Viterbo University will honor nine graduates at its annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, which this year will be held Friday, Oct. 8, as part of Viterbo Days. The ceremony, hosted by Tom Thibodeau, will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center's Nola Starling Recital Hall.
Viterbo’s alumni awards, which go back to 1967, started a new tradition two years ago, with each of the university’s three colleges honoring two alumni, one for professional development and one as a rising professional. This year with a reorganization of the college structure, there were five professional achievements, one from each college, and two rising professional awards. In addition, the tradition of honoring alumni with the Spirit of Francis Award and Service to the University Award continues.
Winners of 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awards include the following:
Spirit of Francis — Aaron Rasch ’15
Service to the University — Arbender Robinson ’98
College of Engineering, Letters, and Sciences Professional Achievement — Debra Murray ’90
College of Business, Leadership, and Ethics Professional Achievement — Joshua Clark ’08
College of Nursing and Health Professional Achievement — Joel Theisen ’90
School of Education Professional Achievement — Ryan Rieber ’01, ’06
Conservatory for the Performing Arts Professional Achievement — Lindsey Giese ’07
Conservatory for the Performing Arts Rising Professional — Avery Boettcher ’15
College of Nursing and Health Rising Professional — Emily Schmidt ’13
Spirit of Francis — Aaron Rasch ’15
A graduate of Viterbo’s Master of Arts in Servant Leadership program, Rasch has focused on improving life for the less fortunate, embracing the example of St. Francis to welcome all as if they were Christ Himself. He is Place of Grace house coordinator, as well as chairing the La Crosse Mental Health Coalition. He helped create La Crosse Lighthouse, a safe house for those struggling with addiction and mental health issues, and has been part of the La Crosse Coalition to End Homelessness.
Service to the University — Arbender Robinson ’98
A veteran Broadway performer who has been part of Tony Award-winning shows including Hairspray, Hair, The Book of Mormon, and Disney's The Lion King, Robinson has shared his time freely and frequently at Viterbo since earning his theatre arts degree. A Viterbo Board of Trustees member, Robinson has been an avid recruiter for the university, serving as a visiting professor and conducting master classes. He also has helped students by taking part in Speed Mock interviews and offering expert guidance.
Professional Achievement Award Winners
College of Business, Leadership, and Ethics — Joshua Clark ’08
Since earning his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing, Clark has distinguished himself as a national sales manager of a large manufacturing company. He and his wife, Jennifer, also have ownership stakes in 12 Culver’s restaurants in four states, a number that will grow to 15 by year’s end. A company he started 10 years ago, Clark Business Solutions, offers services to fellow Culver’s franchise owners, including human resources, accounting, and consulting.
College of Engineering, Letters, and Sciences Professional Achievement — Debra Murray ’90
A full-time Viterbo faculty member since 1995, Murray earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology (with a minor in sociology) as a single mother who had battled through cancer and chemical dependency. She has gone on to blaze trails in counseling and counselor training, playing a lead role in establishing Viterbo as a premier institution for counselor education, now serving as director of Viterbo’s graduate counselor education programs, which include Wisconsin’s first educational doctorate in counselor education and supervision.
College of Nursing and Health Professional Achievement — Joel Theisen ’90
Since earning his nursing degree, Theisen has been driven to improve care experiences for seniors and their families by providing holistic, person-centered services through coordinated efforts from all care partners. He is the founder and CEO of Lifesprk, a Twin Cities-based company that provides short- and long-term care services that address all areas of well being for the aging to give them the quality of life that puts a “spark in their eyes.”
School of Education Professional Achievement — Ryan Rieber ’01, ’06
Rieber was the first in his family to graduate from college when he earned his bachelor’s degree in education (with mathematics minor), and after starting a teaching career he came back to Viterbo for a master’s degree. He’s since served as principal for eight years in two schools and since 2020 has served as superintendent of the West Salem School District. He also serves on the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse.
Conservatory for the Performing Arts Professional Achievement — Lindsey Giese ’07
An arts administration and music theatre double major, Giese toured the world for five years as a cruise ship singer as well as performing on regional stages and touring as a performer in “Sweet Dreams and Honky Tonks.” Since 2013, she also has served as executive director of River Arts Inc., a Prairie du Sac-based multifaceted arts, theatre, and outreach organization that serves Sauk County, and she devotes many hours to civic improvement work in her hometown.
Rising Professional Award Winners
Conservatory for the Performing Arts Rising Professional — Avery Boettcher ’15
After earning her music degree at Viterbo and a master’s degree from Indiana University, Boettcher is off to a noteworthy start in the opera world, a versatile and captivating performer whose soprano voice has been described as “lustrous and opulent.” She has been a featured soloist at the Aspen Music Festival and has performed with opera companies in Michigan, New Hampshire, and Missouri. Her talents have been recognized in numerous national and international competitions.
College of Nursing and Health Rising Professional — Emily Schmidt ’13
Since graduating from Viterbo with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics (and a psychology minor), Emily Schmidt has worked for Mayo Clinic Health System, for the past 2.5 years as lead dietitian for Mayo clinics in Austin, Owatonna, and Albert Lea, Minn., where she lives. A mother of two, Schmidt earned a master’s degree in nutrition from Central Michigan University in 2019, while balancing work, family life, and teaching at Viterbo as an adjunct instructor.