The Bird Award was established by anonymous donors in 1992. It annually recognizes an individual from the Lake Forest College community—faculty, staff, student or friend—who brings to the community a special measure of intellectual fervor and commitment.  

The recipient is expected to be an individual who by actions or words challenges the minds of others in the community, and who serves as a model for those who study and work at the College.  

Stevens was unanimously chosen by the committee as the 2015 recipient. As the principal public face of the College’s library, Stevens consistently displays real passion and commitment in the library’s behalf. She has spearheaded the library instruction program—especially for students in First-Year Studies—and worked closely with faculty on the acquisition of monographs and serials for the collection. Last year, Stevens coordinated the celebration of faculty scholarship, almost single-handedly producing the published scholarship list. She also has long served the College as a member and frequent chair of the Academic Honesty Judicial Board. 

The selection committee for this award consists of the president, the dean of the faculty, the dean of students, the trustee chair of the student affairs committee and last year’s recipient.  

The Bird Award honors Elizabeth Bird Parks, a graduate of the College in the Class of 1932, whose outstanding record at the College and whose spirit, in spite of a severe physical disability, was an inspiration for many; and her father; Harry Lewis Bird, a graduate of the College in 1894. 

Past recipients of the award have been:

2014 – Lou Lombardi

2013 – David Park

2012 – Dawn Abt-Perkins

2011 – Davis Schneiderman

2010 – Nancy Brekke

2009 – Shubhik DebBurman

2008 – Rob Flot

2007 – Ruthane Bopp

2006 – Anne Houde

2005 – James Cubit

2004 – Michael Ebner

2003 – Paul Fischer

2002 – Dan LeMahieu

2001 – Janet McCracken

2000 – Christopher Durso ’11

1999 – Ahmad Sadri

1998 – Cynthia Hahn

1997 – Nader Nazmi

1996 – Philip Simmons

1995 – Prue Beidler

1994 – William Martin

1993 – Ronald Miller

1992 – Worth Hawes ’93