STEUBENVILLE -Officials, staff, alumni and students at Franciscan University of Steubenville took time during a busy homecoming weekend to honor seven graduates of the school for their outstanding professional accomplishments and service to the church and community.

Accepting awards at the school's 25th Annual Alumni Awards Banquet Friday were the Rev. Michael Gaitley, MIC 1999, recipient of the Bishop John King Mussio Award for Faithful Service to the Church; Adam Tate, a 1994 alumnus and recipient of the Dr. John J. Carrigg Award for education; Col. Laurence Burgess, 1969 alumnus and recipient of the Alumni Citizenship Award; John Fischer, a 1983 graduate and recipient of the Rose M. DeFede Faithful Franciscan Award; Dr. David Born, a 1992 graduate and recipient of the Father Dan Egan Award for healthcare; Albert "Ray" Challis, a 1967 alumnus and recipient of the Professor Edward J. Kelly Award for business; and Aaron Cunningham, a 2007 graduate and recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

While at Franciscan University, Born served as coordinator and council representative for the In His Image household his junior and senior years, was treasurer for the Society of Biology Majors his junior year and participated in the orientation team and intramural sports.

He also was named to the Baconian Honor and Alpha Chi honor societies.

Born went on to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and University of Cincinnati Family Practice Residency, receiving the Gross Anatomy Award for Excellence and the Margaret C. Vogel Humanitarian Award.

While in medical school, he was honor council student representative, a leader of the Christian Medical Fellowship and member of a committee that created and implemented a new practice management curriculum and a procedure committee that developed a tracking system. He served as chief resident his last year, supporting, directing, and problem-solving for other residents.

Since 1999, Born has worked at Cherry Westgate Family Practice In Granville, Ohio and has been a partner in the practice since 2001. Since 2003, he has served as medical director for Heartbeats of Licking County Pregnancy Care Center. He lives in Newark, Ohio.

A native of New York, Fischer was a member of the Theophilus household and Alpha Phi Delta fraternity. He was president of the fraternity when it was named chapter of the year and represented it at a New York gathering. He also worked as a photographer for the Baronette yearbook and the public relations office.

As a certified public accountant, Fischer created accounting software for the automotive aftermarket for a small Wintersville business. When it was purchased by a Pittsburgh firm, Fischer spent the next few years working out of Pittsburgh until the company was sold again.

Fischer went on to start his own business, Signal Software Corporation, in 1992 and co-founded another automobile aftermarket software company, OpenWebs Corporation, in 2000. There he served as vice president of sales until the company was acquired by the international firm, MAM Software, in 2002.

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Seven Franciscan University of Steubenville graduates honored