The 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award recipients include Dr. Dibesh Karmacharya, Denise Kracl, Kevin Voelte, and Clark Walter. The 2026 Foundation Service Award recipient is Roland Lentz.
The Wayne State Foundation and Alumni Office will continue its time-honored tradition of presenting four Outstanding Alumni Awards during the annual Wayne State Alumni Banquet on Friday, Nov. 6. A Foundation Service Award will also be presented.
The Outstanding Alumni Award recipients for 2026 are Dr. Dibesh Karmacharya ’96, School of Science, Health, and Criminal Justice; Denise Kracl ’96, School of Education and Behavioral Sciences; Kevin Voelte ’02, School of Business and Technology; and Clark Wolter ’98, School of Arts and Humanities.
The Foundation Service Award is given to an individual(s) who has enhanced the college through dedicated service, promotion, financial support, and other efforts that have benefited Wayne State. The 2026 recipient of the Foundation Service Award is Roland E. “Rollie” Lentz ’56.
Dr. Dibesh Karmacharya ’96, School of Science, Health, and Criminal Justice
Dr. Dibesh Karmacharya earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Wayne State College in 1996, launching a career that has taken him from molecular biology labs in the United States to the front lines of pandemic prevention across Asia and Africa.
After honing his technical expertise at GE Healthcare Life Sciences and Caliper Life Sciences in the US and Canada, Karmacharya returned to his native Nepal in 2007 to found the Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN), now the country's leading molecular research and diagnostics institution. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Conservation and Microbiome Genetics from Griffith University in Australia.
Today, Karmacharya is a globally recognized One Health scientist, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, and founder of BIOVAC Nepal, the country's first animal vaccine R&D and manufacturing facility. He led PREDICT-Nepal, an eight-year zoonotic disease surveillance program, and pioneered genomic wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Kathmandu Valley. He currently coordinates pathogen intelligence networks across Southeast Asia and is establishing Africa's first thermostable animal vaccine facility in Zambia.
His research – spanning conservation genetics, vaccine science, and pandemic preparedness – has been cited more than 2,200 times and featured by BBC Radio 4, AFP, PBS NOVA, and USAID Frontlines. He is the author of “A Molecular Approach to the Conservation and Management of the Bengal Tiger in Nepal” and has delivered invited lectures worldwide, including at Harvard University, the University of California-Davis, Ben-Gurion University (Israel), Tufts University, Wayne State College, and at conferences in approximately 30 countries.
Karmacharya has hosted current and former Wayne State College faculty and students in Nepal. He has discussed his research with various Wayne State classes and Wayne civic organizations in person and via Zoom.
Karmacharya lives in Melbourne, Australia, while continuing to lead institutional operations in Nepal.
Denise Kracl ’96, School of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Kracl was born and raised in Columbus, Neb. She graduated from Columbus High School, earned an associate degree from Central Community College (Columbus), her bachelor’s degree in Education from Wayne State College, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of South Dakota. Kracl also earned an Executive Certificate in Juvenile Diversion from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Since September of 2022, Kracl has served as one of five county court judges in the Fifth Judicial District.
Sitting mainly in Platte County, her duties include handling all issues that arise in juvenile court; probate cases including estates, wills, trusts, and guardianships; protection orders; all misdemeanor offenses; adoptions; search warrants; traffic offenses; and she assists in the Platte County Problem Solving Court.
Prior to being a county court judge, Kracl was the Colfax County attorney for 12 years. She served on multiple non-profit boards and was an adjunct professor of Political Science at Central Community College in Columbus.
Kracl helped to incorporate the Colfax County Food and Toy Corporation, a non-profit entity which serves families in need throughout Colfax County. Since its inception, the Food and Toy Corporation has provided more than one thousand children and their families with food, warm clothing, coats, shoes, blankets, and gifts over the Christmas holiday.
As a part of her service to others, Kracl received the Nebraska Juvenile Justice Association Commitment to Excellence in Leadership Award, the Schuyler Service to Mankind Award, and was a past recipient of the Nebraska Bar Association Award of Appreciation.
Kevin Voelte ’02, School of Business and Technology
At Wayne State College, Kevin Voelte majored in Finance with an Economics minor and graduated summa cum laude with honors in 2002. He was a two-term chapter president of Delta Sigma Pi, secretary of the Student Senate, and a peer tutor in multiple subjects. He was awarded the 2001-2002 State National Bank Outstanding Business Graduate Award and the 2000-2001 Economics Outstanding Student Award.
