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Alumni Awards History
The American University Alumni Awards have been presented since 1948. In 1989, the awards were broken into two categories, Alumni Achievement and Alumni Recognition. The Rising Star Award was added in 2006 to recognize outstanding young alumni, and the Alumni Eagle Award in 2011 to honor outstanding service to the university and/or alumni association. In 2016, the Alumni Achievement Award became the Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award, in honor of the president emeritus and his lifelong dedication to American University. In 2022, the university added a Global Alumni Leader Award to recognize the impacts of alumni on communities worldwide.
Previous Award Winners:
2024
Mong-Yong Chung, Kogod/MBA ’91 - Global Alumni Leader AwardÂ
The Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee, SOC/BA ’73, WCL/JD ’76, WCL/Hon. LLD ’03 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Jan Du Plain, SPA/BA ’66 - Alumni Recognition Award
Rob Johnson, SPA/BS ’81 - Alumni Eagle Award
Deon Jones, SPA/BA ’14 - Rising Star Award
Yamillet Payano, CAS/BS ’18 - Rising Star Award
2023
His Excellency Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, SIS/MA ’99, SIS/MIS ’01 - Global Alumni Leader AwardÂ
Dr. Dambisa Moyo, CAS/BS ’91, Kogod/MBA ’92, Hon. DHL ’22 - Global Alumni Leader AwardÂ
Dr. Fanta Aw, Kogod/BSBA ’90, SPA/MA ’94, CAS/PhD ’11 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Anne Caprara, SPA/BA ’01 - Alumni Recognition Award
Amy Lampert, SOC/BA ’94 - Alumni Eagle Award
Dr. Katherine Grill, CAS/MA ’16, CAS/PhD ’17 - Rising Star Award
2022
Valerie Guarnieri, SIS/MA ’96 - Inaugural Global Alumni Leader AwardÂ
Alisyn Camerota, SOC/BA ’88 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Mark Bucher, SPA/BA ’90 - Alumni Recognition Award
Loren Danielson, Kogod/BSBA ’80 - Alumni Eagle Award
Sam Cho, SIS/BA ’13 - Rising Star Award
The Alumni Awards program was paused in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
2019
Dorothy Toth Beasley, WCL/LLB ’64 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Dr. Edmund Wyatt Gordon, SPA/MA ’50 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Jimmy Lynn, SOC/BA ’85, Kogod/MBA ’89 - Alumni Recognition Award
Gary Jacobs, SPA/MPA ’76 - Alumni Eagle Award
Dr. Sara Nieves-Grafals, CAS/BS ’75, CAS/MA ’79, CAS/PhD ’80 - Alumni Eagle Award
William Hubbard, SPExS/WSP ’10, SIS/BA ’11 - Rising Star Award
Charlie Wachtel, SOC/BA ’08 - Rising Star Award
2018
Andre Ingram, CAS/BS ’07 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Jack Rasmussen, CAS/MFA ’75, CAS/MA ’83, CAS/MA ’91, CAS/PhD ’94 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Rebecca Geller, SPA/BA ’02, WCL/JD ’07 - Alumni Recognition Award
Brandon Krapf, SIS/BA ’14 - Alumni Eagle Award
Sarah McBride, SPA/BA ’13 - Rising Star Award
2017
David Aldridge, SOC/BA '87 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
Penny Pagano, CAS/BA '65 - Alumni Recognition Award
Ann Kerwin, CAS/BA '71 - Alumni Eagle Award
Andrew MacCracken, SPA/BA '11, SPA/MA '14 - Rising Star Award
Tara Palmeri, SOC/BA '08 - Rising Star Award
2016
Neil Kerwin, SPA/BA '71 - Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award
John Boyer, SPA/PhD '89 - Alumni Recognition Award
