Distinguished Alumni Awards

The Distinguished Alumni Awards are the most prestigious awards conferred by our partner, the UMass Amherst Alumni Association, upon the university's alumni. The awards are presented to individuals who have translated their UMass Amherst experience into exceptional achievements, embodying the revolutionary spirit and pursuit of excellence that is the essence of our top-ranked university.

The award categories are:

Distinguished Alumni Award
Honoring alumni with national and/or international distinction who have translated their UMass Amherst experience into distinguished achievement in public, business or professional realms, and have shown service to UMass Amherst in volunteer or advocacy sectors.

Distinguished Alumni Service Award
Honoring alumni for outstanding and significant contributions of service to a particular community and/or to the university in volunteer or advocacy sectors.

Distinguished Young Alumni Award
Honoring alumni who have graduated within the last ten years and have demonstrated accelerated career progression in public, business or professional realms and used their UMass Amherst education in a quest for excellence.

Past Award Recipients