Pioneering Engineer, Notable Journalist Named McCaffree Award Recipients
Roger Von Jouanne, an accomplished Boeing engineer and Walter Rogers, III a notable broadcast journalist have been awarded the Charles McCaffree Award by the Executive Board of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA). Rogers and Von Jouanne, both Southern Illinois University graduates, were selected in recognition of their accomplishments outside of the pool.
VonJouanne earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Thermal and Environmental Engineering from SIU in 1982, and his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1984. As a swimmer Von Jouanne was a ten-time CSCAA All-American. In 1981 he broke the the American Record in the 200-yard butterfly and a year later captured the United States National title in the 200-yard Individual Medley. Von Jouanne once achieved five NCAA Automatic Qualifying Times, in three different strokes, in one meet.
Following graduation, Von Jouanne began a career at the Boeing Company where he helped develop the Life Support System for the International Space Station. His efforts included a decade of initial research and testing, another decade of construction and assembly followed by fifteen years of on-orbit maintenance and operations.
Aside from his aerospace career, Von Jouanne has coached the Madison Swimming Association and led the Westminister Christian Academy to four consecutive Alabama State High School Championships. He serves on the board for Huntsville’s Downtown Rescue Mission, volunteers as a teacher in the Alabama State Prison system, and has also volunteered on several international Christian missions to orphanages in China, Sudan, Indonesia, Honduras and Romania.
Roger and Pam have three children and two grandchildren. Their daughter, Jenny, swam for Auburn University and son, Scott, swam for the United States Military Academy (West Point).
Walter Rodgers, III graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degrees in History and English in 1962. In addition to graduating in the top 10% of his class, Rodgers set three school records (200-yard butterfly, 200-yard individual medley, and 400-yard individual medley) for the Salukis and earned CSCAA All-America honors following the 1959 NCAA Championships.
Soon after earning his Master’s degree, Rodgers embarked on a nearly 40-year career in broadcast journalism that included positions as White House Correspondent for the Associated Press Radio, senior correspondent for CNN in London, bureau chief for CNN in Jerusalem, and ABC News in Moscow. Rodgers covered wars Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Lebanon and the Falkland Islands along with every U.S.-Soviet presidential summit since 1974. Domestically, covered the Martin Luther King assassination and was witness to the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
After retiring from CNN in 2005, Rodgers taught as a distinguished visiting scholar in the Department of Justice Studies at James Madison University, wrote a column for the Christian Science Monitor and was a guest lecturer on a Paul Gauguin Cruises ship. Today, Rodgers and his wife Eleanor, live in Vienna, Virginia where he enjoys salmon fishing, sailing, reading, bird-watching and gardening.
Eight other former swimmers, highlighted by a pair of pioneering women, trio of doctors and CEOs, accomplished actor and motivational speaker were nominated for this year’s McCaffree Award. Other nominees were:
Dr. James Dennis, President, McKendree University (Occidental College, 1966)
Nancy Hogshead Maker, CEO, Champion Women (Duke University, 1986)
Scott Davison, Chairman, President and CEO, One America (Middlebury College, 1986)
Dr. Nancy Gritter, Lead Internist, Carolina Panthers (DePauw University, 1988)
Haley Scott DeMaria, Speaker and Author (Notre Dame, 1995)
Anders Holm, Actor (University of Wisconsin, 2003)
Dr. Justin Zumsteg, Surgeon Orlando Health Orthopedic Institute (University of Florida, 2004)
Fares Ksebati, CEO, MySwimPro (Wayne State University, 2013)