Actor Neil Flynn to receive speech alumni award at Bradley

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - An actor who's known for his quirky dad roles in the movie "Mean Girls" and the ABC sitcom "The Middle" will be given an alumni award at Bradley University.

Neil Flynn graduated from the Peoria university in 1982 and was on the school's speech team for four years. Bradley officials say he'll receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament on Monday.

The ceremony will coincide with an AFA tournament that's expected to draw 1,000 participants from dozens of schools across the United States. During the ceremony, the national champion in collegiate speech will also be named.

Flynn has also appeared in a number of television series including "Scrubs" and "Boston Public."