2018 Alumni Award recipients announced
After careful consideration, the Wayne State University Alumni Association is pleased to announce the recipients of this year's Wayne State University alumni awards:
Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. James Prochaska '64, M.A. '67, Ph.D. '69 is the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally and through service to Wayne State University. The award honors individuals who have made a distinct impact and outstanding achievement in their field of service and serve as role models to enhance the visibility of Wayne State and the community.
Dr. Prochaska is director of the Cancer Prevention Research Center and professor of clinical and health psychology at the University of Rhode Island. He is the author of over 400 publications, including four books.
The founder of Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Dr. Prochaska is internationally recognized for his work as a developer of the stage model of behavior change. He also is the principal investigator on over $80 million dollars in research grants for the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases.
Dr. Prochaska has won numerous awards, including being named one of the Top Five Most Cited Authors in Psychology from the American Psychology Society, and receiving an Innovator's Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He also is the first psychologist to win a Medal of Honor for Clinical Research from the American Cancer Society.
Homer D. Strong Award
Robert T, Reaves '11, M.B.A. '15 is the recipient of the 2018 Homer D. Strong Award, presented for distinguished leadership and service to the alumni association and the university, for stimulating alumni participation, and significantly benefiting the university through volunteer leadership.
A native Detroiter and first-generation college graduate, Reaves currently serves as director of strategic planning, accreditation and assurance at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
As a board member of Ronald McDonald House Charities Detroit and president of the charity's junior board, Reaves established a partnership between the charity and the WSU School of Medicine that will launch a mobile medical unit to deliver neighborhood health care to inner-city children.
He also is ambassador to the Michigan Opera Theatre and an active member on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Next Generation Committee, where his volunteer work involves fundraising, strategic planning and community outreach focused on enriching Detroit and increasing audience diversity.