The Young Women’s Christian Association of Madison announced the recipients of its 2008 Women of Distinction Awards Thursday, and a UW-Madison Law School professor is among the five honorees.
The organization selected Cheryl Rosen Weston, an attorney with Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach LLP and CEO of Douglas Stewart Co., as one of the award’s recipients. Weston has been teaching courses for the UW-Madison Law School since the 1970s.
According to Carolyn Lazar Butler, UW-Madison Law School assistant dean of external communication, two other honorees have ties to the UW-Madison law school.
Mary Burke, former secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Commerce, graduated from the law school in 1989 and currently is a mentor for students, according to Butler. Marcia Anderson, clerk of the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, also serves as a mentor to law students.
“The law school is delighted that the YWCA has chosen to honor three lawyers with strong connections to the UW,” Butler said.
“These amazing women epitomize the commitment that many in our profession make to public service,” she said.
Other recipients are Theola Carter, section chief for the state’s Workers Compensation Division, and Vera Riley, former assistant principal at Madison’s East High School.
Debra Schwabe, event coordinator for the YWCA of Madison, said recipients are nominated for the award and then chosen by a selection committee of 15 to 20 community members.
Recipients will be honored at a luncheon May 29 at the Concourse Hotel in Madison. The luncheon also serves as one of the YWCA of Madison’s biggest fundraisers, attracting an average crowd of 700 each year.
“We are thankful and proud that our community is drawn toward these awards, and that many people have taken the time to recognize so many committed and accomplished women,” YWCA of Madison President Therese Gulbransen said in a statement.
According to the YWCA, the Women of Distinction Awards began in 1974 to commend Madison women who exemplify the organization’s mission of “empowering women and eliminating racism.” Since then, 171 women have received the award.
