Distinguished Alumni Awards
A page within UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation
About the Distinguished Alumni Awards
Each year the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is proud to honor and celebrate the achievements of alumni who have distinguished themselves through contributions to their profession and communities.
Recipients typically return to UWL for a brunch gathering and an awards ceremony in the spring.
Burt & Norma Altman Teacher Education Award
The purpose of the Burt and Norma Altman Teacher Education Award is to honor and recognize outstanding educators and the significant contributions they make to children, schools and the communities they serve.
This award is presented annually at the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony.
Burt & Norma Altman Teacher Education Award
2024 Recipient: Jeanne Halderson, ’92 & ’97
- Seventh grade English language arts and social studies teacher at Longfellow Middle School in La Crosse (1992-present)
- Highly accomplished teacher and educational leader dedicated to enhancing education for all children and striving to positively impact students, educators and the community through creativity, collaboration and innovation.
Recipient Story about 2024 Recipient: Jeanne Halderson, ’92 & ’97
Criteria for the Burt & Norma Altman Teacher Education Award
- Attended classes at UW-La Crosse, but does not have to be a UWL graduate
- Must have made a significant contribution to education or an education-related profession as well as the school(s) and/or communities they serve
- Distinctive record of achievement, which may or may not have been publicly recognized
- Current UWL faculty and staff members are ineligible
- Candidates must be living
Solicitation of nominations
- Nominations are accepted year round.
- Nominations must be received by Oct. 1 to be considered for the award given the following year.
Nominate an Alumni!
Were you nominated?
First off, congratulations! We will notify nominees and kindly ask all nominees to submit the following to aid in our selection process:
- A vita/resume. The awards selection committee suggests you limit your submission to relevant and important facets of your career that relate to the award criteria. We believe this can be done for most persons in about 10 or less pages.
- Three letters of reference. (If more than three letters are received, only the first three (3) letters received will be placed in the nomination folder.) Please be sure all letter writers include their address and contact information. All letter writers will be notified if their nominee is chosen as a recipient.
- Files need to be complete by Nov. 15 to be considered for the following year.
Selection Process
Selection Process
- The Alumni Award selection committee will review all complete files and select the recipient(s).
- The Chancellor will notify the recipient(s) of their award(s).
- Recipients are highly encouraged to attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony to formally celebrate and recognize this accomplishment!
- Once all the necessary documents have been received, candidates remain active for consideration for a period of three years.
Graff Distinguished Alumni Award
The purpose of the Maurice O. Graff Distinguished Alumni Award is to recognize alumni who have achieved honor and distinction with recognition and reputations that extend well beyond the immediate environments in which they live and work.
This award is presented annually at the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony.
Graff Distinguished Alumni Award
2024 Recipient: Ronald Sentwali Bakari, Ph.D. ’82 & ’90
- Vice President of Student Affairs at Adelphi University in New York
- Previous winner of the Parker Distinguished Multicultural Alumni Award (2010)
- Has held numerous leadership roles in higher education across the country, from New York to Colorado to Iowa
- Assistant director and director of UWL’s Office of Multicultural Student Services (1990-96).
Recipient Story about 2024 Recipient: Ronald Sentwali Bakari, Ph.D. ’82 & ’90
Criteria for the Graff Distinguished Alumni Award
- Attended classes at UW-La Crosse, but does not have to be a UWL graduate
- At least 20 years since attended UWL
- Must have a high ranking in his/her profession
- Must have made numerous contributions to others
- Distinctive records of achievement with recognition and reputations, which extend well beyond the immediate environments in which they live and work
- The record of distinctive achievement for the candidates should extend over a substantial period of time to assure continuity of performance, stability and maturity
- Current faculty members are not eligible
- Candidates must be living
Standards for consideration include distinctive records of achievement, with recognition and reputation which extend well beyond the immediate environments in which they live and work. This record of distinctive achievement should extend over a substantial period of time to assure continuity of performance, stability and maturity.
Solicitation of nominations
- Nominations are accepted year round.
- Nominations must be received by Oct. 1 to be considered for the award given the following year.
Nominate an Alumni!
Were you nominated?
First off, congratulations! We will notify nominees and kindly ask all nominees to submit the following to aid in our selection process:
- A vita/resume. The awards selection committee suggests you limit your submission to relevant and important facets of your career that relate to the award criteria. We believe this can be done for most persons in about 10 or less pages.
- Three letters of reference. (If more than three letters are received, only the first three (3) letters received will be placed in the nomination folder.) Please be sure all letter writers include their address and contact information. All letter writers will be notified if their nominee is chosen as a recipient.
- Files need to be complete by Nov. 15 to be considered for the following year.
Selection Process
- The Alumni Award selection committee will review all complete files and select the recipient(s).
- The Chancellor will notify the recipient(s) of their award(s).
- Recipients are highly encouraged to attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony to formally celebrate and recognize this accomplishment!
- Once all the necessary documents have been received, candidates remain active for consideration for a period of three years.
Morgan Improving Lives Alumni Award
The purpose of the Morgan Improving Lives Alumni Award is to recognize a UWL undergraduate alumni who has chosen a career in the local region dedicated to improving the lives of others.
This award is presented annually at the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony.
Morgan Improving Lives Alumni Award
2024 Recipient: Shaundel Spivey, ’12 & ’15
- Executive director of Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge (2021-present)
- Director of UWL Upward Bound (2020-21)
- Member of the Board of Education for the School District of La Crosse (2019-22).
Recipient Story about 2024 Recipient: Shaundel Spivey, ’12 & ’15
Criteria for the Morgan Improving Lives Alumni Award
- Received an undergraduate degree from UWL.
- Chosen a career in the local region dedicated to improving the lives of others.