Janethe Peña, SIS/BA '02 - Alumni Eagle Award
Sandra Walter, Kogod/BSBA '86 - Alumni Eagle Award
2015
David C. Wajsgras, Kogod/MBA '89 - Alumni Achievement Award
Claiborne Haughton, Jr., SPA/MPA '80 - Alumni Achievement Award
Robyn Rafferty Mathias, CAS/BA '64, WCL/JD '67 - Alumni Recognition Award
Chazeman S. Jackson, CAS/MA '04 - Alumni Recognition Award
Erin Fuller, SPA/BA '93, SPA/MPA '94 - Alumni Eagle Award
Jason Gold, SOC/BA '05 -- Rising Star Award
Christopher A. Obermeyer, CAS/MEd '13 - Rising Star Award
2014
Barry J. Josephson, SPA/BA '78 - Alumni Achievement Award
Monica Jeffries Hazangeles, CAS/MA '96 - Alumni Achievement Award
Jolene Hope McNeil, SPA/BA '97 - Alumni Eagle Award
Mark Bergel, CAS/MS '87, CAS/PhD '96 - Alumni Recognition Award
Daniel P. Maree, CAS/BA '08 - Rising Star Award
2013
Dean Jay Factor, Kogod/BSBA '97 - Alumni Achievement Award
Michael Kempner, SPA/BS '81 - Alumni Achievement Award
Kevin L. Hagan, SIS/MA '97 - Alumni Recognition Award
Judi Byers, Kogod/BSBA '04, CAS/MS '12 - Alumni Eagle Award
David W. Simnick, SPA/BA '09 - Rising Star Award
Jonelle Williams, SPA/BA '09 -Rising Star Award
2012
Neale F. Lunderville, SPA/BA '96 - Alumni Achievement Award
Genna Griffith, CAS/BA '01 - Alumni Recognition Award
Ron Vogel, CAS/BA '72 - Alumni Eagle Award
Richard Golaszewski, Kogod/BSBA '07 - Rising Star Award
2011
David M. Gregory, SIS/BA '92 - Alumni Achievement Award
Karen L. Bune, CAS/BA '76, SPA/MS '78 - Alumni Recognition Award
Brian F. Keane, SPA/BA '89 - Alumni Eagle Award
Talila A. Lewis, SPA/BA '07 - Rising Star Award
2010
James M. Brady, SOC/BA '89 - Alumni Achievement Award
Richard A. Hocker, KSB/BS '68, KSB/MBA '70 - Alumni Recognition Award
Kevin D. Malecek, SPA-CAS/BA '01, SPA/MA '02 - Rising Star Award
2009
Robert Cerasoli, SPA/BA '69 - Alumni Achievement Award
Tom Lewis, SPA/BS '75 - Alumni Recognition Award
Lindsay Webster, SOC/BA '03 - Rising Star Award
2008
Jim McGovern, CAS/BA '81, SPA/MPA '84 - Alumni Achievement Award
Ronald "Boots" Nissenbaum, KSB/BS '68 - Alumni Recognition Award
Carmen Iezzi, SIS/BA '00, SIS/MA '01 - Rising Star Award
2007
James T. Brett, SPA/BA '73 - Alumni Recognition Award
Ken Biberaj, SPA/BA '02 - Rising Star Award
2006
Tony Perkins, SOC/BA '81 - Alumni Achievement Award
Neal Sharma, SPA/BA '98 - Rising Star Award
2005
Lonnie Bunch, CAS/BA '74, CAS/MA '76 - Alumni Achievement Award
2004
Jack C. Cassell, SOC/BA '77 - Alumni Achievement Award
C. Payne Lucas, SPA/MA '61 - Alumni Recognition Award
2003
Susie Kay, SPA/BA '86 - Alumni Recognition Award
2002
George Collins, KSB/MBA '70 - Alumni Achievement Award
George Whitehouse, KSB/BSBA '69 - Alumni Recognition Award
2001
Bob Edwards, SOC/MA '72 - Alumni Achievement Award
Gayle Abbott, SPA/BA '76 - Alumni Recognition Award
2000
Jack Elliott Corbett, SIS/PhD '67 - Alumni Achievement Award
Pam Deese, SPA/BS '80, WCL/JD '83 - Alumni Recognition Award
1996
Ed Walker, CAS/BS '54 - Alumni Achievement Award
Steven Leifman, SPA/BA '81 - Alumni Recognition Award
1995
Patricia Dorn, DCE/BGS '75 - Alumni Recognition Award
1994
Ethel Smith, CAS/BA '31, CAS/MA '33 - Alumni Achievement Award
Russell Williams II, SOC/BA '74 - Alumni Recognition Award
1993
Charles Corddry, Jr., CAS/BA '41 - Alumni Achievement Award
Brian Johnson, KSB/BS '76 - Alumni Recognition Award
1992
