BETHANY, W.Va. (Sept. 15, 2026) — Bethany College will honor three outstanding members of the Bethany community during the 2026 Alumni Celebration Dinner on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m., as part of Back to the Future Homecoming. The awards recognize excellence in teaching and professional achievement and celebrate individuals whose accomplishments reflect the values and traditions of Bethany College.
The 2026 award recipients are:
- James E. Allison Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. Michael P. Mihalyo, Jr.
- Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award: Richard E. Doran ’78 and Kelly Kowalski ’10
“These three have each shown excellence through their leadership, service, and dedication. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the lasting impact they have made on our community,” said Vice President for Advancement Jason Koegler.
The James E. Allison Award for Teaching Excellence is presented periodically to a Bethany College faculty member who demonstrates outstanding teaching and a lasting commitment to student success. Named for longtime mathematics professor James E. Allison, the award recognizes educators whose passion for learning, mentorship, and academic excellence leaves a lasting impact on generations of students. This year’s award honors Mihalyo for his dedication to teaching and his enduring influence on the Bethany community.
Dr. Michael P. Mihalyo, Jr.
Mihalyo is a professor of music, chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts and director of interdisciplinary studies at Bethany College. He has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Bethany, first studying piano with Bethany College Artist-in-Residence Oliver Manning in the 1970s before returning to the College in 1995 as a co-founder of the restored Music Department, adjunct faculty member, faculty member and provost. In his current role, Mihalyo has revived the College Wind Ensemble, Pep Band and Chamber Choir, serving as conductor for each. In 2026, he also served as producer, music director and pianist for the College’s production of “Cinderella.”
Throughout his career in higher education, Mihalyo has served in faculty, chair, provost and president roles at several colleges and universities across the United States, as well as president of the Appalachian College Association, a consortium of 35 colleges and universities in the Appalachian region, including Bethany College. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University, Duquesne University and West Virginia University, where he earned a doctor of musical arts degree in piano performance. His grant-funded research in Berlin, Germany, and Prague, Czech Republic, on the keyboard works of Xaver Scharwenka has received attention and been cited by musicologists in the United States and Europe. An active chamber and church musician, collaborative pianist, adjudicator and conductor, Mihalyo also currently serves as organist at Bethany Memorial Church and has performed during a series of concerts throughout Italy with the St. Peter Festival Choir of Pittsburgh.
Richard E. Doran ’78
Doran is a distinguished attorney and former Florida attorney general whose career has focused on government regulation, civil
litigation, and appellate law. He served as a shareholder at the Tallahassee law firm Ausley McMullen from 2003 to 2025, where his practice focused on state government regulation, civil litigation and appellate work. He has served as counsel of record in more than 200 reported appellate cases in Florida and federal courts and has represented individuals, businesses and government officials in matters involving Florida constitutional and statutory law, consumer protection, Medicaid fraud, campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, public records, and state procurement.
Doran’s career in public service includes serving as Florida’s 34th attorney general from 2002 to 2003 and as chief deputy attorney general from 1997 to 2002, where he supervised approximately 1,100 assistant attorneys general and staff. He also served as general counsel for the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and has held numerous leadership positions involving judicial nominations, legal administration, and criminal justice reform.
His professional accomplishments have earned recognition from Best Lawyers in America, Martindale-Hubbell, and Florida Legal Elite. In 2015, he received the Francis X. Bellotti Award from the National Association of Attorneys General/Society of Attorneys General Emeritus for his service on behalf of former state attorneys general. Doran earned his bachelor’s degree in English literature from Bethany College in 1978 and his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law.
Kelly Kowalski ’10
Kowalski is head of investment strategy at MassMutual and chief investment officer for MassMutual Ascend. A financial strategist with more than a decade of experience overseeing MassMutual’s General Investment Account, she specializes in market analysis and portfolio optimization. In her current leadership role, Kowalski guides the development, execution and communication of MassMutual’s investment strategy and oversees the $50 billion MassMutual Ascend portfolio.
Kowalski is a recognized thought leader in investment management and has represented MassMutual across major media platforms, including CNBC, Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance, providing expert insight on markets and the economy. She previously served as chair of the Women’s Leadership Business Resource Group, where she championed initiatives supporting inclusion and professional growth across the organization. Before joining MassMutual in 2014, she was an Equity and Derivatives Strategist at UBS Investment Bank.
Kowalski earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Bethany College and her MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.
Alumni award recipients are selected by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council from nominations submitted by alumni and friends of the College. The annual awards recognize individuals whose teaching, leadership, service and professional accomplishments embody the mission and values of Bethany College.
For those interested in joining, the Homecoming Celebration Dinner and Alumni Awards Reception will take place on Friday, Sept. 18 from 6-8 p.m. with a $35 entry fee. For those who cannot make it, the event will be livestreamed on the College’s Facebook page.
