The American University Alumni Awards have been presented since 1948. In 1989, the awards were broken into two categories, Alumni Achievement and Alumni Recognition. The Rising Star Award was added in 2006 to recognize outstanding young alumni, and the Alumni Eagle Award in 2011 to honor outstanding service to the university and/or alumni association. In 2016, the Alumni Achievement Award became the Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award, in honor of the president emeritus and his lifelong dedication to American University. In 2022, the university added a Global Alumni Leader Award to recognize the impacts of alumni on communities worldwide.

Previous Award Winners:

2024
Global Alumni Leader Award: Mong-Yong Chung, Kogod/MBA ’91 
Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: The Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee, SOC/BA ’73, WCL/JD ’76, WCL/Hon. LLD ’03 
Alumni Recognition Award: Jan Du Plain, SPA/BA ’66

Alumni Eagle Award: Rob Johnson, SPA/BS ’81

Rising Star Award: Deon Jones, SPA/BA ’14

Rising Star Award: Yamillet Payano, CAS/BS ’18

2023
Global Alumni Leader Award: His Excellency Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, SIS/MA ’99, SIS/MIS ’01
Global Alumni Leader Award: Dr. Dambisa Moyo, CAS/BS ’91, Kogod/MBA ’92, Hon. DHL ’22

Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Dr. Fanta Aw, Kogod/BSBA ’90, SPA/MA ’94, CAS/PhD ’11 
Alumni Recognition Award: Anne Caprara, SPA/BA ’01 

Alumni Eagle Award: Amy Lampert, SOC/BA ’94 

Rising Star Award: Dr. Katherine Grill, CAS/MA ’16, CAS/PhD ’17 

2022
Inaugural Global Alumni Leader Award: Valerie Guarnieri, SIS/MA ’96 
Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Alisyn Camerota, SOC/BA ’88 

Alumni Recognition Award: Mark Bucher, SPA/BA ’90 

Alumni Eagle Award: Loren Danielson, Kogod/BSBA ’80 

Rising Star Award Sam: Cho, SIS/BA ’13 

The Alumni Awards program was paused in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2019
Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Dorothy Toth Beasley, WCL/LLB ’64  

Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Dr. Edmund Wyatt Gordon, SPA/MA ’50 
Alumni Recognition Award: Jimmy Lynn, SOC/BA ’85, Kogod/MBA ’89 

Alumni Eagle Award: Gary Jacobs, SPA/MPA ’76 

Alumni Eagle Award: Dr. Sara Nieves-Grafals, CAS/BS ’75, CAS/MA ’79, CAS/PhD ’80 

Rising Star Award: William Hubbard, SPExS/WSP ’10, SIS/BA ’11 

Rising Star Award: Charlie Wachtel, SOC/BA ’08 

2018
Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Andre Ingram, CAS/BS ’07

Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Jack Rasmussen, CAS/MFA ’75, CAS/MA ’83, CAS/MA ’91, CAS/PhD ’94

Alumni Recognition Award: Rebecca Geller, SPA/BA ’02, WCL/JD ’07

Alumni Eagle Award: Brandon Krapf, SIS/BA ’14

Rising Star Award: Sarah McBride, SPA/BA ’13

2017
Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: David Aldridge, SOC/BA ’87

Alumni Recognition Award: Penny Pagano, CAS/BA ’65 

Alumni Eagle Award: Ann Kerwin, CAS/BA ’71

Rising Star Award: Andrew MacCracken, SPA/BA ’11, SPA/MA ’14

Rising Star Award: Tara Palmeri, SOC/BA ’08

2016
Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award: Neil Kerwin, SPA/BA ’71

