The Vanderbilt Alumni Association Board announces its 2018 alumni award recipients: Samar Ali, BS’03, JD’06; Kimberly Bryant, BE’89; Krista Donaldson, BE’95; Rashed Fakhruddin, BE’91; and Heiki Miki, MBA’96. They will be honored Oct. 11 during Reunion and Homecoming Weekend.
“These honorees include alumni who are recognized around the world for their professional achievements, their services to communities at home and abroad, and the important role they play for Vanderbilt,” says Jane Ann Gass, BS’74, awards committee chair for the Alumni Association Board. “It is an honor to recognize them.”
Ali will receive the Young Alumni Professional Achievement Award. She is international council for law firm Bass Berry & Sims and a former White House fellow, and has been selected for two highly competitive fellowships that recognize emerging global leaders: the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Fellowship and the Truman National Security Fellowship.
Founder of Black Girls CODE, Bryant will receive the Alumni Professional Achievement Award for her work introducing an ever-growing number of girls of color to technology, computer programming and entrepreneurial concepts.
Donaldson will receive the International Alumni Professional Achievement Award. As CEO of D-Rev, she leads efforts to design and develop medical technologies that close the quality health care gap for underserved populations around the world.
An advocate and community leader for ending domestic violence and empowering victims of crime, Fakhruddin will receive the Alumni Public Service Award.
Miki will receive the Alumni Volunteer Award. An invaluable ambassador for 15 years, he has represented the university at U.S. Embassy events, recruited prospective students, and helped to build awareness of and connections with Vanderbilt.
—MATT ANDERSON