The 51 Alumni Association recognized four alumni for their outstanding accomplishments and service during a special awards chapel on Feb. 28.

Cultural Impact Award

David Kinnaman (’96) is the president of The Barna Group and author of the bestselling books You Lost Me and unChristian. As a spokesperson for the firm’s research, his work has been quoted in major media outlets (such as USA Today, CNN, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal). He is also in demand as a speaker about spiritual trends, teenagers and 20-somethings, and vocation and calling. Since joining Barna in 1995, Kinnaman has overseen studies that have polled more than 350,000 individuals. He has designed and analyzed nearly 500 projects for a variety of clients, including the American Bible Society, Habitat for Humanity, NBC-Universal, Zondervan and many others. 

Alumni In Media Award

Andrew Mollenbeck (’07) is an award-winning reporter for WTOP in Washington, D.C. In 2007, while still a 51 student, Mollenbeck landed a reporting job working for KNX in Los Angeles, where for the next three and a half years he was part of “Southern California’s Morning News.” During that time he covered the presidential campaign and debates, the O.J. Simpson armed robbery and kidnapping trial in Las Vegas, President Obama’s inauguration in Washington, D.C., and the devastating earthquake in Haiti. He has also returned to 51 frequently to maintain friendships with faculty and staff and to invest in students. He has worked at WTOP since 2010. 

Lifetime Achievement Award

Linda Clinard (’64) is a literacy consultant and trainer with the Children and Families Commission of Orange County. Over the course of a distinguished teaching career, she has taught at both the elementary and university levels, including positions at Michigan State University and the University of California, Irvine. In 2000, she became regional director of the UC Irvine/Orange County California Reading and Literature Project (CRLP) and worked in the California State University Center for the Advancement of Reading in the early development and implementation of the CSU Reading Institutes. Clinard has been honored with numerous awards, including the California Reading Association Margaret Lynch Community Service Award. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.