University of Utah alumni honored four of their best Wednesday, along with another who has provided the school international distinction.

At its Founders Day celebration, the Alumni Association honored a long-time chemistry professor, Temple University's first female president, a Utah coal mining czar and founding owner of the Colorado Rockies major league baseball team, all of whom attended the school.

Nobel Prize winner Mario R. Capecchi, whose role at the U. has been as researcher and teacher, was also included, as all were given distinguished alumni awards during the association's 50th year.

"This gives us an opportunity to recognize some extraordinary alumni, as well as recognize someone whose contributions are so significant, we wish we could call him one of our own," said U. President Michael K. Young. He said they were picked from among hundreds for "doing things that make us proud."

Carbon County native J. Brett Harvey, president and CEO of CONSOL Energy, was honored for work in the coal mining industry. He led a recent pledge for zero mining accidents.

"I want to leave a footprint that no one forgets," he said.

David Grant, who has taught at the U. for decades, was recognized for his pioneering work in nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Grant, who has a building named for him on campus, said he'll "stay till they kick me out the door."

Distinguished alumna Ann Weaver Hart has stood at the helm at Temple University since 2002.

"I would like to be remembered as someone who is committed to the importance of higher education," she told nearly 500 U. alumni and community members Wednesday at a celebration held in the Little America Hotel.

Rockies team owner Charlie K. Monfort was drawn to Utah for the skiing but stayed for the university, he said, adding that his time at the U. "helped shape my beliefs, my goals and my character."

"What a great school," he said.

The four were joined by Nobel Laureate Capecchi, who continually credits the university and its surrounding community for providing a comfortable research environment. He was honored in December during the annual Nobel Prize event in Sweden as a winner in the physiology or medicine category and was lauded for seminal genetic research.

The alumni association also announced awarding of a full-tuition scholarship to Lynette Avril, a graduate student studying post-traumatic stress disorder in the field of educational psychology and counseling.

"We're a university that has been doing remarkable things," Young said. "And we've been doing remarkable things for the past 157 years with the enormous and powerful support of the alumni."

The U.'s anniversary banquet marks a week-long celebration including a student queen, speakers, dances, oratory and writing contests.

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