Alumni Awards
The Penn State Alumni Association is committed to recognizing alumni from across the academic spectrum, especially those from diverse backgrounds and those who are making a positive impact to ensure a truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable institution.
Individual Awards
Select an award from this list to learn more and view the recipients.
Volunteer Awards
Recognizing affiliate groups and individual volunteers for outstanding programming in several categories. Nominations are due at the beginning of March each year. Winners are selected by the Awards Committee of Alumni Council and recognized at a reception during the council’s fall meeting. Each winning group receives a $1000 program grant to support future initiatives.
2026 Volunteer Award Nomination Forms
Group Volunteer Awards and Recipients
Select an award from this list to learn more and view the recipients.
- Fellowship and Networking – Programs/events in this category are typically of a social nature and provide alumni an outlet to gather together to interact with each other in a relaxed/fun environment.
- Fundraising – In addition to raising money for scholarships, our affiliate groups also raise money to support other initiatives, including THON, community organizations, national charities, and other University programs. This award is designed to recognize exceptional fundraising efforts outside of scholarships.
- Joint Activity – The award is presented to two or more groups that have worked collaboratively on a program or event. By working in concert with each other, groups are able to reach a broader and more diverse audience.
- Ned Brokloff Award for Alumni Association Affiliate Group Innovation – This award recognizes groups who take the chance to offer their members a new or innovative program.
- Outstanding Service Project – This award recognizes the outstanding efforts of our affiliate groups for giving back to their communities through local or national service projects.
- Professional Development – This award is presented to groups who offer exceptional professional development programs. Previous recipients have offered programming to their members in order to help them continue to grow and advance within their chosen career fields, network with other professionals, and/or navigate career transitions.
- Scholarship Development – Affiliate groups support our students in a variety of ways, including through the awarding of scholarships. This award was created to recognize efforts specifically targeted to raising money to support student scholarships.
- Engagement with Young Alumni – This award is given to an affiliate group that develops programs and events that encourages the recruitment and participation of young alumni (under the age of 30).
- Tracy and Rick Riegel Pinnacle Event Excellence Award – Consideration for this award shall be given to an affiliate group who built an event from the ground up and worked to grow the event year after year.
Individual Volunteer Awards and Recipients
Select an award from this list to learn more and view the recipients.
- Joan M. McLane Recent Alumni Award – This award recognizes a recent alumna/alumnus who has provided exemplary volunteer service to the Penn State Alumni Association. Eligibility for the award is limited to individuals who have graduated from the University within the last 10 years.
- K. David Weidner Diversity Award – This award recognizes an individual who has significantly contributed to fostering diversity at Penn State by sharing or volunteering their talent, time, and resources on behalf of the University.
- Kay and Ernie Salvino Volunteer of the Year Award – This award recognizes an individual who has provided exemplary service to the Penn State Alumni Association.
- Martin R. Cepeda, Jr. Award for Alumni Career Advancement and Development – The Martin R. Cepeda, Jr. Award for Alumni Career Advancement and Development recognizes a professional who has given their time and talents to support Penn State students and the professional advancement of Penn State alumni.
- Philip Philip Mitchell Alumni Service Award – This award recognizes an individual who has significantly contributed in the area of public service by sharing or volunteering their talent, time, and resources on behalf of the University.
- Mark and Carol Poblete Award for Alumni Leadership Development – This award recognizes an individual volunteer at Penn State for their role in mentoring, supporting, encouraging, and providing guidance and motivation in the development of emerging alumni volunteer leaders’ interests, passions, and personal circumstances.
Faculty and Staff Awards
These three patches are awarded annually to groups who have met the requirements for one of three levels of distinction, Lion, Laurel, and Elm.
Groups of Distinction
Affiliate groups named as a “Group of Distinction” have served in several different programmatic categories, including career networking, social interaction and fellowship, supporting students, and leading THON-related activities. The Alumni Association implemented a three-tiered structure to recognize these outstanding groups.
Group of Distinction Recipients
- View the 2024 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2023 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2022 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2021 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2020 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2019 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2018 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2017 Groups of Distinction
- View the 2016 Groups of Distinction
Society of Distinguished Alumni
The purpose of the Society is to provide networking, to raise the visibility of Penn State University and to foster meaningful interaction between Distinguished Alumni and the University.