Aurora University Honors Kitty Hawk Resident

AURORA, Ill.-- Ann Cunningham Sheets of Fort Worth, Texas received a George Williams College Distinguished Alumni Award at Aurora (Ill.) University’s annual homecoming 50th reunion and awards dinner Friday, Oct. 19.

Sheets, a 1977 George Williams alum, was among four alumni and a staff member honored.  

In addition to Sheets, other alumni recognized were Betty J. Parke Tucker of Kitty Hawk, N.C., a 1952 Aurora College (AC) B.A. alumnus, who received a Distinguished Alumni Award; Rosemary Fischer Humbles of Live Oak, Fla., a 1966 AC B.A. alumnus, who received the Roger K. Parolini Lifetime Achievement Award; and Linnea A. Windel of St. Charles, Ill., a 1997 AU M.S.N. alumnus, who received the George Peters Community Partnership Award. Maggie Sharrer of Aurora, Ill., executive assistant to AU President Rebecca L. Sherrick, received the AU Spirit Award.

Roger Tucker of Somonauk, Ill., AC ’61 and president of the AU Alumni Association, presided at the awards presentation in the lobby of the university’s Institute for Collaboration.

Fred Clothey, AC B.A. ’57 and B.T. ’57, presented a $7,000 class gift to AU President Rebecca L. Sherrick. The gift will be used to seed the fund to purchase an organ for Crimi Auditorium.

Ann Cunningham Sheets, who earned her degree in social work from George Williams College, received a Distinguished Alumni Award presented by Rita Yerkes, Dean of the School of Experiential Leadership for George Williams College of Aurora University at Williams Bay, Wis.

Yerkes said, "It is an honor to recognize Ann Cunningham Sheets for her outstanding contributions to excellence throughout her career.”

Sheets is a 1977 graduate of George Williams College where she received a master’s degree in leisure and environmental resources administration with an emphasis in administration of organized camping.

During her time at GWC, Ann was a resident hall director for one year. Her experience with youth also included many summer camp positions with the Council of Camp Fire, Inc., in Forth Worth, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Indianapolis; and San Francisco.

“This experience has served Ann well in her distinguished career with the Camp Fire USA First Texas Council. She began as a camp director at Camp El Tesoro for two years, then became the assistant executive director of outdoor programs and facilities for six years, and then held the position of assistant executive director of administration and finance for 16 years.”

Since 2002, Sheets has been the senior vice president of administration and finance where she is responsible for managing a $5 million budget; coordinates the work of the council finance committee and foundation board of directors; oversees the strategic planning for the council; and manages human resources for more than 100 employees.

Her achievements include increasing enrollment at resident camp from 830 camper weeks to 1,285 camper weeks in three years, and overseeing construction of a $4 million service center and renovation efforts at camp for 28 buildings.

Sheets’ professional memberships include the American Camp Association, the American Society of Association Executives and the Camp Fire Association of Professionals. She is currently the national president of the American Camp Association and has served on the board of directors for many years.

She has chaired a campaign to raise $2.5 million for research and repositioning of the ACA and served as the national treasurer for ACA for three years.

Sheets has been active in her community through her bachelor’s degree in music education from East Texas State University. She is an active member of the Tau Beta Sigma National Band Honorary Society and has served as national president, national vice-president and district president.

Within Tau Beta Sigma, she implemented district president’s training and increased the involvement of music professionals in the organization. For her efforts, she received the Past President’s Award in 1987 and is a Tau Beta Sigma Life Member. She also has been a member of a number of community and city bands, a civic orchestra, and the Arlington, Texas, Fine Arts Council.

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Sheets Honored—Ann Cunningham Sheets, left, a Ft. Worth, Texas resident, received Aurora (Ill.) University's George Williams College Distinguished Alumni Award at AU’s annual homecoming 50th reunion and awards dinner Oct. 19. Rita Yerkes, right, Dean of the School of Experiential Leadership for George Williams College of Aurora University at Williams Bay, Wis., presented Sheets’ award. Sheets was among four alumni and a staff member honored at AU's annual alumni reunion and awards dinner in the Institute for Collaboration.

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