Alumni Awards

The Alumni Association awards program honors the achievements of outstanding alumni by presenting exemplary graduates and former students with six prestigious awards: the Butler Medal, the Butler Service Medal, and awards named in memory of graduates Joseph Irwin Sweeney, Katharine Merrill Graydon, Hilton Ultimus Brown, and Robert Todd Duncan. The awards honor individuals for their commitment to the University and to their communities. For a full description and the criteria of each award as well as past recipients, click here.

Nominations

Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends are all encouraged to submit nominations online or by completing a nomination form and submitting it to alumni@butler.edu or mailing to the Butler University Alumni Association, 4600 Sunset Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220. Award descriptions and criteria are available here. At a minimum, each nomination should include a letter that states the category of nomination and establishes the candidate’s qualification with clear and concise detail. The letter should include the nominator’s contact information. The nominee’s vita or professional resume, contact information and letters of support from other individuals are strongly encouraged.

Timeline

Nominations are accepted year round. Nominations received by the deadline will be considered for awards recognized the following Homecoming Weekend. Nominations received after the deadline will be considered for the following cycle. Nominations remain active for three years. The deadline for nominations to be considered for the 2022 ceremony is January 23, 2022. In addition to the Alumni Association Awards, College of Education graduates can nominate a distinguished alumni.

Exclusion from Eligibility

Current members of the Butler University Board of Trustees, Butler University Alumni Association board of directors, and university faculty and staff are not eligible to receive awards. The BUAA awards committee reserves the right to reassign categories of nomination if deemed applicable.

Questions about the awards program should be directed to Danny Kibble or contact the alumni relations office at 317-940-9946.

Alumni Awards Presentation

The Alumni Association is proud to honor the following individuals for extraordinary professional achievement and service to the University and their communities.  The 2020 and 2021 honors will be presented at Homecoming on Friday, September 10.

2021 Alumni Awards Recipients

Butler Medal • Max B. Schumacher ’54
Butler Service Medal • Marvin L. Recht
Robert Todd Duncan Alumni Achievement Award • Craig A. Anderson, Ph. D. ’76
Katharine Merrill Graydon Alumni Service Award • Karen Schultz Alter ’85
Hilton Ultimus Brown Alumni Achievement Award •  Dr. Warren G. Morgan, II ’06
Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award •  R. Kyle Inskeep ’12
Mortar Award •  Dennis ’86 and Sheryl Dye ’87
Foundation Award • Aaron Wright ’05

2020 Alumni Awards Recipients

Butler Medal • Tom King ’66
Butler Service Medal • Dr. James Berry
Robert Todd Duncan Alumni Achievement Award • Wendi Thomas ’93
Katharine Merrill Graydon Alumni Service Award • Mary Shaw ’93
Hilton Ultimus Brown Alumni Achievement Award •  Brandon Gaudin ’06
Joseph Irwin Sweeney Alumni Service Award •  Michael Bennett ’09
Mortar Award •  Albert and Margaret Chen
Foundation Award • Scott ’03 and Katie Nichols ’05