Mrs. JoAnn Klemmer received the Hastings College President’s Award at the college’s annual Honors Convocation on Friday, May 13. The President’s Award recognizes meritorious service to the college.

JoAnn (Johnson) Klemmer was born December 12, 1926 in Eugene, Ore., and grew up in Republic County, Kan. She attended Washburn University (Topeka, Kan.) majoring in English and in 1953 received a B.A. In 1963, JoAnn and Herb Klemmer, M.D., a 1933 graduate of Hastings College, were married. Besides practicing psychiatry, Herb was director of the Menninger School of Psychiatry and a director of the Sloan Visiting Professorship Committee, which brought outstanding speakers to Menninger. In addition, he was active in the American Psychiatric Association and, among the many positions he held, was Chairman of the Ethics Committee and was a Trustee of the APA. He also was active in state and regional professional societies. In 1991, he retired.

At Hastings College, the Klemmers established the Klemmer Mentoring Program for top pre-med students.  They also funded the JoAnn and Herbert Klemmer, M.D., Memorial Scholarship, and the Student Research and Observation Center in the college’s new Morrison-Reeves Science Center psychology department. Herb died in 2000.

Hastings College, founded in 1882, is a private, four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). A total of 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs are offered to more than 1,190 students. Hastings College was named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review, and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Visit www.hastings.edu for more information.