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If you want to win a Boston University Computer Science Distinguished Alumni Award, it doesn't hurt if your employer has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the BU professor who nominates you. Microsoft's Rebecca Norlander, BU '91), now serves as technical strategist to CTO Ray Ozzie. She's also the wife of Corporate VP J Allard, who also BU'91), won the first BU CS Distinguished Alumni Award by a unanimous vote of the Faculty. Norlander received her award last month at BU's Computer Science Convocation.

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Norlander was nominated for the award by BU CS prof Azer Bestavros, the former department chair (above left, with Norlander and Allard), who received at least $220,000 in grants and contracts from Microsoft University Relations.

Thumbnails of BU Computer Science Graduation
(Photos by Boston University)