Honoring UIC's Exceptional Alumni
The UIC Alumni Association is proud to recognize alumni who embody UIC's mission through their extraordinary achievements and community impact. The UIC Alumni Awards are the highest level of recognition given to UIC alumni.
On May 14, 2026, we had the pleasure of celebrating our 2026 awardees first-hand while learning about the impact they have had on the city of Chicago and beyond. Be sure to take a look at the photos and reminisce (or to see what you missed).
2026 Alumni Awards Honorees
The UIC Alumni Association is proud to celebrate with this year’s honorees.
2026 Alumni Awards Honorees
Alumni Achievement Award
Chrissie P. N. Kaponda PhD ’96
Javette C. Orgain BS ’72, MD ’81, MPH ’05
Distinguished Service Award
Peter Skosey MUPP ’93
Celebrate with Us
Humanitarian Award
Vijay S. Khiani BS ’01, BA ’01, MD ’05
Rising Star Leadership Award
Matthew R. Swalek BA ’21
Get to know our 2026 Alumni Awards honorees
Award Categories
Alumni Achievement Award
The highest honor bestowed by the University of Illinois Chicago Alumni Association, the Alumni Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose exceptional success and national or international recognition in their fields demonstrates the value of a UIC education across a lifetime.
Humanitarian Award
The Humanitarian Award recognizes alumni whose outstanding dedication and leadership significantly improve the lives of others and humanity’s well-being. They embody UIC’s commitment to eliminating disparities in health, education, and economic opportunity.
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals or couples whose consistent and exceptional service to UIC has significantly contributed to the university’s well-being and the advancement of its mission.
Rising Star Leadership Award
The Rising Star Leadership Award recognizes upcoming leaders who have shown outstanding leadership skills and have initiated meaningful changes within their profession or communities, whether local, regional, national, or global.
Additional Information
Who can be nominated?
Nominations are open to all UIC alumni.
Who can submit a nomination?
Members of the UIC community (faculty, staff, students), fellow alumni or friends of the university may submit nominations. Alumni may also self-nominate.
How do the honorees get selected?
The Awards and Nominations Committee of the UIC Alumni Association Board reviews all nominations and submits recommendations to the Chancellor. The selected awardees are honored by the Chancellor at the annual Alumni Awards Celebration.
How many submissions are required for UIC colleges and units?
Advancement colleges/units are asked to submit at least one nomination.
How will I know if I (or my nominee) have been selected?
The Chair of the UICAA Awards and Nominations Committee will contact the selected awardees to communicate the award honor and confirm his or her attendance at the ceremony. The honoree should be present to receive the award. Following the acceptance, an official communication will be sent to the awardee.
What information is required on the nomination form?
Please be prepared to provide the following information when you begin a nomination:
- Nominee’s preferred contact information, address, and UIC graduation year.
- A summary of why the nominee should be considered for the award.
- Nominee’s civic activities and/or philanthropic endeavors which support the nomination.
- At least one letter of recommendation for the nominee.
What is the process for updating a past nomination?
If you submitted a nomination during a previous awards cycle, and your nominee was not selected for an award, he or she will automatically remain in the nomination pool for the upcoming awards cycle (dependent upon the designated award and unless they no longer meet the criteria for the award). If you would like to revise the previous nomination, you have two options for resubmission:
- To submit additional attachments to supplement the existing nomination (résumé, CV, letters of recommendation, etc.), please forward the materials to Gina Ragland at ginar3@uic.edu. They will be attached to the previous nomination form and submitted to the committee for review.
- To amend anything submitted in the previous nomination, please complete the online form again. Please check the box on the form to indicate that you are resubmitting an existing nomination.
How can I get a copy of a previous nomination?
If you need a copy of the nomination and/or supporting documents submitted previously, please contact Gina Ragland at ginar3@uic.edu.
