Now Accepting Nominations for the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards
Submission Deadline: Friday, September 5, 2025
Overall Eligibility
- Any alumnus/alumna of SIU SOM
- Sitting members of the Board of Governors are ineligible
- See below for the descriptions and selection factors for each of the three Distinguished Alumni awards prior to nominating.
Nomination Process
- Nominations may be submitted by any alumnus/alumna, faculty or friend of the school
- Self nominations will not be accepted
- Nominations will only be accepted by submitting the webform below
- IMPORTANT: We strongly recommend first reviewing the questions below, then writing (and saving) your answers to the application questions in a word processing program (i.e. Microsoft Word or Google Docs). This will save your work in case you run into any technical difficulties when submitting this form.
What you need to know before submitting
Webform Structure:
- Basic information about the nominee
- Justification for why the nominee is deserving of the award
- Basic information about you, the nominator
- Upload supporting documentation
Supporting Documentation:
If you are nominating an alumnus/a and do NOT have all of the REQUIRED supporting documentation (i.e. CV, headshot, bio, letter(s) of recommendation):
Option 1: Our office will reach out to the nominee stating that they are being considered for this award and request their documentation. We would ensure that you remain anonymous.
Option 2: You will reach out to obtain the documentation. The full packet must be sent to our office prior to the submission deadline. Any submissions received after the deadline will not be considered for this year, but held for next year.
Selection
- Selections will be made by the Alumni Society Board of Governors Distinguished Alumni Committee and their recommendations will be brought to the full Board for final approval.
- Each awardee will be asked to give a short 2-3 minute acceptance speech at the SIU SOM Commencement ceremony (held mid-May) in Springfield, IL. They will also be invited to the Harbinger Society dinner two days prior to Commencement.
About the Awards
1. Achievement Award
The Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award recognizes alumni who have made outstanding contributions to medicine and distinguished service to mankind.
Selection Factors for Achievement Award
- Advancing medical research or scholarly contributions
- Distinction in medical or health professions education
- Leadership roles influencing clinical, academic or organizational settings
- Delivery of exceptional, patient-centered medical care
- Noteworthy acts of innovation or professional impact
2. Service Award
The Distinguished Alumni Service Award recognizes alumni who have made an outstanding commitment to the health and welfare of their patients and their community and for humanitarian activities.
Selection Factors for Service Award
- Humanitarian service in local, national, or global communities
- Civic, cultural, or healthcare contributions that advance community well-being
- Volunteer medical work or health outreach
- Advocacy for equitable healthcare or marginalized groups
- Mentorship and professional support within the medical field
3. Early Career Achievement Award
The Distinguished Alumni Early Career Achievement Award recognizes alumni (within the first 15 years of their career) who have made significant contributions through clinical service, research, education, patient care, public or professional service and/or administrative leadership.
Selection Factors for Early Career Achievement Award
- Demonstrated excellence in clinical service or patient care
- Significant contributions to medical research or scholarly activity
- Impactful involvement in medical education or training
- Leadership in professional, public, or administrative roles
- Commitment to advancing the medical profession early in their career