champion of Character in the Mid-South and Ohio Bowling Conferences, sat on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on campus and helped plan a Polar Plunge fundraiser for the local Special Olympics. She also represented the university at the 2023 American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. She will complete her master’s degree this December and is currently a 4.0 graduate student.

The 2024 Alumni Award recipients will be honored at the university’s upcoming Homecoming Weekend during an award brunch on Friday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. Reservations for the brunch can be made at www.ssuhomecoming.com.