BETHANY, W.Va. (Sept. 15, 2026) — Bethany College will honor three outstanding members of the Bethany community during the 2026 Alumni Celebration Dinner on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m., as part of Back to the Future Homecoming. The awards recognize excellence in teaching and professional achievement and celebrate individuals whose accomplishments reflect the values and traditions of Bethany College.
The 2026 award recipients are:
- James E. Allison Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. Michael P. Mihalyo Jr.
- Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award: Richard E. Doran ’78 and Kelly Kowalski ’10
“These three have each shown excellence through their leadership, service, and dedication. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the lasting impact they have made on our community,” said Vice President for Advancement Jason Koegler.
The James E. Allison Award for Teaching Excellence is presented periodically to a Bethany College faculty member who demonstrates outstanding teaching and a lasting commitment to student success. Named for longtime mathematics professor James E. Allison, the award recognizes educators whose passion for learning, mentorship, and academic excellence leaves a lasting impact on generations of students. This year’s award honors Mihalyo for his dedication to teaching and his enduring influence on the Bethany community.
Dr. Michael P. Mihalyo Jr.
Mihalyo is a professor of music, chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts and director of interdisciplinary studies at Bethany College. He has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Bethany, first studying piano with Bethany College Artist-in-Residence Oliver Manning in the 1970s before returning to the College in 1995 as a co-founder of the restored Music Department, adjunct faculty member, faculty member and provost. In his current role, Mihalyo has revived the College Wind Ensemble, Pep Band and Chamber Choir, serving as conductor for each. In 2026, he also served as producer, music director and pianist for the College’s production of “Cinderella.”
Throughout his career in higher education, Mihalyo has served in faculty, chair, provost and president roles at several colleges and universities across the United States, as well as president of the Appalachian College Association, a consortium of 35 colleges and universities in the Appalachian region, including Bethany College. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University, Duquesne University and West Virginia University, where he earned a doctor of musical arts degree in piano performance. His grant-funded research in Berlin, Germany, and Prague, Czech Republic, on the keyboard works of Xaver Scharwenka has received attention and been cited by musicologists in the United States and Europe. An active chamber and church musician, collaborative pianist, adjudicator and conductor, Mihalyo also currently serves as organist at Bethany Memorial Church and has performed during a series of concerts throughout Italy with the St. Peter Festival Choir of Pittsburgh.
Richard E. Doran ’78
Doran is a distinguished attorney and former Florida attorney general whose career has focused on government regulation, civil litigation, and appellate law. He served as a shareholder at the Tallahassee law firm Ausley McMullen from 2003 to 2025, where his practice focused on state government regulation, civil litigation and appellate work. He has served as counsel of record in more than 200 reported appellate cases in Florida and federal courts and has represented individuals, businesses and government officials in matters involving Florida constitutional and statutory law, consumer protection, Medicaid fraud, campaign finance, lobbying, ethics, public records, and state procurement.
Doran’s career in public service includes serving as Florida’s 34th attorney general from 2002 to 2003 and as chief deputy attorney general from 1997 to 2002, where he supervised approximately 1,100 assistant attorneys general and staff. He also served as general counsel for the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and has held numerous leadership positions involving judicial nominations, legal administration, and criminal justice reform.
His professional accomplishments have earned recognition from Best Lawyers in America, Martindale-Hubbell, and Florida Legal Elite. In 2015, he received the Francis X. Bellotti Award from the National Association of Attorneys General/Society of Attorneys General Emeritus for his service on behalf of former state attorneys general. Doran earned his bachelor’s degree in English literature from Bethany College in 1978 and his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law.
Kelly Kowalski ’10
Kowalski is head of investment strategy at MassMutual and chief investment officer for MassMutual Ascend. A financial strategist with more than a decade of experience overseeing MassMutual’s General Investment Account, she specializes in market analysis and portfolio optimization. In her current leadership role, Kowalski guides the development, execution and communication of MassMutual’s investment strategy and oversees the $50 billion MassMutual Ascend portfolio.
Kowalski is a recognized thought leader in investment management and has represented MassMutual across major media platforms, including CNBC, Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance, providing expert insight on markets and the economy. She previously served as chair of the Women’s Leadership Business Resource Group, where she championed initiatives supporting inclusion and professional growth across the organization. Before joining MassMutual in 2014, she was an Equity and Derivatives Strategist at UBS Investment Bank.
Kowalski earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Bethany College and her MBA from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.
Alumni award recipients are selected by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council from nominations submitted by alumni and friends of the College. The annual awards recognize individuals whose teaching, leadership, service and professional accomplishments embody the mission and values of Bethany College.
For those interested in joining, the Homecoming Celebration Dinner and Alumni Awards Reception will take place on Friday, Sept. 18 from 6-8 p.m. with a $35 entry fee. For those who cannot make it, the event will be livestreamed on the College’s Facebook page.
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