Alumni Recognition Award: John Boyer, SPA/PhD ’89

Alumni Eagle Award: Janethe Peña, SIS/BA ’02

Alumni Eagle Award: Sandra Walter, Kogod/BSBA ’86

2015
Alumni Achievement Award: David C. Wajsgras, Kogod/MBA ’89

Alumni Achievement Award: Claiborne Haughton, Jr., SPA/MPA ’80

Alumni Recognition Award: Robyn Rafferty Mathias, CAS/BA ’64, WCL/JD ’67

Alumni Recognition Award: Chazeman S. Jackson, CAS/MA ’04 

Alumni Eagle Award: Erin Fuller, SPA/BA ’93, SPA/MPA ’94 

Rising Star Award: Jason Gold, SOC/BA ’05

Rising Star Award: Christopher A. Obermeyer, CAS/MEd ’13

2014
Alumni Achievement Award: Barry J. Josephson, SPA/BA ’78

Alumni Achievement Award: Monica Jeffries Hazangeles, CAS/MA ’96

Alumni Recognition Award: Mark Bergel, CAS/MS ’87, CAS/PhD ’96

Alumni Eagle Award: Jolene Hope McNeil, SPA/BA ’97

Rising Star Award: Daniel P. Maree, CAS/BA ’08

2013
Alumni Achievement Award: Dean Jay Factor, Kogod/BSBA ’97

Alumni Achievement Award: Michael Kempner, SPA/BS ’81

Alumni Recognition Award: Kevin L. Hagan, SIS/MA ’97

Alumni Eagle Award: Judi Byers, Kogod/BSBA ’04, CAS/MS ’12

Rising Star Award: David W. Simnick, SPA/BA ’09

Rising Star Award: Jonelle Williams, SPA/BA ’09

2012
Alumni Achievement Award: Neale F. Lunderville, SPA/BA ’96 

Alumni Recognition Award: Genna Griffith, CAS/BA ’01

Alumni Eagle Award: Ron Vogel, CAS/BA ’72

Rising Star Award: Richard Golaszewski, Kogod/BSBA ’07

2011
Alumni Achievement Award: David M. Gregory, SIS/BA ’92

Alumni Recognition Award: Karen L. Bune, CAS/BA ’76, SPA/MS ’78

Alumni Eagle Award: Brian F. Keane, SPA/BA ’89

Rising Star Award: Talila A. Lewis, SPA/BA ’07

2010
Alumni Achievement Award: James M. Brady, SOC/BA ’89

Alumni Recognition Award: Richard A. Hocker, KSB/BS ’68, KSB/MBA ’70

Rising Star Award: Kevin D. Malecek, SPA-CAS/BA ’01, SPA/MA ’02

2009
Alumni Achievement Award: Robert Cerasoli, SPA/BA ’69

Alumni Recognition Award: Tom Lewis, SPA/BS ’75

Rising Star Award: Lindsay Webster, SOC/BA ’03

2008
Alumni Achievement Award: Jim McGovern, CAS/BA ’81, SPA/MPA ’84

Alumni Recognition Award: Ronald "Boots" Nissenbaum, KSB/BS ’68 

Rising Star Award: Carmen Iezzi, SIS/BA ’00, SIS/MA ’01

2007
Alumni Recognition Award: James T. Brett, SPA/BA ’73

Rising Star Award: Ken Biberaj, SPA/BA ’02

2006
Alumni Achievement Award: Tony Perkins, SOC/BA ’81 

Rising Star Award: Neal Sharma, SPA/BA ’98

2005
Alumni Achievement Award: Lonnie Bunch, CAS/BA ’74, CAS/MA ’76

2004
Alumni Achievement Award: Jack C. Cassell, SOC/BA ’77

Alumni Recognition Award: C. Payne Lucas, SPA/MA ’61 

2003
Alumni Recognition Award: Susie Kay, SPA/BA ’86 

2002
Alumni Achievement Award: George Collins, KSB/MBA ’70

Alumni Recognition Award: George Whitehouse, KSB/BSBA ’69

2001
Alumni Achievement Award: Bob Edwards, SOC/MA ’72

Alumni Recognition Award: Gayle Abbott, SPA/BA ’76

2000
Alumni Achievement Award: Jack Elliott Corbett, SIS/PhD ’67

Alumni Recognition Award: Pam Deese, SPA/BS ’80, WCL/JD ’83

1996
Alumni Achievement Award: Ed Walker, CAS/BS ’54 

Alumni Recognition Award: Steven Leifman, SPA/BA ’81

1995
Alumni Recognition Award: Patricia Dorn, DCE/BGS ’75 

1994
Alumni Achievement Award: Ethel Smith, CAS/BA ’31, CAS/MA ’33 

Alumni Recognition Award: Russell Williams II, SOC/BA ’74

1993
Alumni Achievement Award: Charles Corddry, Jr., CAS/BA ’41

Alumni Recognition Award: Brian Johnson, KSB/BS ’76

1992
Alumni Recognition Award: Edward R. Carr, KSB/MBA ’62 

1991
Alumni Achievement Award: Robert F. Cowdrey, SPA/BA ’71 

Alumni Recognition Award: Robert A. Edwards, SOC/MA ’72

1990
Alumni Achievement Award: Sam Keker, CAS/BA ’39 

Alumni Recognition Award: Sherry Mueller, SIS/BA ’65

1989
Alumni Achievement Award: Charlie Kligman, ’49

Alumni Recognition Award: Peggy Brooks-Smith, CAS/BA ’52

1987
Grace Chavis Butler, CAS/BS '54, CAS/MA '55
Hubert H. Humphrey III, SPA/BA '65
Raymond F. Keith, SOC/BA '62
Henry Lampe, KSB/BS '52
Richard J. Pennington, SPA/BS '76