- Current resident with 5 or more years in the La Crosse region (within 50 miles).
- Career focus on human services, positively affecting the lives of others.
- Preference for employment in a non-profit or not-for-profit organization.
- Preference for a career outside the traditional K-12 education (other awards honor K-12 alums).
- Candidate need not have evidence of additional service to the community (e.g., volunteer or civic) the goal is to acknowledge those who have chosen a human services career.
Nominate an Alumni!
Were you nominated?
First off, congratulations! We will notify nominees and kindly ask all nominees to submit the following to aid in our selection process:
- A resume. The awards selection committee suggests you limit your submission to relevant and important facets of your career that relate to the award criteria. We believe this can be done for most people in 5 or less pages.
- Three letters of reference. (If more than three letters are received, only the first three (3) letters received will be placed in the nomination folder.) Please be sure all letter writers include their address and contact information. All letter writers will be notified if their nominee is selected.
- Files need to be completed by November 15 to be considered for the following year's awards.
Selection Process
- The Alumni Award selection committee will review all complete files and select the recipient(s).
- The Chancellor will notify the recipient(s) of their award(s).
- Recipients are highly encouraged to attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony to formally celebrate and recognize this accomplishment!
- Once all the necessary documents have been received, candidates remain active for consideration for a period of three years.
Parker Distinguished Multicultural Alumni Award
The Parker Distinguished Multicultural Alumni Award recognizes outstanding alumni who have contributed significantly to the improvement of multicultural understanding on the campus and in their careers.
Co-founder in 1971 of the precursor to OMSS and the Department of Race, Gender and Sexuality Studies, history professor Emeritus Dr James Parker, initiated the award in 1997.
This award is presented annually at the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony.
Parker Distinguished Multicultural Alumni Award
2024 Recipient: Vickie Sanchez, ’07
- Director of UWL's Office of Multicultural Student Services
- Nearly two decades of experience in student affairs with a focus on equity, diversity at two UW campuses, UWL (2005-2011, 2022-present) and UW-Stout (2011-2022)
- Dedicated to recruiting, retaining and developing intercultural programming for BIPOC (Black, indigenous and other people of color)
Criteria for the Parker Distinguished Multicultural Alumni Award
- Alumni must be multicultural or have contributed significantly to the improvement of multiracial culture and understanding on the campus and in their careers.
- Achieved distinction in a chosen field of endeavor since graduation
- Contributions to his/her field that have not necessarily received public acclaim
- Human and ethical qualities
- Contribution/involvement with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Nominate an Alumni!
Were you nominated?
First off, congratulations! We will notify nominees and kindly ask all nominees to submit the following to aid in our selection process:
- A vita/resume. The awards selection committee suggests you limit your submission to relevant and important facets of your career that relate to the award criteria. We believe this can be done for most persons in about 10 or less pages.
- Three letters of reference. (If more than three letters are received, only the first three (3) letters received will be placed in the nomination folder.) Please be sure all letter writers include their address and contact information. All letter writers will be notified if their nominee is chosen as a recipient.
- Files need to be complete by Nov. 15 to be considered for the following year.
Selection process
- The Alumni Award selection committee will review all complete files and select the recipient(s).
- The Chancellor will notify the recipient(s) of their award(s)
- Recipients are highly encouraged to attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony to formally celebrate and recognize this accomplishment!
- Once all the necessary documents have been received, candidates remain active for consideration for a period of five years.
Rada Distinguished Alumni Award
The purpose of the Rada Distinguished Alumni Award is to recognize living alumni who have graduated within the last 20 years from UW-La Crosse and meet one or more of the award criteria.
Professor emeritus Ron Rada and his wife Jane created this award in 2002 to honor recent to mid-career alumni who are making exceptional contributions to their profession and/or communities. The award provides another point on UWL's continuum of awards that recognize excellence at the various career stages of alumni.
The award includes a scholarship/fellowship of $2,000 presented to a current student in a department of the recipient's choosing.
This award is presented at the UWL Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony each year. Up to two awards will be given each year.
Rada Distinguished Alumni Award
2024 Recipient: Amanda McAllister Novak, ’12
- Associate Attorney at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, Data Privacy & Cybersecurity (2020-present)
- Avid volunteer for the Red Cross, Advocates for Human Rights, Native American Service Project and many more.
Recipient Story about 2024 Recipient: Amanda McAllister Novak, ’12
Criteria for the Rada Distinguished Alumni Award
- Achieved distinction in a chosen field of endeavor since graduation
- Made an outstanding contribution to their profession
- Demonstrated exceptional personal qualities through participation in activities that provide long-lasting benefits to communities and society
Solicitation of nominations
- Nominations are accepted year round.
- Nominations must be received by Oct. 1 to be considered for the award given the following year.
Nominate an Alumni!
Were you nominated?
First off, congratulations! We will notify nominees and kindly ask all nominees to submit the following to aid in our selection process:
- A vita/resume. The awards selection committee suggests you limit your submission to relevant and important facets of your career that relate to the award criteria. We believe this can be done for most persons in about 10 or less pages.
- Three letters of reference. (If more than three letters are received, only the first three (3) letters received will be placed in the nomination folder.) Please be sure all letter writers include their address and contact information. All letter writers will be notified if their nominee is chosen as a recipient.
- Files need to be complete by Nov. 15 to be considered for the following year.
Selection Process
- The Alumni Award selection committee will review all complete files and select the recipient(s).
- The Chancellor will notify the recipient(s) of their award(s).
- Recipients are highly encouraged to attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony to formally celebrate and recognize this accomplishment!
- Once all the necessary documents have been received, nominees remain active for consideration for a period of three years. Individuals nominated in their nineteenth year of eligibility will remain active for consideration for a period of one year.