THE 2026 NOMINATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN! … Sunday, February 22 – Sunday, April 22
Thank you for your interest in nominating a member of the UWPIAA for an award!
When are nominations accepted?
Nominations are accepted from mid-February to late-April each calendar year using our online Alumni Awards Nomination Form. The nomination form and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Awards Committee by the published deadline.
Who can be nominated? Are there guidelines?
There are guidelines about who can be nominated and considered for an award each year:
- Nominees from any year …
will be considered for the J. Blanton Belk Outstanding Alumnus/Alumna Award and the Samuel Lanham Award for Extraordinary Service to the UWPIAA.
- Only alumni from official reunion casts/crews …
will be considered for the James E. MacLennan Everyday Hero Award and Outstanding Cast Representative Award. For recognition this July 2026 during Annual Alumni Week, nominations will be accepted for casts and crews that traveled in years ending in a 1 or 6 (e.g. ’76, ’81, ’86…).
What information is required?
A Nomination Letter, along with information about the Nominee and Nominator, will be requested. The submission should also include supporting information, which the Nominator will submit through the online form as attachments.
Please visit the Award Categories page for additional information about each of the UWPIAA’s four (4) awards.
What information should I consider including?
While you know your nominee, the members of the Awards Committee may not. Include as much information as possible regarding the nominee’s qualifications and accomplishments. Please include as many specifics as possible to support your nomination, such as articles, letters, writings, videos, photos or anything else you feel would help us know this individual.
At times, multiple people may want to nominate the same individual for an award. We encourage you to designate a primary nominator to complete the nomination form for the individual nominated. The primary nominator should also collect endorsement letters from others interested in nominating the individual, and include those letters with the nomination submission. Nominators will be contacted if additional documentation and/or clarification is needed.
While it is okay for non-alumni to participate in the nomination process, particularly the J. Blanton Belk and James E. MacLennan Everyday Hero awards, the actual nomination must come from an alum.
Who is the Awards Committee? When are selections made?
The Awards Committee is comprised of a confidential group of alumni from different eras and regions. Member are rotated on a regular basis. The committee meets each year in early May to make its selections, solely based on a review and evaluation of the nomination information submitted.
The committee thoroughly reviews all nominations submitted and makes a recommendation on honorees. The final determination of qualification for all awards is the responsibility of the Awards Committee who are also endorsed by the UWPIAA Board of Governors.
When will alumni know the individuals selected?
Selected honorees are notified in mid-May followed by an all alumni announcement. Honorees are presented with their awards in July at Annual Alumni Week.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Need additional information? Interested in serving on the Awards Committee? Please contact our Awards Committee Chair at awardschair@uwpiaa.org.