Each year, the Colorado State University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Awards program recognizes CSU alumni and friends who have brought honor to the University by excelling in their fields, distinguishing themselves professionally, and made significant contributions to their industries, communities, and the institution. The Distinguished Alumni Awards celebration took place on Oct. 7, 2021, during Homecoming and Family Weekend.
Two of those who received awards are alumni of the College of Health and Human Sciences, Kevin Unger, who earned his Ph.D. from the School of Education, and Carla Dore, who earned her B.S. in the Department of Design and Merchandising.
Stacy (B.S., ‘91) and Kevin (B.A., ‘92; Ph.D., education and human resource studies, ‘13) Unger | Recipient of the Charles A. Lory Public Service Award
Hospitals are a great example of public service, and the name Unger has become synonymous with them in Northern Colorado. Kevin Unger is a Fort Collins native who was born at Poudre Valley Hospital. He earned two of four degrees from CSU (his master’s degrees in health administration and business administration are from the University of Colorado in Denver). Unger has been with PVH/UCHealth since 2001 and currently serves as the CEO of Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies. He’s also been working with CSU on the Asia medical partnership, as well as the CU-School of Medicine/CSU Medical School relationship. As a catalyst in transforming the healthcare industry in Northern Colorado, Unger received the prestigious Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award for Young Healthcare Executive of the Year in 2009.
Stacy Bond Unger moved from her hometown of Gibbon, Nebraska to Fort Collins to finish her degree at Colorado State. She also has a Master of Science in psychology from the University of Nebraska. The Ungers met at CSU and were married in 1993. After living in the Denver area for several years where Stacy Unger worked at the Aurora Mental Health Center, they returned to Fort Collins to raise their family. Stacy Unger is dedicated to improving her community, and serves on the boards of several local organizations that assist those in need, and was a founding board member of both the local Young Men’s Service League, Inc. (YMSL) chapter and Women Investing in Strategies for Health (WISH). YMSL is a nationwide nonprofit organization that teaches leadership and life skills to young men in high school while offering them and their mothers service opportunities to grow their relationship. WISH is a giving circle that educates, empowers, and inspires women philanthropists.
The Ungers live by the maxim that your career is about what you give back. Kevin Unger serves on the Executive Leadership Council for CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences, and the couple have been generous supporters of the University. In 2018, they established the Kevin and Stacy Unger Family Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to CHHS students who have been impacted by financial hardships that could prevent them from continuing their educations.
The Ungers are the proud parents of three children, Sydney (26) Mason (20) and Sophia (14). The family’s Ram Pride runs deep. Sydney has two degrees from CSU, currently lives in AZ, and is working toward her doctorate. Mason also works for UCHealth as an EMT and plans to attend CSU as well. Sophia is a freshman at Rocky Mountain High School.
About the award: This award is named for Dr. Charles A. Lory, fifth president of CSU, whose leadership helped the University attain a vital balance of teaching, research, and service. It is given to alumni who have demonstrated exceptional and sustained leadership in their community, professional field, or personal commitments, and have given a significant contribution of time and talent to the University.
Carla Dore (B.S., interior architecture and design, ’83) | Recipient of the College of Health and Human Sciences Honor Alumna Award
Carla Dore is the owner and president of Workplace Resource, one of Denver’s largest office furniture dealers. The company is a Herman Miller Certified Dealer and has received a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Certification. Throughout the years, she has employed many CSU graduates and student interns, offering them mentoring and opportunities to embark on design-related careers. She is an inaugural member of the Executive Leadership Council in the College of Health and Human Sciences and an affiliate faculty member at the Nancy Richardson Design Center. As a fourth-generation Coloradan and proud mother of two children, Dore is active in the community and serves on volunteer boards for several nonprofit organizations. She is a passionate Ram who gives back to the University through her time, support of students, leadership, advocacy, and generosity.
