Honored Alumni Awards
Recognizing Distinction in Alumni Success and Service
UNC alumni are recognized leaders in their careers and communities. And from among our growing network of alumni, UNC honors a distinguished group of graduates whose lifetime of leadership and service inspires all Bears to remain involved and invested in the university.
The UNC Honored Alumni Award is presented annually to UNC graduates in recognition for career success and a commitment of service to the university. The award is the highest honor presented to a UNC graduate by the Alumni Association.
2025 Honored Alumni Nominations
Thank you for nominating your fellow Bears! Nominations for 2025 are now closed.
To nominate a potential honoree, complete the Honored Alumni nomination form AND submit a biography that does not exceed two pages. Include all significant accomplishments and details that qualify the nominee for this award. Submissions that do not include a current nomination form and biography will not be considered. The most successful nominations include a compelling story of success while keeping a connection to UNC.
Although not required, we strongly recommend nominators also submit letters of recommendation, news articles and any other relevant documents that support your nomination. We ask that you limit supporting documents to 10 pages or less.
A committee of Alumni Board members and past honorees reads each biography and any accompanying information and reviews the below qualifications to select each class of honorees. The committee selects 5 honorees each year. If your nominee is not selected, we encourage you to consider resubmitting the nomination during the next nomination cycle.
Nominations Open: September 30, 2024 | Nominations Close: November 1, 2024
Winners Announced: January 14, 2025 | Honored Alumni Celebration: March 29, 2025
Award Qualifications
The selection committee considers the following factors when selecting honorees:
- Personal and professional achievement, manifested through lifelong distinguished achievements and/or a one-time significant and distinguished achievement, in one’s chosen field;
- Significant contributions on behalf of the University of Northern Colorado and/or the UNC Alumni Association, which may include teaching, service, research, volunteerism or philanthropy; and
- Extraordinary dedication to the University of Northern Colorado through leadership, vision, creativity, generosity and/or by increasing UNC's stature and impact in the larger community.
Current UNC employees and Alumni Board members are not eligible for consideration.
Past Honorees
Since 1947 the University of Northern Colorado has honored outstanding alumni and friends whose service and achievements embody the University's tradition of excellence. When the University of Northern Colorado Alumni Association was established in 1965, the annual awards program was adopted by the Association and continued as a university tradition. Each year the UNC Alumni Association recognizes some of our most distinguished alumni and friends with Honored Alumni awards. See past honorees below.
Centennial Hall of Fame
In honor of UNC's centennial year, 100 individuals were inducted into UNC's Centennial Hall of Fame in 1989. These alumni were chosen to serve as an example of "the impact this university has had on our society for the past century." View the full event brochure, complete with individual honoree biographies.
Glen Alps 1941
George Ayers 1963, 1965
Mildred Ballou 1960
Alvin Barnhart 1962, 1988
J. Michael Barrett 1968
Edward Beaty 1963
Robert Benton 1961
Tilman Bishop 1955, 1956, 1999
Idris Boltz 1936
Fritz Brennecke 1936
Clyde Brundy, attended
Robert Bush 1935, 1937
Pete Butler 1931, 1934
Rodger Bybee 1966, 1969
George Carlson 1898
Gordon Cawelti 1954
Ying-Hau Chen 1973, 1975
Sandra Cole 1967, 1970
William Creswell, Jr. 1948
Barbara Davis 1974
William Davis 1958
Harold DeBey 1947
Marie Diggs 1941, 1947
Maggie Divelbiss 1953
Thomas Doherty 1938, 1942
Frances Dougherty 1935, 1940
Lawrence Eicher 1960
Ed Elliott 1969
Hollis Fait 1946, 1947
Dean Fleischauer 1967
William Force 1938
Leslie Franklin 1962
Ralph Frazier 1939, 1941
Ervin French 1942, 1946
Donald Garrity 1950
Lloyd Gaskill 1935
Samuel Gates 1945, 1947
Bill Gearheart 1963
Robert Gilchrist 1927, 1928
Donn Gresso 1966
Mildred Hansen 1927
Fred Harcleroad 1939, 1942
Dorothy Hayden-Watkins 1967
Paul Heidger, Jr. 1963
Harold Heller 1964
Edgar Hewett 1898
E'Rena Hockenberry 1946, 1972
Philip Hosford 1963
George Houston 1893
Norman Howe 1972
Kun-Huei Huang 1971
Author Hughes 1954
Paul Hurd 1929, 1934, 1980
George Hynd 1976
Mary Francesca Kearns 1973
Richard Killmer 1960
Ray Kilmer 1959, 1963, 1973
Frank Lakin 1955, 1957
Duane Littell 1968, 1969
Charles Lory 1898
Gordon Maddux 1953
Lian-Wen Mao 1970
Dallas Martin, Jr. 1965, 1970, 1971
Samuel Martinez 1957, 1961
Alan McCormack 1969
William McDivitt 1947, 1956
Stephen McNeal 1960, 1965
John Mendoza 1961, 1969
Edward Meyen 1958, 1959
James Michener 1937, 1972
Verle Mickish 1951, 1955
James Miller 1955
Warren Monfort 1914
Ekavidya Nathalang 1956
Thomas Nicholls, Jr. 1949
Jesse Nusbaum 1907
Arthur Ohanian 1948, 1967
Don Park 1966
Don Robinson 1958
William Ross 1940, 1964
George Sage 1955, 1957
Lynn Sandstedt 1954
Larry Schultz 1965
Wilma Scott 1942
M.D. Selim 1962
Robert Smith 1958, 1964
Sylvia Smith 1963
David Stalls 1978
Poonsang Sutabutra 1965
Robert Timothy 1941, 1986
Roy Unruh 1978
Gloria Velasquez 1978
David Wacker 1975
Jean Waid 1970
Wellington Webb 1964, 1971, 2009
Connie Willis 1967
Philip Wilson 1968
Robert Winslow 1972
Doyle Winter 1971
Mildred Ying 1950
