Veal, Sherwin Receive Carl Sandburg College Alumni Awards

  Aaron Frey
  Friday, May 14, 2021 8:27 AM
  Campus News

Galesburg, IL

Carl Sandburg College recognized the 2021 recipients of its Distinguished Alumnus Award and Outstanding Young Alumnus Award on Thursday during the College’s 53^rd annual Commencement.

Tina (Burgland) Veal ’92 received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and Cassandra Sherwin ’14 received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.

From managing scores of 4-H volunteers to creating unique learning opportunities, Veal, a 1992 Sandburg graduate, has made her mark in STEM and agricultural education.

A native of Galesburg, Veal attended both Costa Catholic Academy and Galesburg High School. After high school, she chose Sandburg and her creativity and hard work found a place in the Sandburg Agriculture department. As the first female Ag Club President, Veal traveled across the country with the group, representing the College at competitions at the national level. According to retired Sandburg agriculture instructor, Ted Mottaz, “Tina was among the first women leaders in agriculture education. She showed her unique combination of determination and people skills in her coursework, her club work, and as an example to other students on campus.” After earning her associate degree, she went on to earn her bachelor’s in agriculture education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993 and then a master’s from UIUC in 2001.

An alumna of Knox County’s 4-H program, Veal began her career as the 4-H youth development educator for McLean County from 1994-2006. She then spent 14 years as the alumni director of UIUC’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) helping to start engagement programs such as the ACES Family Academies and connecting with donors and alumni of the University of Illinois all over the country. Veal now serves as the Illinois 4-H alumni and constituent engagement manager, where she helps develop and maintain supportive connections between the club and its past members.

Veal’s leadership skills were fostered in her formative years in Knox County and at Sandburg. She has held multiple leadership positions at both the state and national level including organizations such as the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association (NAADA). In addition to being the McLean County 4-H leader since 2010, Veal has been active with several other civic organizations, including PEO International; the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs, for which she served as the Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant director on six occasions; the University of Illinois Leadership Center; the McLean County Conflict Resolution Committee; March of Dimes; and Optimist Club of Bloomington.

Veal lives in Bloomington with her husband Eric and their son, Brady.

Upon graduating from Sandburg in 2014, Sherwin set off for the bright lights of Hollywood, studying at the prestigious University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Sherwin earned her bachelor’s from the famed film school in 2016 and quickly gained employment in her field of study as a facilities monitor at the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts.

Sherwin went on to work as a development intern at Permut Presentations, as an assistant at Cloud Nine Productions and as assistant to the executive vice president of television at Rideback, a Los Angeles-based movie and TV studio. While at Rideback, she supported the executive VP and staff in pre-production on the CW series “Walker” as well as Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Sherwin currently works as a reader for Miramax TV, where she summarizes, analyzes and grades materials sent to studio executives, assisting them in making decisions on whether a film project is worth pursuing.

Away from the studio, Sherwin has advocated for equal rights, civil justice and other causes through petition work and marches for Black Lives Matter, the Women’s March and LA’s March for Our Lives. She also has volunteered at Los Angeles homeless shelters and has worked to raise funds for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) in memory of a friend she lost to suicide as well as continued support for Same You and Planned Parenthood.

At Sandburg, Sherwin was an officer in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, was the College’s All-Illinois Academic Team member for 2013-14 and participated in several art, theater and choir activities during her time as a student. “Cassie was an outstanding example of an all-around student leader,” Associate Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts James Hutchings and Associate Dean of Social and Business Sciences and Honors Programs, Lara Roemer wrote in their nomination. “She was always positive, and that positivity would frequently inspire others to work hard. She has relentlessly pursued her dreams.”

Tina Veal (left) and Cassandra Sherwin (right)

• 2021 — Tina Veal
• 2020 — Kiley Thomas Quinn
• 2019 — Darci Heap
• 2018 — Craig Willis
• 2017 — Dr. Karmen Hopkins
• 2016 — Robert Mason
• 2015 — Dr. Judy Glaser
• 2014 — Judge Thomas Keith
• 2013 — Jim Purlee
• 2012 — Susan Swartwout
• 2011 — Cynthia Kitchen
• 2010 — Cynthia Kiffer
• 2009 — Joshua Gibb
• 2008 — Brenda Stewart Clevidence
• 2007 — Bonni Smith-Skripps
• 2006 — Sandra Gavin
• 2005 — Tara Miller
• 2004 — Dave Burns
• 2003 — Dr. Lori Sundberg
• 2002 — Christine Baumgardner
• 2001 — Lannie Cation
• 2000 — Sharon Graham
• 1999 — Linda Foster
• 1998 — Victor Miller
• 1997 — Betty Thal
• 1996 — Rose Stockman
• 1995 — Larry Schwartz
• 1994 — Daniel Baker
• 1993 — Ann Murdock
• 1992 — Jan Lundeen
• 1991 — No recipient
• 1990 — Louis Gamage & Mary Louderman
• 1989 — Janice Champion
• 1988 — Donna Medina
• 1987 — Gerald Strom Jr.
• 1986 — John Delawder III
• 1985 — Russell Orwig
• 1984 — Daniel Bailey
• 1983 — Jerry Latherow
• 1982 — F. Dale Cozad
• 1981 — Maren Kay Carlson
• 1980 — Daniel Baker
• 1979 — William Campbell

Carl Sandburg College Outstanding Young Alumnus Award Recipients

• 2021 — Cassandra Sherwin
• 2020 — Becca Schwieter
• 2019 — Kassie Karssen-Schoon
• 2018 — Krista Winters
• 2017 — Matthew Wolford
• 2016 — Elvith Santoyo-McNaught
• 2015 — Travis Nesby
• 2014 — Trevor Davies
• 2013 — Naomi Wai
• 2012 — Ashley Swick