1986
June Lazenby Green, WCL/JD '41
Mark H. Murphy, KSB/MBA '83
Ron Nessen, CAS/BA '59
M. Patricia Shelhamer, SPA/BS '55
Carmen E. Turner, SPA/MA '71

1985
Betsy Ashton, CAS/BA '66
Frank Herzog, SPA/BA '72
Jan C. Scruggs, CAS/BA '75, CAS/MA '76

1984
George Margolies, SPA/BA '68, WCL/JD '71
John D. Fauntleroy, CAS/BS '53
A. Yvonne Russell, CAS/BS '44

1983
Edward Carlough, CAS/BA '55
Robert P. Kogod, KSB/BS '62
Edward B. Wilbur, KSB/BS '57
Kathryn G. Heath, CAS/BA '31, SPA/PhD '51

1982
Stuart Bernstein, KSB/BS '60
Constance Morella, CAS/MA '67
Kermit Washington, CAS/BA '73

1981
Cyrus Ansary, CAS/BA '55
Eddyemae Beards, CAs/BS '54, CAS/MA '62
Edward Lewis, CAS/BA '46, HD '67

1980
Cynthia Crocker Brooker, CAS/MA '33
Charles W. Corddry, Jr., CAS/BA '41
Willard H. Scott, Jr., CAS/BA '55

1979
Mary Morse Brown, CAS/BA '39
Betty Southard Murphy, WCL/JD '58
Edward H. Walker, CAS/BA '54
Melvin Wheatley, Jr., CAS/BA '36

1978
Fred Carl, CAS/BA '47
W. Donald Calomiris, KSB/BA '63
Irene Pollin, DCE/BGS '71

1977
Paul L. Berry, CAS/BA '43
Ethel Smith, CAS/BA '31, CAS/MA '33

1974
Denver Haymond, KSB/BS '63
Phyllis Peterson, CAS/BA '53
John Williams, CAS/BA '33

1970
Eva B. Adams, WCL/JD '48
Emory S. Bucke, CAS/BA '35

1969
Leslie A. Bryan, KSB/PhD '30
Josephine Baker, SOC/BA '62, SOC/MA '63
Seymour David Wolf, KSB/MBA '64

1968
Hirsch L. Gordon, WCL/LLM '25
Ralph C. John, SPA/PhD '50
Sherman E. Lee, CAS/BA '38, CAS/MA '39
Edna Kury Monsees, CAS/MA '66, CAS/PhD '67

1967
Joseph Carlo, CAS/BA '38
William Dublin, KSB/PhD '65
Hyun Chul Kim, CAS/PhD '31
Earl Lindveit, SPA/MA '54, SPA/PhD '58

1966
Mary L. Robbins, CAS/BA '38
George Hartzog, CAS/AA '53, KSB/BS '54
W. Kenneth Hoover, CAS/BA '33

1965
Carol C. Laise, CAS/BA '38
William C. Sullivan, CAS/BA '36
West A. Hamilton, SOC/BS '54, SOC/MA '56

1964
Edwin A. Mooers, Jr., WCL/JD '41
Miles E. Drake, SIS/PhD '32
W. Yule Fisher, CAS/BA '32
Adrian McDonough, KSB/BS '49

1963
Hazel H. Feagans, CAS/MA '26
Michael Musmanno, N/A
Helena Doocy Reed, WCL/JD '14
Roland Rice, CAS/BA '29

1962
Wayne C. Grover, SPA/PhD '46
Donald S. Bittinger, CAS/BA '29
Orris Hamilton, WCL/JD '40
William Leith, CAS/BA '37

1961
A. Edward Tedesco, CAS/BA '36
Raymond A. Spaeth, CAS/BA '30

1960
Robert Parker, CAS/BA '34

1959
Harry J. Anslinger, N/A
Stephen G. Yeonas, KSB/BS '48

1958
Kathryn L. Shook, N/A
James I. Hoffman, CAS/PhD '30

1957
Bryson Rash, WCL/JD '41

1956
Frederich Hugh-Craig Bickford, SPA/BS '32, CAS/MA '34

1955
Cathryn Seckler-Hudson, N/A
Dan S. Terrell, CAS/BA '32

1954
Clyde B. Atchison, N/A

1953
Marjorie F. Webster, SPA/MA '35

1952
Charles Pergler, WCL/LLM '25
Walter A. Foote, SIS/MA '33, SIS/PhD '35

1951
Reuben G. Steinmeyer, SPA/PhD '35

1950
Pauline F. Robbins, CAS/BA '30

1949
Williard S. Paul, SPA/MPA '42

1948
Arthur S. Fleming