Alumni Awards Nominations Open

Nominations are open for the 2021 WWU Distinguished Alumni Awards. Nominate an individual(s) for the Campus Volunteer, Community Volunteer, Entrepreneur of the Year, Larry "Go Vikings!" Taylor Alumni Service Award, Legacy Family of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award or Young Alumnus of the Year.

Nomination Process

Each college, under the direction of the dean will nominate one person of distinction to represent the Distinguished Alumni of 2021. However, we are accepting nominations for the non-college specific awards listed below.

Awards

Campus School Recognition Award
Nominees shall have attended the Campus School at Western Washington University and achieved personal and professional recognition and/or made civic contributions in their community. Note: this award is open to WWU alumni and non-alumni alike.

Campus Volunteer Recognition Award
This prestigious award recognizes a Western employee who has provided continuous volunteer support to the Alumni Association. Note: this award is open to WWU alumni and non-alumni alike.

Community Volunteer Recognition Award
This prestigious award recognizes an individual in the greater community whose efforts have raised the visibility of Western and strengthened the WWU community through outstanding support and service. Note: this award is open to WWU alumni and non-alumni alike.

Entrepreneur of the Year Award
This award recognizes an alumnus whose efforts have fostered an entrepreneurial spirit both in their own professional endeavors but also encouraged Western students to pursue an entrepreneurial career path. NOTE: This award is open to WWU alumni and non-alumni alike.

Larry “Go Vikings!” Taylor Alumni Service Award
This prestigious award recognizes an alumnus who has provided continuous and passionate service to Western Washington University.

Legacy Family of the Year Award
This award celebrates a family who has and may continue to attend Western.  This award recognizes that legacy. Great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters, moms and dads and current students are all eligible if they participated in classes and/or graduated from Western. 

Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement award recognizes an alumnus whose knowledge, experience and insights have led to success in personal, professional or community service endeavors.

Young Alumnus of the Year Award
This award identifies high achieving young alumni (age 39 or younger) who have distinguished themselves in an exceptional way at an early age and confirms that it does not necessarily take a lifetime to make a mark on society.

Young Philanthropists of the Year Award
This award identifies benevolent young alumni (age 39 or younger) who have distinguished themselves in an exceptional way at an early age through their generous financial gifts to Western Washington University in support of deserving students, faculty and university programs; thus modeling for others the critical impact philanthropy has on our Western community.

Nomination Process

Unless otherwise noted, Alumni Association Award nominees shall have attended one or more quarters at Western Washington University. Nominees shall have brought pride to Western through their personal and professional accomplishments and have a proven track record of commitment to and support of Western (volunteer support, classroom presentations, mentoring students, campus department advisory boards and/or financial support). Current Alumni Association board members are not eligible during their term of service on the board. With the exception of the Legacy Family of the Year, all nominees must be living at the time the nomination is submitted. Previous recipients are not eligible in the same category.

Nominations may be submitted by Western Washington University alumni, faculty, staff, students and members of the general public.

Please provide the following:

• A completed nomination form (required)
• Letters of support (no more than three)
• Newspaper articles, publication or other pieces indicating candidate’s qualifications

Support materials are equally weighed and should speak to a candidate’s:

• Professional achievement or significant accomplishment in his or her field
• Industry awards and special recognitions received in her or his field
• Esteem held by colleagues in the field, as evidenced by letters of support

The Alumni Association Board of Directors will determine the finalist(s) for each of the aforementioned awards.

Please return the completed nomination form and any accompanying materials to:  Western Washington University Alumni Association, ATTN: Awards Celebration MS-9199.  You may also scan and send electronically to deborah.dewees@wwu.edu.