After graduating from Wayne State, he later earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Jones School of Business at Rice University, winning the M.A. Wright Award for leadership and exemplary service, the Jones Scholar Award for academic performance, and the Jones Citizenship Award. He is also a graduate of the Bryce Harlow Institute of Business and Government Affairs at Georgetown University.
Voelte is currently the co-head of Energy Investment Banking at Fifth Third Bank in Houston, Texas. Kevin has spent more than 17 years in oil and gas investment banking and has executed deals for clients totaling more than $67 billion in transaction value, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and capital markets transactions. He served for three years in the Global Natural Resources Group at Goldman Sachs and then helped start the energy group at Moelis, an elite boutique investment bank where he served for nearly 14 years. He also served as an energy turnaround professional at Riveron Consulting.
Prior to his banking career, Voelte was a federal government relations professional in Washington, D.C., for four years, where he represented the concrete industry on Capitol Hill covering transportation, tax, energy, and labor issues.
Voelte lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife Courtney and their four children, Colt, Cade, Kevin Jr., and Katelyn. Voelte enjoys watching and coaching his kids’ sports, weightlifting, and fishing. He is a past winner of a Nebraska Master Angler Award.
Clark Wolter ’98, School of Arts and Humanities
Clark Wolter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design, with a minor in Advertising, from Wayne State College. With more than 25 years of experience in design, branding, and marketing communications, he helps organizations communicate their value through strategic thinking and compelling creative work.
In 2013, Wolter founded Clark Peak Design, an independent design studio in Fort Collins, Colo. He partners with clients ranging from global corporations to regional brands and local businesses, developing brand identities, websites, packaging, and marketing materials.
His work includes packaging for top-selling Waterpik products, promotional artwork for the Fort Collins Symphony, and original branding for Summit Family Dental, which has grown into one of the largest dental practices in Ankeny, Iowa, over the last decade.
Wolter brings a collaborative approach to every project, combining creative problem-solving with a commitment to lasting client relationships.
Wolter also serves as chief brand officer and a board member of Musoke International, a nonprofit partnering with local organizations in Uganda to support orphaned and vulnerable children. Since 2016, the organization has helped more than 100 children access educational opportunities while supporting community programs that foster health, teamwork, and self-sufficiency. Wolter contributes his expertise in branding, visual communications, and marketing to strengthen the organization’s outreach and fundraising efforts.
Outside of work, Wolter enjoys hiking, skiing, camping, and exploring Colorado’s mountains. He has hiked nearly all of Colorado’s fourteeners and enjoys traveling with his wife and children. He also volunteers at his children’s school and plays drums in his church worship band.
Roland E. “Rollie” Lentz ’56, M.A. ‘57, Foundation Service Award
Roland E. “Rollie” Lentz has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to Wayne State College through his dedication to education, philanthropy, and support of student success. A native of Coleridge, Neb., Lentz earned his bachelor's degree from Wayne State College in 1956 and completed his Master of Arts degree in 1957. During his time as a student, he was actively involved in Lambda Delta Lambda and Kappa Mu Epsilon.
Following graduation, Lentz pursued a distinguished career in higher education, serving as an instructor and mathematics professor at Mankato State University from 1962 until his retirement in 1999. Upon retiring, he returned to the Wayne area, where he has remained deeply connected to his alma mater.
For more than five decades, Lentz has been one of Wayne State's most loyal and generous supporters. His philanthropy has included more than 30 years of support for mathematics scholarships, as well as significant contributions to athletic facility projects, including the turf, track, and soccer initiatives. Since 2005, he has been an active member of the Cat Club and a familiar presence at Wildcat athletic events.
In 2026, Lentz further strengthened his legacy by establishing both the Roland E. Lentz Annual Athletic Scholarship and the Roland E. Lentz Athletic Endowed Scholarship. Together, these scholarships provide financial assistance to student-athletes who demonstrate financial need while maintaining strong academic standing. By creating both an annual and endowed scholarship, Lentz ensured immediate support for current students while establishing a lasting source of assistance for future generations of Wildcats.
Lentz's generosity reflects his belief in the transformative power of education and athletics. His enduring dedication to Wayne State College continues to expand opportunities for students and leaves a lasting impact on the institution he has proudly supported throughout his life.