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TLU Alumni Association Announces 2022 Alumni Award Recipients

Jorge Jones

The Texas Lutheran University Alumni Association has announced its 2022 Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Young Alumni award recipients.

This year’s honorees include 2002 graduate Dr. Anuli Mkparu and 2013 graduate Dr. Allyson Matthys. Dr. Mkparu has been selected as the Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and Dr. Matthys has been selected as the Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient.

Awarded once a year, the Distinguished Alumni Award is given to an alumnus who has excelled in their career, as an individual, or through their commitment to community service. The selected individual exemplifies the meaning of being a TLU Bulldog and serving as a role model for their fellow alumni and current students. The Outstanding Young Alumni Award, also granted once a year, is given to an alumnus who has graduated within the past ten years, recognizing their accomplishments and outstanding civic engagement.

“Our alumni across the globe are impacting numerous lives through their work and passions,” said Gaby Alvarado, Director of Alumni Relations. “This year, we celebrate two outstanding graduates who are excelling in their careers, and leading their lives with compassion, selflessness, and pride. It is the honor of the TLU Alumni Board of Directors and TLU to recognize these two graduates for their phenomenal achievements.”

For this year’s awards, both honorees reflect TLU's mission by serving their communities through their medical expertise. Dr. Mkparu specializes in orthopedics, while Dr. Matthys is a family practice physician.

Dr. Anuli Mkparu, BS ’02 - Distinguished Alumni Award


Dr. Anuli Mkparu is the founder and chief medical officer of Sunnyvale Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Clinic & founder and medical director of Sunnyvale Wellness Center in Philadelphia, PA. Additionally, she serves as the chief medical correspondent for The Source on WURD Radio and is the inaugural medical director of the Bucks County Street Medicine Program.

Dr. Mkparu graduated with a double major in Chemistry and Biology from TLU in 2002. After her time in Texas, she attended Columbia University and graduated with a Master of Science in Human Nutrition in 2008. She received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Duke University School of Medicine where she received multiple recognitions, including an Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society Research Award and the American Medical Association Global Health Award. Most recently, she graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree from Yale University in 2021. She received the Outstanding Graduate Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Leadership, Service & Advocacy, and the Dean’s Mission & Impact Award.

Dr. Allyson Matthys, BS ’13 - Outstanding Young Alumni Award


Dr. Allyson Matthys is a family practice physician with the Baylor Scott and White Hospital and Clinic System. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She provides a full range of primary care services, including preventive health and wellness exams, acute and chronic disease management, and immunizations. Dr. Matthys was named one of the Top Doctors in Fort Worth by the Fort Worth Magazine in 2022. Additionally, Dr. Matthys is an Army Reserve Captain serving in the 394th Field Hospital as the Periodic Health Assessment Clinic Officer in Charge. She is responsible for a team of two other physicians, two medics, and one nurse as they maintain the medical readiness for their unit and other units in the area.

Dr. Matthys graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from TLU in 2013. She then received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2017.

Both recipients will be presented with their respective awards at the Winter Commencement on Saturday, December 17 at Jackson Auditorium, preceded by a reception attended by their families, former professors, alumni, and friends.