Distinguished Alumni Award

Nominations for the Penn State Distinguished Alumni Award for 2026 closed on September 30, 2025. Nominations for 2027 will be open on July 15, 2026.

The list of the ten Penn State alumni who will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2026 can be found here.

The Distinguished Alumni Awards were authorized by the Board of Trustees in 1951. It is the University’s highest honor presented to its alumni. Nominations may include living alumni of Penn State “whose personal lives, professional achievements and community service exemplify the objectives of their Alma Mater.” For your information, the link is provided to the list of previous Distinguished Alumni Recipients.

Current members of the Board of Trustees, current employees of the University, and current officers and members of the Executive Board of the Alumni Association are not eligible for the award.

To view other alumni awards presented by the Penn State Alumni Association, visit the Alumni Awards webpage.

Please direct any questions about the award or candidate nominations to the Board Office at dku5025@psu.edu or 814-867-1246.