DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS NOMINATION INFORMATION


Recognizing Our Alumni Successes

The University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee—which includes members of our Alumni Leadership Council—aims to recognize a broad range of qualified candidates who embody the university’s core values by honoring them with Distinguished Alumni Awards. The committee selects an annual recipient in each of the following categories:

  • The Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award recognizes graduates or former students who demonstrate significant accomplishments in their business or professional lives as well as distinguished service to their university, community, state, or nation.
  • The Distinguished Alumni Service Award recognizes graduates or former students who demonstrate specific and meritorious service to their university, community, state, or nation.
  • The Distinguished Alumni Hickerson Recognition Award recognizes graduates or former students for outstanding contributions to their alma mater. This award is named in honor of the late Loren Hickerson (40BA), the university’s first full-time alumni director and an ardent UI champion.
  • The Distinguished Recent Graduate Award recognizes graduates or former students, age 40 or younger at their time of nomination, for significant accomplishments in their business or professional lives as well as for distinguished service to their university, community, state, or nation.
  • The Distinguished Friend of the University Award recognizes individuals who are not alumni for specific and meritorious service that enhances and advances the university.
  • The Distinguished Faculty Award recognizes retired or former faculty for significant achievements and for specific meritorious service that enhances and advances the university. Nominees need not be alumni.
  • The Distinguished “Forevermore” Staff Award recognizes retired or former staff for significant achievements and for specific meritorious service that enhances and advances the university. Nominees need not be alumni.

NOMINATION FORMAT

Graduates, former students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University of Iowa may make nominations (the Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee reserves the right to reassign nomination categories, if deemed applicable). Nominators should submit the following:

  • Cover letter that states the nomination category, endorses the candidate’s qualifications, and highlights how the nominee embodies the UI's core values
  • Nominee's vita or professional résumé, including a current address
  • Three or more letters of recommendation from other individuals who support the nomination
  • Any additional information that would further substantiate the nomination

EXCLUSION FROM ELIGIBILITY

Current members of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement’s board of directors and staff, members of the Alumni Leadership Council, and current full‑time university faculty and staff are not eligible to receive these awards. Individuals currently in a position of elected or appointed office or known to be launching a campaign are also not eligible to receive these awards. All nominees must be living at the time of nomination and cannot have received a University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Award in the same category in the past. Nominations by active Awards Committee members will not be reviewed until the member’s term has concluded on the committee. The Awards Committee reserves the right to consider and approve exceptions to the exclusions from eligibility.

AWARDS TIMELINE

Nominations for the 2026 awards will open in May 2025 and close on January 31, 2026. The Distinguished Alumni Awards Committee will meet in April 2026 to review all nominations and make the annual selections. Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented at a special ceremony on the Friday before the University of Iowa's Homecoming (Fall 2026).

MAIL NOMINATIONS TO:

The University of Iowa Center for Advancement
Distinguished Alumni Awards
One West Park Road
Iowa City, Iowa 52244

For more information, email Nici Bontrager or call 319-467-3607.

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Iowa field hockey has a long history of tremendous goalkeepers?and junior Mia Magnotta is continuing that strong tradition. PHOTO: Jerod Ringwald/hawkeyesports.com Mia Magnotta ended the regular season ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference for most saves. It was worth the wait for Kelly Druley-Herron (00BS). For three seasons, she was back-up goalkeeper to Lisa Cellucci (98BA) on Iowa?s field hockey squad. It was a great learning experience for the Massachusetts native. ?When I stepped foot on campus at Iowa, I had to come in and re-learn the game because I had never played on turf before,? she says. ?It?s a much faster game, and Lisa showed me the way. Every moment I could I tried to observe, absorb, and get better.? In 1999, Druley-Herron got her chance and made the most of it?becoming an All-American and leading the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten Conference title and Final Four appearance. It was a magical senior season that resulted in Druley-Heron being named the 1999?2000 UI Female Athlete of the Year. ?That was really special,? says Druley-Herron of the team that was recognized earlier this fall at Kinnick Stadium. ?We shut out a lot of teams that year. Our defense?the girls in front of me?did a great job and helped control the types of shots I saw. When things didn?t go as planned, I tried to use my athleticism and gut instincts to dominate the game.? PHOTO: hawkeyesports.com The 1999 Iowa field hockey season was one for the recordbooks. It was just the seventh time the Hawkeyes made the Final Four, and three team memebers received All American honors. A Long History of Blocking Shots, Breaking Records Throughout its nearly five-decade history, Iowa field hockey has seen a number of exceptional goalkeepers. Donna (Lee) Chung (83BS) is in the UI Athletics Hall of Fame, holds school records for most goalkeeper victories and shutouts, and led the Hawkeyes to multiple national tournament appearances. Karen Napolitano (88BS, 92JD) was an All-American and led Iowa to the 1986 national championship, fellow All-American Barb Weinberg (05BA) saw both success at Iowa and as a member of the USA National Team, and Andrea Wieland (92BA, 02MBA, 04PhD) was an All-American, 1996 Olympian, and is also in the UI Athletics Hall of Fame. And then there?s Cellucci, a three-time All-American, who still holds the Hawkeye record for most goalkeeper saves with 592. ?Iowa has always been known as a premier school for goalkeepers,? says Cellucci, who has been the head coach for the Hawkeyes since 2014. ?Over the years, Iowa has been referred to as Goalkeeping U. When I was recruited as a student-athlete, I knew about the tradition of success in the cage and as a program. To this day, there are only three or four Division I programs that can compete with the sustained national success of Iowa field hockey. It was a dream come true to play in goal for the Hawks for four years, and it?s been an absolute honor and privilege to coach at my alma mater for the past 25 years.? Guiding the Next Generation of Goalkeepers Iowa?s rich tradition at goalkeeper helps attract recruits on the national and international level. Mia Magnotta, Iowa?s third-year goalkeeper, chose the Hawkeyes, in part, to be coached by Cellucci. ?I wanted to reach my full potential, and I knew with experience, Coach Cellucci could help me,? says Magnotta. ?From when I first got on campus in 2021 to now, I?ve grown so much both off and on the field. She?s the reason why I?m a better athlete and person.? Magnotta got her start at keeper in 2023 after backing up Grace McGuire (23BA), who started 57 games for the Hawkeyes. She ended last season with eight defensive shutouts and allowed just 1.09 goals per game?good for sixth best in Division I field hockey. ?She?s driven, she?s competitive, and has all of the tools necessary to lead. When Iowa puts it all together, the Hawkeyes are a hard team to beat. ? ? Kelly Druley-Herron ?I just tried to learn and absorb as much as I could,? says Magnotta, a native of Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania. ?I think that?s really helped me be more confident in my abilities and with my teammates on the pitch.? This season, Magnotta has continued to work on her communication skills. As goalkeeper, she plays an instrumental role in guiding the entire team. ?After I got used to the pace of the game?which is faster than high school field hockey?I?ve worked on being more of a vocal leader on the turf,? says Magnotta. ?I?m in charge of communicating a lot of tactical information?telling defenders where they should be positioned and helping them navigate attackers. I?m also supporting them, pumping them up, and instilling confidence.? For Druley-Herron, she knows Magnotta will continue to find success as a Hawkeye keeper. ?She stepped into the cage and didn?t miss a beat,? says Druley-Herron. ?She?s driven, she?s competitive, and has all of the tools necessary to lead. When Iowa puts it all together, the Hawkeyes are a hard team to beat.?

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