Alumni National Awards Guidelines
- A prior All-University or College Alumni National Award is not a required prerequisite to be considered for the Alumnus/a of the Year Award.
- Award candidates are kept on the active consideration list for at least three years. Nominators are encouraged to submit additional candidate background information if the nominee is not selected in a particular year.
- Full-time Marquette University employees are not eligible for an Alumni National Award.
- Current MUAA National Board Directors are not eligible for an Alumni National Award.
- Nomination letters should make a strong case for why a nominee deserves an award. In most cases, the Awards Selection Committee is introduced to candidates only through nomination letters and supplemental materials supplied by the nominator, so specific examples of how a nominee meets award criteria is essential.
- Please do not inform candidates that they are under consideration since only a limited number of recipients are chosen each year from among many worthy individuals. All deliberations are kept confidential.
Alumni National Awards Criteria
All-University
Alumnus/a of the Year Award
Established in 1945, the Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes distinguished professional achievement, leadership, service to Marquette and community and loyalty to the ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service. This award remains the MUAA's premier alumni honor.
Professional Achievement Award
The Professional Achievement Award, established in 1969, recognizes distinguished accomplishments throughout one’s career.
Service Award
The Service Award recognizes outstanding service to Marquette and/or community, locally or abroad, which reflects Marquette’s ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service.
Spirit of Marquette Award (achievement before the age of 40)
The Spirit of Marquette Award recognizes professional and/or personal achievement before the age of 40, which may include service to Marquette or community, locally or abroad.
Friend of the University Award
The Friend of the University Award recognizes distinguished leadership and/or service to Marquette by a non-alumnus/a.
Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement along with service to Marquette or the larger community.
- The Entrepreneurial Award recognizes outstanding innovation and exceptional success as an entrepreneur.
- The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement throughout one’s career.
- The A Person for Others Award recognizes a deep dedication to and passion for service to community, locally or abroad.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
Association of Marquette University Women
The Mary Neville Bielefeld Award is bestowed annually to an alumna who demonstrates loyalty to the Marquette ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service.
College of Business Administration
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement along with service to Marquette or the larger community
- The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement throughout one’s career.
- The Entrepreneurial Award recognizes outstanding innovation and exceptional success as an entrepreneur.
- The Service Award recognizes outstanding service to Marquette, the College of Business Administration and/or community, locally or abroad.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication
- The Communicator of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement and service to Marquette and/or community, locally or abroad.
- The Byline Award honors an alumnus/a who has attained distinction in journalism and related communication fields.
- The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement throughout one’s career.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
- The James T. Tiedge Memorial Award honors an alumnus/a whose professional career reflects the values Dr. Tiedge taught and lived, including social responsibility as a media professional.
School of Dentistry
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a in Dentistry Award recognizes outstanding contribution to the dental profession through practice, research, education, administration or public service
- The Outstanding Dental Service Award recognizes outstanding service to community, locally or abroad.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
College of Education
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding educational achievement and leadership that displays care for knowledge, profession, and people.
- The Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Achievement Award recognizes professional distinction in the counseling and educational psychology field, along with moral and professional character, and loyalty to Marquette’s ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service.
- The Educational Policy and Leadership Achievement Award recognizes professional distinction in the educational policy and leadership field, along with moral and professional character, and loyalty to Marquette’s ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
Opus College of Engineering
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement along with service to Marquette or the larger community.
- The Entrepreneurial Award recognizes outstanding innovation and exceptional success as an entrepreneur.
- The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement throughout one’s career.
- The Service Award recognizes outstanding service to Marquette, the Opus College of Engineering and/or community, locally or abroad.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
College of Health Sciences
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement along with service to Marquette or the larger community.
- The Service Award recognizes outstanding service to Marquette, the College of Health Sciences and/or community, locally or abroad.
- The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement throughout one’s career.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, and/or service to Marquette and community before the age of 40.
Law School
- The Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes distinguished professional achievement, leadership and service to Marquette or community.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an alumnus/a who has reached and maintained a significant level of professional excellence over the course of his/her career.
- The Charles W. Mentkowski Sports Law Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement in the sports law field.
- The Howard B. Eisenberg Award recognizes an alumnus/a within 15 years of graduation for his/her dedication to the field of public interest law and/or service to community. The recipient must exemplify Marquette’s ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service in his/her professional and personal life.
College of Nursing
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding professional achievement along with service to Marquette or the larger community.
- The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement throughout one’s career.
- The Service Award recognizes outstanding service to Marquette, the College of Nursing and/or community, locally or abroad.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award honors professional achievement under the age of 40.
Marquette University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
- The Distinguished Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes an alumnus/a who is a former student-athlete or former student athletic employee whose experience in athletics was integral to their student or professional experience; this award also recognizes distinguished professional achievement, leadership, service to Marquette or the larger community, and loyalty to Marquette’s ideals of excellence, faith, leadership and service.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an alumnus/a who as a student was a member of Marquette Athletics (e.g., athlete, team manager, graduate assistant, etc.) and had a national impact on athletics or exemplary athletic achievement during his/her subsequent career.
- The Young Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes a former student-athlete or former student athletic employee who has demonstrated significant professional achievement, personal responsibility, excellence and/or service to Marquette or community before the age of 40.
NOTE: The above awards will be determined by the Athletic Board.
- The Hy Popuch Memorial Service Award, bestowed by the M Club, recognizes an individual who has provided significant leadership and/or service to Marquette Athletics or the M Club. This award is administered by the M Club.
The awards listed on this page may not always be distributed annually.