CAA Award Descriptions

The California Alumni Association has a number of awards for distinguished alumni. Recipients of the following four alumni awards are honored each spring at the Charter Gala:

Alumnus/a of the Year - presented since 1943
This award is the highest honor given by the California Alumni Association to a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. It is awarded to a prominent alumnus(a) who has achieved distinction through exceptional contribution to our international, national, state, or community welfare. Relevant contribution(s) may occur in a single year or over a span of years, preferably extending into the year of selection.

Recent Alumnus/a of the Year Award Recipients:

- 2007 Donald G. Fisher '50
- 2006 Karl Pister '45, M.S. '48
- 2005 skipped due to awarding changes
- 2004 Lee Brown M.S. '68, Ph.D. '70
- 2003 Warren Hellman '55
- 2002 William T. Bagley '49, Boalt '52
- 2001 Norman Mineta '53
- 2000 Maxine Hong Kingston '62, C. Ed. '65

Please click here for a complete list of awardees.

Excellence in Achievement Award - presented since 1994
The Excellence in Achievement Award honors prominent alumni with records of exceptional career achievement. More than one award per year may be conferred. Past recipients have represented a broad range of fields including humanitarianism, biodiversity, literature, entrepreneurism, energy conservation, film production, politics, medicine, multiculturalism and education.

Please click here for a list of recent awardees.

Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by a Young Alumnus/a - presented since 2005

The Mark Bingham Award honors a younger alumnus/a (1-15 years out of school) who has compiled accomplishments of significant import at an early stage of his or her career. The award pays tribute to Mark Bingham '93, who died September 11, 2001 defending the United States on United Airlines Flight 93. The first recipient was Wayne Lee '91, the NASA engineer who led the team that flew and landed the robotic rovers Spirit and Opportunity on Mars in January 2004.

- 2006: Assemblywoman Nicole Parra '92 (D-Hanford), the only woman at the state or federal level representing California's lower Central Valley.
- 2007: Natalie Coughlin '05, Cal swimmer, world record holder, Olympic gold medalist
- 2008: Anthony M. Smith '92, '93, '02, deputy superintendent, SF Unified School District; former superintendent, Emeryville School District

Excellence in Service Award - presented since 1994
The Excellence in Service Award recognizes Cal alumni who have rendered outstanding voluntary service to one or more of the following: the California Alumni Association, the University, or the greater community. More than one award per year may be conferred.

Please click here for a list of recent awardees.

The two Excellence awards were previously known as the Alumnus Service Award (1964-1973) and then as the California Alumni Citation (1974-1993).

Bradford S. King Award for Excellence in Service by Young Alumni - presented since 1984
This award honors the memory of Bradford S. King who died in 1983 at the age of 28. King devoted countless hours as an undergraduate, and as an alumnus, to upholding and revitalizing University traditions. The award publicly recognizes young alumni who have a record of significant voluntary University and alumni service within their first fifteen years following graduation. For a list of recipients, please click here.



OTHER ALUMNI AWARDS PRESENTED BY THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Distinguished Mentor of the Year
This award is given to those mentors who provide the most enriching support for a current Cal student through the CAA Student Alumni Mentorship Program (SAMP). Awardees are selected from nominations made by student mentees. The SAMP Committee makes the selection each year.

Outstanding Alumni Club Award
This award was established in 1984 to honor the achievements of alumni clubs and to encourage, by example, membership growth and participation in vital Association programs. The criteria for the award are: percentage of growth in club and Association membership; commitment to and participation in student recruitment and outreach; stimulation of Alumni Scholarship applications and donations; leadership development; public relations in the community for the Berkeley campus; and best overall club programming. Nominations and selection are made by staff and the Clubs Ad Hoc Committee.

OTHER CAA-AFFILIATED AWARDS

Distinguished Teaching Award
This award is designed to recognize excellence in teaching on the Berkeley campus. The Committee on Teaching selects the recipient, who receives a monetary award provided by CAA and the Office of the Chancellor. Awards are presented at the Distinguished Teaching Award Banquet each spring.


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