Submitted by Centralia College Foundation
At the Charlie Albright concert on May 2, the Centralia College Foundation announced the recipients of its annual Distinguished Alumnus and Legacy awards.
2026 Distinguished Alumnus
Much to his surprise, the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Alumnus award is Charlie Albright, who was performing at the college as a fundraiser for the Centralia College Foundation.
“It was a great effort to keep this award secret from Charlie for the last few months,” said Christine Fossett, executive director of the Centralia College Foundation. “We had the best time surprising him with this much-deserved honor. Charlie is a shining star musically and a great example of a young alumnus who is committed to giving back to future generations of Trailblazers.”
Albright attended Centralia College from 2005-07 as a high school student through the Running Start program. He earned his Associate of Science degree before becoming the first classical pianist in the Harvard College/New England Conservatory’s five-year dual degree program. He completed a bachelor’s degree at Harvard College and his Master’s in Music in Piano Performance at the New England Conservatory. He went on to earn the prestigious Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School.
Albright is the recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and Gilmore Young Artist Award, he won the Ruhr Klavier Festival Young Artist Award presented by Marc-André Hamelin (Germany) and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions.
In addition to performing, Albright is sought after as a speaker, masterclass instructor, teacher, and competition judge.
In 2017, Albright founded the Charlie Albright Scholarship to support music students and purchased the Charlie Albright Piano, a 9-foot Steinway Piano for Corbet Theatre. He performs at the college every few years to raise funds for the scholarship and for piano maintenance.
2026 Legacy Award
Rose Bowman is the recipient of the 2026 Legacy Award, which honors an individual or group who has shown a dedication, commitment, and contribution to the mission of Centralia College.
Bowman was a lifelong community leader, serving on nearly every committee, council, and group in the Twin Cities at one time or another. She graduated from Centralia College in 1979 and owned and operated Kresky Auto Repair and Electric with her husband Leon from 1968 until her death in 2017.
She served as the 20th District State Representative from 1989-92 and was Lewis County Treasurer from 1995-2016. She was very active in Rotary, and served as Club President, District Governor, Assistant District Governor, Leadership Council, and numerous other positions.
She served on the Centralia College Foundation Board from 1986-2012, serving as president and treasurer, and volunteering for many projects. She was known for her energy, creativity, willingness to help, and her fantastic Halloween costumes.
“Rose continues to be a powerful presence at Centralia College and in our community, and we are proud to recognize her lasting legacy with this award,” added Fossett. “We are inspired by her every day and work to bring her message of lifelong service to the Centralia College students of today.”
The banquet rooms in the TransAlta Commons were dedicated the Rose Bowman Rotary Banquet Rooms after the building opened in 2017.
