Charter Day Celebration
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Join us for the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Awards Presentation and Reception on Friday, February 7, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. in the Red & Charline McCombs Campus Center, McCombs Ballrooms.
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Robert W. Karr ’71 – Medal of Honor
Susan Slagle Rogers ’83 – Distinguished Professional
Allison Dickson ’02 – Distinguished Southwestern Service
Amit Virmani ’95 – Distinguished Humanitarian
Jackson Bird ’12 – Distinguished Young Alumnus
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Jennifer Howell ’09 – Distinguished Young Alumna
Click here to register for the Distinguished Alumni Awards Presentation and Reception on the Charter Day registration form.
Distinguished Alumni Award Categories
Medal of Honor
Awarded to alumni whose accomplishments are regarded as the highest form of achievement. The purpose of the award is to recognize achievements that are rare and important.
Distinguished Southwestern Service
Presented to alumni who have provided sustained and significant service to the University.
Distinguished Humanitarian
Presented to alumni who have made a global impact on the human race by their actions while exemplifying Southwestern University’s Core Values.
Distinguished Young Alumnus/a
Presented to alumni in recognition of perseverance and dedication to a given area. The honored recipient must have a class year no more than 10 years removed from his/her attendance at Southwestern and must have demonstrated early success, innovation, and/or leadership either in his/her personal, academic, or professional life. Recipients represent the finest young alumni and the University’s commitment to a values-centered curriculum, development of the whole person and exemplifies Southwestern University’s Core Values.
Distinguished Professional
Presented to Southwestern University alumni who have performed exceptional civic and/or professional services in a given geographic area or field of endeavor. Recipients represent the highest standards of Southwestern University’s commitment to a values-centered curriculum, development of the whole person and exemplifies Southwestern University’s Core Values.
Mr./Ms. Homecoming
An honor given to a member of the faculty as a token of the affection and respect of former students. The award symbolizes the strength of the University: the strong personal relationships between students and faculty. It states clearly that alumni recall with appreciation what the recipient contributed to the education and development of former students.
Selection Process - Distinguished Alumni Awards
Alumni Award honorees are selected each year by members of the Southwestern University Alumni Association’s Nominations and Awards Committee (comprised of 10 alumni volunteers). The Committee submits their recommendations to the Alumni Council, who then votes upon the slate of honorees. Selected honorees are informed of their nominations by the Nominations and Awards Chair (a position on the Alumni Council) and their acceptance of the awards is then confirmed. Upon acceptance of each award by all honorees, nominators are informed of their candidate’s status. The Association announces the honorees in the Fall Semester.
The Mr./Ms. Homecoming recipient (faculty award) will be honored at Homecoming 2019, Oct. 4-6, 2019. Distinguished Alumni Awardees will be honored at the University’s Charter Day Celebration, Feb. 7, 2020.
Previous Alumni Awards Recognition Process
In 2009, the Southwestern University Alumni Association charged an Awards Task Force with reviewing the current Association awards program, making recommendations about how the program might be enhanced and stating that The Association awards program should recognize those whose achievements and contributions represent the very best of the Southwestern Experience, and by doing so inspire the Southwestern community and beyond. They submitted their report on July 11, 2009. Subsequently, a new set of awards criteria was approved by the Alumni Council Sept. 11, 2009 and the Alumni Assembly Jan. 24, 2010. The first of the new awards (see above) were presented in 2010.
Although the awards listed below are no longer given, we are proud to recognize and honor the recipients.
- Download Citation of Merit Award Recipients (1969 - 2009)
- Download Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award Recipients (1965 - 2009)
- Download Mr./Ms. Homecoming Award Recipients (1965 - 2011)
- Download Pearl A. Neas Award Recipients (1970 - 2009)
- Download Young Alumnus/Alumna Achievement Award Recipients (1996 - 2009)