The university will recognize four outstanding alumni at a ceremony June 23 during Reunion Weekend on the Winona Campus.
Dr. Bobbie (Smith) Gostout ’83 will receive the Distinguished Alumna Award which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in career and community and the Lasallian values of mentoring and service to others. In her role as vice president for Mayo Clinic, Gostout is accountable for setting vision and providing oversight for the Mayo Clinic Community Medicine practices, including 18 regional hospitals and 68 regional clinics. She is chair of the Mayo Clinic department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and serves as a member of the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors.
Judy (Mullins) Lucas ’83 will receive the Alumni Appreciation Award which honors and thanks alumni for consistent and valuable volunteer efforts to further the goals and success of the university. Lucas and her husband, John Lucas ’84, and their families are longtime supporters of Saint Mary’s University. Judy Lucas has been an avid supporter of Saint Mary’s athletics and serves on the Athletic Advisory Board. The Mullins and Lucas families have taken leadership roles with several university events. The Lucas family created an endowed scholarship, the Daniel E. ’47 and Veronica M. Lucas Legacy Scholarship, which supports children of undergraduate alumni.
Sarah (Bellingham) Laitinen ’07 will receive the Lasallian Service Award which goes to alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the Lasallian spirit of faith and zeal and exemplify the highest of Lasallian values. Laitinen has dedicated her life to Lasallian service. She’s served in many roles, including as a Lasallian Volunteer and faculty member at the San Miguel School in Providence, R.I. She serves on the International Council of Young Lasallians and has participated in many formation programs and Lasallian gatherings. Laitinen is the director of Lasallian Programs in the Office for Lasallian Education at Christian Brothers Conference.
Ania McNamara ’11 will receive the Outstanding Young Alumna Award which goes to a young alumna who has made significant professional accomplishments and served her alma mater and society. A senior marketing professional who specializes in digital marketing, McNamara is finding success in her career and in her personal passion. She founded McNamara Marketing in 2016 which provides full-service marketing to businesses worldwide. In her spare time, McNamara organizes the CCF4Orphans Project, a 10-year initiative sending Christmas gifts overseas to children who reside in Polish orphanages. This cause is close to her heart as she and her sisters were adopted from an orphanage in Poland as young children.