March 20, 2026
The Shawnee State University Alumni Association celebrated its 2025 Alumni Award recipients, recognizing six individuals for achievements in their fields and service to their communities. Honorees included recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus, Medal of Merit, Alumni Community Service, Alumni Continued Service, Outstanding Recent Graduate and Alumnus of Tomorrow awards.
The Distinguished Alumnus recipient is Dr. Katy Mathuews.
This award is presented to an alumnus who has demonstrated distinguished professional achievement, personal qualities, and university service. Dr. Mathuews, class of 2002, earned a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Economics. She is Executive Director and CEO of OhioNet, a multi-type library consortium in Ohio.
From 2015 to 2024, Dr. Mathuews held leadership roles at Ohio University Libraries, including Senior Director of Administration. Previously, she spent eight years at Shawnee State as Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Librarian and Federal Grants Accountant. She is currently adjunct faculty in social sciences at Shawnee State.
Dr. Mathuews earned graduate degrees in Applied Economics, Library and Information Science, and Higher Education. She has co-authored two books, published 25 articles and chapters, and delivered over 60 conference presentations. Honors include the 2025 Academic Library Association of Ohio Jay Ladd Distinguished Service Award, 2021 Ohio University Outstanding Administrator nomination and 2018 Ohio University Patton College Bill Butler Award.
The Medal of Merit recipient is Julie Cooke-Hutchinson.
This award is presented to an alumnus who has demonstrated career achievements and outstanding performance in their profession. Cooke-Hutchinson earned a B.S. in Business Administration, Legal Assisting, from Shawnee State in 2001 and a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
She is Criminal Division Chief and Special Victims Unit Prosecutor in the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office. Her experience includes serving as Assistant Prosecutor and specializing in cases involving children and survivors of sexual assault.
Cooke-Hutchinson received the Children’s Champion Award from the Ross County Child Protection Center and holds advanced certifications in child abuse investigations and international crimes against children. She has taught as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in the Courtroom, appeared on Court TV for a high-profile Ohio case, and maintains a near-perfect trial conviction rate. Outside work, she enjoys riding horses with her daughter.
The Alumni Community Service recipient is Linda Woods-Jones.
This award is presented to an alumnus in recognition of outstanding volunteer service and contributions to the community. Woods-Jones earned a B.B.A. from Shawnee State in 1996 and an M.L.I.S. from Kent State in 2009.
Linda Woods-Jones served as Fiscal Officer at the Scioto County Library for 33 years and has been Business Manager at STAR, Inc. for 10 years. Woods-Jones currently serves on the boards of Portsmouth Area Ladies (PALS), Rotary Club of Portsmouth, Salvation Army and Portsmouth Wind Symphony, and previously spent 12 years on the Otway Village Council.
Known for her hands-on approach to service, she volunteers in many capacities from ringing bells for the Salvation Army to supporting Rotary and PALS fundraisers. Woods-Jones is also a longtime supporter of local schools and athletics, proudly cheering for the Northwest Mohawks, Clay Panthers, the Shooting STARS basketball team, and Shawnee State Bears.
Linda resides with her husband, Jay, and their dog, Mag-E. Together, Linda and Jay have ten children and 15 grandchildren.
The Alumni Continued Service recipient is Courtney Ruggles.
This award is presented to an alumnus currently working at Shawnee State who has demonstrated distinguished professional achievements, personal qualities and service at their alma mater. Ruggles earned a B.A. in Sociology from Shawnee State in 2010, an M.S.W. from the University of Kentucky and a D.S.W. from Capella University.
Ruggles is Interim Chair of Rehabilitation Sciences and founding Director of the Bachelor of Social Work program at Shawnee State, where she is also an Assistant Professor. She led curriculum development and accreditation efforts, expanding access to social work education in Southern Ohio and addressing workforce needs.
Ruggles uses innovative teaching strategies, such as virtual reality, and contributes to national scholarship and professional organizations, including the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors and the Council on Social Work Education.
The Outstanding Recent Graduate recipient is Marnae Holland.
The award is presented to an alumnus who received their first baccalaureate from Shawnee State in the past five years and has shown the positive impact of their education. Holland earned a B.S. in Business Administration in 2022 from Shawnee State and an MBA in 2023 from the University of Phoenix.
Holland is Associate Head Coach for Shawnee State women’s basketball and was named Assistant Coach of the Year for 2024-25. A former college athlete, she excels in player development, recruiting and mentoring student-athletes.
She is also a Strategic Account Executive at Caracal Products & Services, managing customer relationships and business development.
The Alumnus of Tomorrow is Easton Wesley.
This award is presented to a graduating student who has shown commitment to academic, social and personal development and who shows great promise for future endeavors. Wesley graduated in 2025 with a B.S. in Healthcare Administration along with minors in Human Resource Management and Accounting. He previously earned an associate degree in Business Management Technology.
During his time at Shawnee State, Wesley earned recognition on both the President’s List and the Dean’s List. He was also a National Honor Society member in high school. He balanced his academic achievements with hands-on professional experience and is currently working in sales, with additional experience in customer service and healthcare support.
Wesley credits Shawnee State University and its faculty with instilling in him the values of hard work, ethical leadership, and effective communication. He looks forward to applying these principles as he continues to advance in his career.