Edward R. Carr, KSB/MBA '62 - Alumni Recognition Award
1991
Robert F. Cowdrey, SPA/BA '71 - Alumni Achievement Award
Robert A. Edwards, SOC/MA '72 - Alumni Recognition Award
1990
Sam Keker, CAS/BA '39 - Alumni Achievement Award
Sherry Mueller, SIS/BA '65 - Alumni Recognition Award
1989
Charlie Kligman, '49 - Alumni Achievement Award
Peggy Brooks-Smith, CAS/BA '52 - Alumni Recognition Award
1987
Grace Chavis Butler, CAS/BS '54, CAS/MA '55
Hubert H. Humphrey III, SPA/BA '65
Raymond F. Keith, SOC/BA '62
Henry Lampe, KSB/BS '52
Richard J. Pennington, SPA/BS '76
1986
June Lazenby Green, WCL/JD '41
Mark H. Murphy, KSB/MBA '83
Ron Nessen, CAS/BA '59
M. Patricia Shelhamer, SPA/BS '55
Carmen E. Turner, SPA/MA '71
1985
Betsy Ashton, CAS/BA '66
Frank Herzog, SPA/BA '72
Jan C. Scruggs, CAS/BA '75, CAS/MA '76
1984
George Margolies, SPA/BA '68, WCL/JD '71
John D. Fauntleroy, CAS/BS '53
A. Yvonne Russell, CAS/BS '44
1983
Edward Carlough, CAS/BA '55
Robert P. Kogod, KSB/BS '62
Edward B. Wilbur, KSB/BS '57
Kathryn G. Heath, CAS/BA '31, SPA/PhD '51
1982
Stuart Bernstein, KSB/BS '60
Constance Morella, CAS/MA '67
Kermit Washington, CAS/BA '73
1981
Cyrus Ansary, CAS/BA '55
Eddyemae Beards, CAs/BS '54, CAS/MA '62
Edward Lewis, CAS/BA '46, HD '67
1980
Cynthia Crocker Brooker, CAS/MA '33
Charles W. Corddry, Jr., CAS/BA '41
Willard H. Scott, Jr., CAS/BA '55
1979
Mary Morse Brown, CAS/BA '39
Betty Southard Murphy, WCL/JD '58
Edward H. Walker, CAS/BA '54
Melvin Wheatley, Jr., CAS/BA '36
1978
Fred Carl, CAS/BA '47
W. Donald Calomiris, KSB/BA '63
Irene Pollin, DCE/BGS '71
1977
Paul L. Berry, CAS/BA '43
Ethel Smith, CAS/BA '31, CAS/MA '33
1974
Denver Haymond, KSB/BS '63
Phyllis Peterson, CAS/BA '53
John Williams, CAS/BA '33
1970
Eva B. Adams, WCL/JD '48
Emory S. Bucke, CAS/BA '35
1969
Leslie A. Bryan, KSB/PhD '30
Josephine Baker, SOC/BA '62, SOC/MA '63
Seymour David Wolf, KSB/MBA '64
1968
Hirsch L. Gordon, WCL/LLM '25
Ralph C. John, SPA/PhD '50
Sherman E. Lee, CAS/BA '38, CAS/MA '39
Edna Kury Monsees, CAS/MA '66, CAS/PhD '67
1967
Joseph Carlo, CAS/BA '38
William Dublin, KSB/PhD '65
Hyun Chul Kim, CAS/PhD '31
Earl Lindveit, SPA/MA '54, SPA/PhD '58
1966
Mary L. Robbins, CAS/BA '38
George Hartzog, CAS/AA '53, KSB/BS '54
W. Kenneth Hoover, CAS/BA '33
1965
Carol C. Laise, CAS/BA '38
William C. Sullivan, CAS/BA '36
West A. Hamilton, SOC/BS '54, SOC/MA '56
1964
Edwin A. Mooers, Jr., WCL/JD '41
Miles E. Drake, SIS/PhD '32
W. Yule Fisher, CAS/BA '32
Adrian McDonough, KSB/BS '49
1963
Hazel H. Feagans, CAS/MA '26
Michael Musmanno, N/A
Helena Doocy Reed, WCL/JD '14
Roland Rice, CAS/BA '29
1962
Wayne C. Grover, SPA/PhD '46
Donald S. Bittinger, CAS/BA '29
Orris Hamilton, WCL/JD '40
William Leith, CAS/BA '37
1961
A. Edward Tedesco, CAS/BA '36
Raymond A. Spaeth, CAS/BA '30
1960
Robert Parker, CAS/BA '34
1959
Harry J. Anslinger, N/A
Stephen G. Yeonas, KSB/BS '48
1958
Kathryn L. Shook, N/A
James I. Hoffman, CAS/PhD '30
1957
Bryson Rash, WCL/JD '41
1956
Frederich Hugh-Craig Bickford, SPA/BS '32, CAS/MA '34
1955
Cathryn Seckler-Hudson, N/A
Dan S. Terrell, CAS/BA '32
1954
Clyde B. Atchison, N/A
1953
Marjorie F. Webster, SPA/MA '35
1952
Charles Pergler, WCL/LLM '25
Walter A. Foote, SIS/MA '33, SIS/PhD '35
1951
Reuben G. Steinmeyer, SPA/PhD '35
1950
Pauline F. Robbins, CAS/BA '30
1949
Williard S. Paul, SPA/MPA '42
1948
Arthur S. Fleming