Alumni Awards

Pictured Left to Right: Mary Elizabeth Friga Wusk ‘89 (Distinguished Citizen Leader Alumni Award), Travis Lyles ‘15 (Rotunda Outstanding Young Alumni Award), L. Paige Turnes ‘94 (Distinguished Professional Achievement Alumni Award), Dr. Kenneth B. Perkins (Honorary Alumni Award), Jane Wall Evans ‘67 (Page Cook Axson McGaughy Lifetime Loyalty Award), Dr. Peggy Childress Agee ‘75 (Humanitarian Alumni Award), Patti Carey ‘82 (Nancy B. Shelton Spirited Contributor Award)

Distinguished Citizen Leader Alumni Award is the highest and most prestigious award bestowed by the Alumni Association. It recognizes alumni who have achieved outstanding success and national distinction in both their personal and professional lives, making them the embodiment of a citizen leader.

Distinguished Professional Achievement Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves as significant contributors to their professions, who stand above their peers, and who are recognized within their professions as role models for future generations of citizen leaders.

Humanitarian Alumni Award honors alumni who, through their outstanding involvement and commitment, have enriched the lives of others and improved the welfare of their communities. The award recognizes personal achievements and the humanitarian ideals that reflect a selfless dedication to service for the good of others.

Honorary Alumni Award is presented to individuals who are not alumni but who have given extraordinary service to Longwood University and who, through their deeds and actions, reflect the values of a true citizen leader.

Rotunda Outstanding Young Alumni Award is presented to alumni who are under the age of 40 and who have demonstrated excellence in their careers and/or in citizen leadership.

The Page Cook Axson McGaughy Lifetime Loyalty Award is awarded periodically to honor alumni volunteer service to the university through active participation in alumni or university affairs, faithful and continued support in expanding the influence and prestige of Longwood University, and a history of philanthropic giving to Longwood.

The Nancy B. Shelton Spirited Contributor Award honors an alumnus or alumna who is a current or retired Longwood faculty or staff member. This award recognizes excellence in service that exemplifies the university’s values of honesty, equality, civility and citizen leadership. The recipient displays a high degree of professionalism, is a dedicated teammate who fosters collaboration and cooperation among colleagues, and goes above and beyond job responsibilities to selflessly serve their alma mater.

CRITERIA and SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Nominees for Longwood's Distinguished Citizen Leader Alumni Award must hold a degree from Longwood University and exhibit the principles of this award.
   
   
2. Nominees for the Distinguished Professional Achievement Alumni Award and Humanitarian Alumni Award must have earned 48 credit hours from Longwood University and exhibit the principles of these awards.
   
   
3. Nominees for the Outstanding Young Alumni Award must hold a degree from Longwood, be under the age of 40 in the year the award is presented, and have exhibited the principles of this award.
   
   
4. Nominees for the Honorary Alumni Award must have made a significant impact on Longwood University through service or financial support. 
   
   
5. With the exception of the Nancy B. Shelton Spirited Contributor Award, current members of the Alumni Board, Foundation Board, Board of Visitors and present employees of the University are not eligible for consideration.
   
   
6. Unanimous approval by the Alumni Board at their November Board meeting is required for the selection of recipient(s).
   
   
7. Written nominations and recommendations are accepted year-round. In order for a nominee to be considered on the current year’s slate, nominations must be received by October 4. The Alumni Board will vote on the Alumni Award Committee’s nominee recommendations at their November meeting and the award will be presented the following summer. The names of those nominated but not selected for any of the awards will be removed from the list of nominees after three years.  Re-nominations are allowed.
   
   
8. Nomination materials must include the name and contact information of the nominee and the nominator, a detailed statement of accomplishments of the nominee, the reason the nominator feels the nominee should be a candidate for the award, and any supporting information that the nominator would like to submit.  If the nominator knows of others who can give information to support the nominee, the nominator should contact those people to obtain that information for inclusion in the nomination.

NOMINATE A LANCER

The Alumni Awards committee of the Alumni Association, in conjunction with Institutional Advancement and the Office of Alumni and Career Services, will conduct a vetting process and may be in touch for more information about the proposed award candidate.

PRESENTATION OF THE AWARDS:

The Distinguished Citizen Leader Alumni Award, the Distinguished Professional Achievement Alumni Award, the Humanitarian Alumni Award, the Rotunda Outstanding Young Alumni Award, the Honorary Alumni Award, the Page Cook Axson McGaughy Lifetime Loyalty Award and the Nancy B. Shelton Spirited Contributor Award will be presented when a nominee is approved by the Alumni Board and presented that summer during Alumni Weekend.

If the Alumni Board does not approve any of the nominees for an award, the award will not be presented. 

PUBLICITY:

The recipients of each award will be publicized in the Longwood magazine, plus any additional University publications deemed appropriate by Public Relations and Office of Alumni and Career Services staff.