Alumni Awards

The list below provides examples of service that are appropriate for consideration. Nominations, however, are not limited to these example categories.

• Service with nongovernmental organizations and other groups (for profit or nonprofit) that work closely with communities with special needs, at home or abroad, or both. Examples may include legal services or advocacy for disadvantaged groups, foster parenting, medical service in underserved areas, etc.
• Service with groups that promote education (at any level) or the arts and sciences (e.g., museums, community theater, music appreciation, science fairs, etc.).
• Support for civic programs of any kind (e.g., Scouts movement or projects promoted by groups such as the Lions, Rotary, NAACP, or similar).
• Leadership excellence, including contributions to intellectual development and implementation (e.g., for sustained extraordinary achievement, dedication and passion in a leadership role).
• Service by alumni, including retirees and their spouses or partners, who are UAA members and actively support contributions in furtherance of social and economic development and humanitarian relief at home or abroad.

Most frequently, these services are provided on a voluntary basis. Nevertheless, we will not exclude a nomination for an individual who is paid for the service he/she renders as long as that service goes beyond the expected contribution and is not simply a continuation of the work the nominee was doing prior to separation from USAID. The post-USAID contribution should reflect innovative service likely to leave a long-lasting contribution to the community and people being served.

Who can nominate? Anyone in the UAA registered alumni community may nominate a contributing member as candidate for the award. This includes registered alumni, contributing members, and members of the UAA Executive Committee. Only Awards Committee members are ineligible to nominate candidates. The Awards Committee will take upon itself the task of verifying the facts contained in the nominations (including self-nominations) that stand out and merit further consideration.

Nomination format: Alumni interested in nominating someone (or in self-nomination) are asked to prepare a brief description of what the individual has been doing since leaving USAID and describe in one or two pages (maximum; less is preferable) the innovative or transformative service of the nominee that merits recognition. The nomination should describe the impact of the contribution and why it might be inspiring to others, particularly the USAID alumni community. Keep it simple and brief.

When and where to send nominations: The Awards Committee will accept nominations until July 31, 2024. Nominations received after that date cannot be considered. Send nominations electronically to: awards@usaidalumni.org.

The Awards Committee will review nominations and make final decisions for the winners in August and September. The award winners will be notified in advance and will be announced and publicly recognized at the Annual General Meeting in October 2024. The UAA also will feature some of the nominees, including those who were not selected, in the monthly UAA newsletter and in the Alumni Profiles section of the UAA website.

We encourage everyone to consider nominating (or self-nominating) someone you know who is deserving of this recognition.