EWC Foundation announces recipient of Albert C. Conger Distinguished Service Award for 2015 to Jeanne Hamer

The Eastern Wyoming College Foundation and Eastern Wyoming College are proud to honor former  EWC music instructor Jeanne Hamer as the recipient of the Albert C. Conger Distinguished Service Award for 2015.   This award was created in 2011 to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the success of the College, and are not necessarily alumni.

Jeanne Hamer was an instructor at Eastern Wyoming College from 1968 to 2000, where she taught a full schedule of music courses, serving from 1970 to 1992 as the chair of the music department.  She has since served as an adjunct instructor in music and was awarded the honor and designation of emeritus faculty when she retired in 2000.

Ms. Hamer pursued and led a variety of activities that successfully promoted the College throughout the state and in eastern Wyoming, including performing as soloist at the dedication of a new fine arts center at Central Wyoming College in Riverton and as a guest soloist with the Northwest College orchestra and master chorale in Powell, Wyoming.  Performing groups under her leadership have traveled to schools throughout Wyoming and western Nebraska to promote the music program at Eastern Wyoming College.  Additionally, she has served as an adjudicator at various music festivals in Wyoming, Nebraska and Montana – never hesitating to promote the music programs at EWC to students who she met on those many occasions.

As so many in Goshen County know, Ms. Hamer had an unequaled impact on the music community in Torrington.   She was heavily involved in the creation of the Eastern Wyoming Fine Arts Council, including serving numerous terms as its president.  The Eastern Wyoming Fine Arts Council continues today as a strong collaboration between the College and the public at large in Torrington.   She additionally served two terms as the president of the American Choral Directors of Wyoming.

As director of the Torrington community chorus, she spent long hours preparing the group to perform at the nationally recognized Avery Fisher Hall at New York City’s Lincoln Center.   She traveled to the Steinway Piano Factor in Queens, New York to assist with the purchase of the grand piano that has been in the Fine Arts Center since its construction and performed in Brazil with other Wyoming music educators as part of a Partners in America program.

Closer to home, Ms. Hamer continues as a member of the Goshen County Community theatre, and is past president of the Torrington Friends of Music.   She also serves as the organist for All Saints and Episcopal Church in Torrington, and also as the church’s choir director.  Her honors include selection as an Outstanding Young Woman of America, and to Who’s Who in American Music and Who’s Who in American Education.

Ms. Hamer is truly the “voice” behind so much music not only through her years at Eastern Wyoming College, but throughout our community.

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