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Home Distinguished Alumni Awards

The University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Awards

This fall, six exceptional Hawkeyes will join the long list of luminaries who have received the University of Iowa's highest alumni honor. Since 1963, the UI has recognized its world-changing exemplars with the Distinguished Alumni Awards.

From Pulitzer Prize winners to Olympic Games advisors, the 2026 recipients continue the tradition of Hawkeye excellence and will be celebrated during Iowa's Homecoming week.

AWARDS TIMELINE

Nominations for the 2027 awards opened in May 2026 and will close on Jan. 31, 2027. The Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee will meet in April 2027 to review all nominations and make the annual selections. The Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented during Iowa's Homecoming week (Fall 2027).

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2026 Award Recipients

Barrett Anderson (08BA, 08BS)

Recent Graduate Award

Graduating with degrees in economics and political science, Barrett Anderson built a strong foundation at the University of Iowa for a successful legal career.

As a student, Anderson ...

Lisa Hindson (89MA, 89MBA, 90PhD)

Achievement Award

When Lisa Hindson moved across the ocean to attend the University of Iowa, it was not a decision made lightly.

Hindson uprooted her life from her native Australia for the promise of a...

N. William Hines

Friend Award

N. William Hines served as dean of the University of Iowa College of Law for 28 years, the longest serving dean in the university’s history. During his tenure, Hines helped establish the coll...

Jimmy A. Reyes (04BSN, 07MSN, 10DNP)

Service Award

Jimmy A. Reyes has taken on many roles over the course of his illustrious career: nurse leader, scholar, nonprofit executive, educator, and community advocate.

From his position as as...

Marilynne Robinson (17LHD)

Faculty Award

Marilynne Robinson is among the most decorated and consequential living writers in America.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and one of the most influential figures in the history of the I...

Thomas Schnack (72BBA, 75MA)

Hickerson Award

Thomas Schnack is a prime example of an alumnus who pays it forward.

In 2008, Schnack’s son, Adam, followed in his father’s footsteps to the University of Iowa and was a m...