Dr. Darrell Eyman '59
Dr. Darrell Eyman is celebrating his 50 year golden E reunion and receives this year’s Alumni Award of Merit recognizing lifetime excellence in his profession and in service to his alma mater and community.
Darrell received his Bachelor of Science degree. in Chemistry from Eureka College in 1959. Darrell knew Eureka College was the school for him because his mother was an alumna, and at the time of his high school graduation, his family lived in Eureka. During his years at EC, Darrell was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and served as President of Greek Senate.
Darrell received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1964.His entire career has been as a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Iowa. His activities have involved teaching, research, and service to the University, including nine years as Chair of the Department of Chemistry. All this along Darrell worked to create a research and development company, called ACCEL Catalysis, Inc.
Throughout his career Darrell has advised 27 Ph.D. candidates, 15 master’s candidates, including Eureka College professor Kevin Stillman, who nominated him for this award, 21 post-doctoral associates and visiting scholars, 12 undergraduate research students, 1 honors student, and 13 summer undergraduate research fellows. Darrell has co-authored 26 research papers, co-authored 8 books, holds 3 patents, co-authored or presented more than 75 papers at professional meetings, presented invited lectures at 20 industrial or government laboratories in the United States and abroad, and has been an invited lecturer at more than 40 Colleges and Universities across the country. Darrell has also secured over $6 million in externally funded grants for the University of Iowa since 1985.
Darrell’s research in the last decade has focused on Honda Motor Company funded projects directed at environmentally related issues. The majority of the effort has been directed at development of processes to generate hydrogen from gasoline and water for use in hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles and removal of nitrogen oxides from diesel exhaust. Synthesis, testing, and characterization of new catalysts to facilitate these processes has been a very valuable and rewarding experience, and the results may influence us all in the future.
Darrell has also given generously to Eureka College. Currently, he is in the midst of donating over 1500 journals to the Eureka College Library as well as a very large amount of scientific equipment to the College’s Science and Mathematics division. These donations represent Darrell’s tremendous contribution both professionally and personally to his alma mater.
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Dr. Darrell Eyman
The most significant memory of Eureka College for Darrell was the day he was working in Organic Chemistry laboratory in Vennum Science Hall and was tapped on the shoulder by Dr. Stephen Binkley, then a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Illinois - Chicago and a member of the Board of Trustees of Eureka College. He handed Darrell a sealed envelope with the suggestion that he “consider this”. The envelope contained a Fellowship offer for Ph.D. studies in Biochemistry at the University of Illinois - Chicago. Dr. Binkley’s expressed confidence in Darrell’s academic abilities, and the introduction of the opportunity to pursue the Ph.D. without concern for financial resources led Darrell to pursue the Ph.D. degree in Chemistry at the University of Illinois - Champaign-Urbana. Dr. Binkley’s suggestion essentially sealed Darrell’s professional fate.
Darrell currently lives in Iowa City, Iowa with his wife, Joyce (Joy) Beatrice (Myers) Eyman, also a Eureka College and University of Iowa alumnus. Darrell and Joy have one son, Gregory Paul Eyman, who is married and living in Eden Prairie, MN. They have two daughters, Jill Beatrice Sammel, and Rebecca Lynn Eyman, both married and living in Iowa City. Darrell and Joy have 8 grandchildren.
Darrell, in recognition of your professional achievement and your living example of how to use a liberal arts education, and for the difference you have made in countless lives, I am pleased on behalf of the alumni of Eureka College to present to you the 2009 Alumni Award of Merit. |
Elizabeth Mitchell '35
Elizabeth Mitchell, class of 1935 has also been selected to receive this year’s Alumni Award of Merit, recognizing lifetime excellence in her profession and service to her community.
Elizabeth Mitchell was born in Eureka in 1913. Growing up in Eureka, Elizabeth always knew she would attend Eureka College. While she was a student, Elizabeth was in Delta Delta Pi sorority, Women’s Glee Club, served the Y.W.C.A. as a Cabinet Officer, and was in the drama club. She received her music education degree from Eureka College in 1935.
Elizabeth credits her service as President of Delta Delta Pi with teaching her great organizational and leadership skills. She also credits her wonderful parents and a good upbringing and the opportunity to go to school with quality students and teachers with shaping her character in a positive manner.
Elizabeth taught in a small school in Rutland, Illinois. She has taught over 250 students piano and organ over the years. For the past 70 years, Elizabeth has lived in St. Paul, Indiana. Elizabeth was the music director for church since 1939. She was an Organizational Year member of "Association of Disciple Musicians," serving several times on the Board of Directors. Elizabeth served as an organizer of the Indiana Joint Children's Choir Festival. She was named as "A Sagamore of the Wabash" by Governor Bayh in May 1989 for humanity, loyalty, wisdom, counsel and inspiration. Elizabeth was honored by the town of St. Paul in 1989 when the Town council by proclamation declared that day to be "Elizabeth Mitchell Day."
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Elizabeth has three sons: Walker and Mary Mitchell of Ohio, Bob and Kathy Mitchell of Indiana, and William and Dee Mitchell of Arkansas. She has 10 grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.
In recognition of Elizabeth’s professional achievement and her living example of how to use a liberal arts education, and for the difference she has made in countless lives, I am pleased on behalf of the alumni of Eureka College to present the distinction of Alumni Award of Merit . Elizabeth could not be in attendance this evening but is thrilled to be honored. In fact Elizabeth is so thrilled she has prepared some comments for you that we will share with you now.
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