Former Northwestern President Dr. Alan Cureton Awarded the Dan Dutcher Meritorious Service Award
ST. PAUL, MN – Former University of Northwestern-St. Paul President, Dr. Alan S. Cureton, has been awarded the 2022 Dan Dutcher Meritorious Service Award. This award is awarded annually to an individual, who over time, has made significant and substantial contributions to Division III athletics consistent with the purposes of the Division III Commissioners Association. Candidates shall be a current or former conference or institutional representative, including, but not limited to, conference executives, athletics administrators, faculty athletics representatives and academic administrators. “Receiving this award has an added blessing for me. I hold Dan Dutcher in high regard. His zeal for Division III was real and contagious. Working alongside him was a joy. It is humbling to receive an award associated with a man of his character and integrity.” Dr. Cureton said.
Dr. Cureton started as Northwestern’s president in 2002, before officially retiring at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year. During his time as chair of the Presidents Council, which he served on for six years and was the chair for two, Dr. Cureton facilitated Division III business sessions at the annual NCAA Convention. Dr. Cureton also headed up sub-committee work which assessed the composition of the Board of Governers and his work ultimately led to a re-shaping of the Division III Board of Governors with the addition of independent members.
At the local level, Dr. Cureton was pivotal in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference’s (UMAC) decision to pursue NCAA Division III membership in the early 2000s. He developed structures and policies across all levels of the UMAC governance that align with the principles and philosophy of Division III. Dr. Cureton served as the UMAC Council of Presidents for multiple terms where he was influential in strategic growth of the UMAC membership both with current members, and through the pursuit of new member institutions.
At Northwestern, Dr. Cureton led several campaigns and projects to enhance athletics, including a 12 million-dollar outdoor complex that has become one of the premier athletic facilities in the country for Division III. Northwestern athletics thrived under the leadership of Dr. Cureton and he is a huge advocate of Division III athletics.