Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - Two University of Wisconsin-Platteville students were honored Feb. 8 by receiving the 2008 Alliant Energy/Erroll B. Davis Jr. Award. This is the second year the award has been given out and recognized the outstanding scholarship and community-service efforts of students from traditionally underrepresented minority groups.

The UWP students are PaChia Lor from Platteville, WI and Duane Mahone from Bellwood, IL. Lor is a first generation college student, planning to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. She currently serves as a commissioner of the Segregated University Allocation Commission and has served as a board member for the Hmong Mutual Assistance Association. Mahone received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from UWP in December. He was a member of the Black Student Union, a resident assistant and member of UWP's football team.

PaChia Lor

"Both PaChia and Duane are very good students and involved in a variety of campus activities,"Carol Sue Butts, UWP provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said. "They have made a difference on campus with their activities outside the classroom. Both are great role models for UWP students."

Duane Mahone

In 2006, the Alliant Energy Foundation established a $400,000 endowment to fund the awards. The endowment fund honors Davis distinguished resume of public service. Paying tribute to Davis legacy, award recipients represent undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented minority groups pursuing degrees in engineering or business, two degrees held by Davis.

"These students set high standards for themselves and worked hard to meet and surpass those standards. They are an impressive group; highly motivated and already very accomplished," Kevin P. Reilly, UW System president, said. "The community involvement of these students is an inspiration to all of us who urge our young people to put their talent to use to improve the society they will soon lead."

Davis was a member of the UWP board of regents from 1987 to 1994 and a former chief executive of Alliant Energy. He is now chancellor of the University of Georgia System. Davis was the first black leader of a "Business Week 1000" company.

Davis also sits on the U.S. Olympic Committee Board, and he was a former chairman of the board of trustees of Carnegie Mellon University, and a member of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. Davis is a 1993 winner of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and a M.B.A. in finance from the University of Chicago.

Contact: Pusaporn Tabrizi, Multicultural Educational Resource Center, (608) 342-1506, tabrizip@uwplatt.edu Written by: Kolina Stieber, UWP Office of Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, stieberk@uwplatt.edu