Alumni Award Winners

Young Alumni Achievement Award
Eva Creydt Schulte ’99

Eva Creydt Schulte ’99 is this year’s Young Alumni Achievement Award recipient. The award is presented to an alumnus who graduated from Central College within the last 15 years and has demonstrated significant professional and personal accomplishments since graduation.

Schulte majored in art while at Central. She spent three consecutive semesters studying abroad in Mexico, the Netherlands and Spain, where she developed a passion for serving the less fortunate. After graduating, she enrolled in the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., where she earned a master’s in ethics and social theory.

Since then, Schulte has served as a diaconal minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, where she engages Christians, Jews and Muslims in leadership development to address some of the most pressing problems facing families. She has also worked on community service projects throughout the country. Her service work includes establishing youth sports facilities and creating the nonprofit Fair Community Credit, which provides families on the financial fringe a pathway into the economic mainstream through short-term, small-dollar loans. Schulte also has overseas connections, including Congregations Rebuilding Community in Rwanda and Girls to School, an initiative providing access to education for girls in Mauritania, Africa.

Schulte and husband Brock ’99 reside in Kansas City, where she remains active in service work. For pleasure, she enjoys cooking and painting and finds adventure through traveling, scuba diving and riding motorcycles with her husband.

Alumni Achievement Award
Darrell Brand ’59

Demonstrating exceptional professional and life accomplishments, Darrell Brand ’59 is this year’s Alumni Achievement Award honoree. Brand dedicated his career to educating, coaching and working with young people. After receiving his degree from Central, he taught in Farmington and Prairie City, where he established numerous boys’ and girls’ sports programs, in addition to coaching football, softball and boys’ and girls’ basketball and track. During this period, Brand earned a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Drake University.

Brand also served as the elementary school principal, head football coach and athletic director in the Montezuma Community School District. In 1975, he took the high school principal position while continuing his coaching and A.D. duties. Brand also led the FCA group in Montezuma for 20 years. Throughout his career, he has received additional degrees and certifications in elementary education and educational administration from Drake University.

Brand has served as an assistant football coach at Central, while also mentoring student teachers and serving as a Drake Relays official. He is on the Drake Relays Officials Wall of Honor. In 1995, he was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame. He was honored by the Iowa High School Athletics Association in 1999 for his service to Iowa high school athletics. Brand and wife Sherma ’61 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2009. The couple lives in Montezuma and has one daughter and two grandchildren.

Alumni Stewardship, Service and Leadership Award
Marcia Breur DeWild ’65

Marcia Breur DeWild ’65 of Zeeland, Mich., is the recipient of the Alumni Stewardship, Service and Leadership Award. The honor is earned by an alumnus who has demonstrated exceptional stewardship, service, leadership, integrity, energy and sustainability efforts toward Central College and in her community.

DeWild has dedicated her life to serving people with disabilities and special needs. Her career has focused on advocacy efforts for special needs people, and she is a member of many groups and committees that provide support and leadership in developing community resources, services and opportunities for those with special needs. As an organizer, facilitator and presenter, Marcia gathers people together to work for the best interests of those with disabilities and special needs.

She earned her Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University in Michigan in 1986 and currently serves as a guardian for the Ottawa County Probate Court and works with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Outside her career, DeWild also dedicates herself to those in need. She volunteers as an administrator for Homes For All, which provides low-cost housing and support for people with disabilities. She also works as a mentor and life coach through local churches.

DeWild and her husband Ken have a small farm, where they raise alpacas, horses and chickens. The couple has two grandchildren who love to help out on the farm.

Honorary Alumnus Award
Bill and Wilma Northup

To be considered for the Honorary Alumnus designation, the following criteria are evaluated: attendance at a variety of college activities, involvement with the college’s programs, financial support and expressed interest in and dedication to the college’s well-being. The designation is only awarded to those individuals who by their spirit and actions are deemed to be the personification of actual alumni.

Bill and Wilma Northup have provided a strong legacy at Central College. Their four sons—Norman ’73, Phillip ’77, Bill ’83 and Bobby ’84—are all Central graduates, and the boys have fond memories of their time at Central, particularly playing football for coach Ron Schipper and singing in the A Cappella Choir. Bill and Wilma always enjoyed watching their sons perform and were strong supporters of the college during that time. The couple continues to support Central through their attendance at athletics events, concerts and scholarship dinners and their support of their grandchildren who study here.

Bill retired from the U.S. Postal Service after serving for 32 years. He is also a certified lay speaker for the United Methodist Church. Wilma’s most rewarding job was working as a homemaker/health aide for many years. She has held many service positions in the United Methodist Church.

In honor of their parents’ support for their education, their sons established the Bill and Wilma Northup Endowed Scholarship, as well as the Van Arsdell-Northup Music Scholarship. In 1980, the Northups were honored as a Central College family. They danced to “In the Mood” at one of Central’s jazz concerts and again in 2010 at their 60th wedding anniversary celebration. Today, Bill and Wilma reside in Ollie, Iowa, and summer in south Texas for four months every year…and still enjoy dancing.