Emmy Award-winning actor Jim Parsons will be among a dozen honored as outstanding alumni by the University of San Diego, the school announced Monday.
The "Big Bang Theory" star will receive the Author E. Hughes Award for Outstanding Career Achievement on April 25. The actor, who has won four Emmys and a Golden Globe, earned his master of fine arts degree from the Old Globe/USD graduate theatre program in 2001.
"All over the world, our graduates are using the change-making talents and skills they acquired at USD to entertain and bring joy to audiences, to work for a safer, healthier and more peaceful world and expand economic growth and progress," said USD President Mary Lyons. "They represent the very best of the spirit of excellence and service we strive to instill in all our graduates and we are very proud to honor them."
The others honorees are:
• former Toreros and NFL quarterback Josh Johnson
• former U.S. Attorney Karen Hewitt
• builder and USD Trustee Matthew Reno
• Lee Sorensen, who leads the Colorado-based nonprofit One Earth Future Foundation
• Barbara Driscoll, a lung health researcher at the University of Southern California and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
• Emiliano Gallego, the general manager of Pagasa Pasta
• Janine Mason, executive director of The Fieldstone Foundation
• Sandra Solem, associate director for patient care services and nurse executive at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare system
• Henry Acquarelli, who taught and coached in the Poway Unified School District for more than 30 years
• Stephen and Victoria Nasman, who led the alumni chapter in Orange County for a decade
Tickets cost $75 for the awards ceremony at the Shiley Theatre on campus.
