Amongst the smell of freshly painted Homecoming floats and the sounds of excited Wabash men ready for a long day of football, the National Association of Wabash Men (NAWM) and members of campus gather in the Pioneer Chapel to celebrate those who have truly left an impact on the College during the annual Alumni Chapel. However, this past year, one award was not able to be presented: The Butler-Turner Student-Alumni Engagement Award. Although Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor of English Jill Lamberton was unable to attend the Alumni Chapel last September, the NAWM made it right by presenting the award during a dinner program.
The award is presented to the Wabash faculty or staff member who has made an outstanding contribution to Wabash College by distinguishing themselves through the investment of personal time and resources resulting in a significant impact on Wabash students and/or alumni.
“Throughout her time at Wabash, Professor Lamberton has fostered a sense of belonging among our students and alumni,” said Director of Alumni and Affinity Group Engagement Ron Dostal ’92. “In various roles, she has worked to support students from marginalized communities, helped increase the enrollment and graduation of young men from new majority populations, demonstrated how a timeless liberal arts education speaks to the timely issues of equity and inclusion, created more cultural and artistic programming for Wabash and Montgomery County and significantly expanded the engagement of Wabash students with the Crawfordsville community.”
Lamberton did this through various acts across campus, such as organizing English Department tailgates at Wabash soccer matches and working closely with students in the Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program. She also has previously served on the Advisory Board of the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies (MXIBS). Outside of her direct involvement in major organizations, her interest in students and faculty alike were main pillars in why she was given the award.
“I am genuinely curious about other peoples’ stories,” said Lamberton. “So I do like to get to know my students — where they come from, what their goals are, what their challenges are, what they are uniquely good at in a way others are not. And when someone trusts you with their story, they are giving you something almost sacred. To me, this award says students, alumni and the NAWM recognize those things as genuine. I try to be worthy of my students’ trust, and when I mess up, I try to apologize and reflect on how not to make the same mistake again.”
The award, named for Dr. Butler – the first woman hired on tenure-track at Wabash – and Horace Turner – the first full-time director of the MXIBS – both worked with Professor Lamberton at Wabash shortly before both of their retirements.
“A part of the story of this award is the professor, Dr. Melissa Butler, and staff member, Horace Turner — ‘H.T.’ as the students called him — for whom it is named,” said Lamberton. “I knew and worked with them both in my early days at Wabash, just before their retirements, and each was a legend. It is a deep honor to know that the NAWM sees my campus role as continuing Dr. Butler and H.T.’s long, devoted campus leadership. May it continue to be so!”
While many awards presented by the NAWM to members of the Wabash community are named after past Wabash legends, the recipients themselves will be ingrained as critical parts of Wabash’s history themselves.
“It’s a core human need to be seen, known and valued, and we all play a part by appreciating one another,” said Dostal. “Wabash is blessed with an exceptional faculty and staff, and our alumni are proud to honor one member each year who has particularly distinguished themselves. And, it’s a way of recognizing today’s Wabash legends in real time, connecting them to the legends of the past that many of our alumni may be more familiar with from their own years as students on campus.”
The NAWM board is open to receiving nominations from any student, alumnus, faculty or staff member, and will consider this year’s nominations during its May 2025 meeting. Those selected will be honored during Alumni Chapel at Homecoming on September 27, 2025.