Alumni Awards

The Environmental Sustainability Champion Award recognises an alum whose innovative work, projects  or actions have made a significant impact on addressing sustainability challenges. Nominations must demonstrate that the alum has worked hard to implement an environmental  sustainability project/initiative and that their involvement has made a positive impact locally, nationally or internationally. Such achievements may include: engaging peers in campaigns to widen awareness of and address sustainability issues; improving environments to support the health and wellbeing of others; implementing initiatives to address one of the UN’s sustainable development goals.

The Enterprise Champion Award recognises an alum who has made a significant contribution to the enterprise community at the University of York, in their local region, and beyond. They use their entrepreneurial mindset to make the world a better place, whether founding their own business or having a transformative impact in their sector. Nominations must demonstrate significant impact in one or more of the following areas: inspiring and supporting new entrepreneurs, social enterprise, and / or underrepresented groups in enterprise.

The Health and Wellbeing Award recognises and celebrates an alum who has demonstrated outstanding impact in health, wellbeing, and/ or the medical or healthcare sectors. Perhaps they have driven public health initiatives, contributed to cutting-edge research, or been recognised as an exceptional practitioner. Perhaps they have created initiatives to improve mental health in their organisation or community. Nominations must clearly outline the scope and impact of the initiative or work that the alum has undertaken, as well as their involvement in it.

The Culture and Creativity Award recognises an alum for their outstanding contribution to culture and creativity, who continues to make a positive impact on the wider community, nationally or internationally. Nominees must meet all the following eligibility criteria: Demonstrates an outstanding contribution to culture and creativity. Demonstrates a significant positive impact that has been felt by many – locally, nationally and/or internationally. Demonstrates leadership qualities in a variety of contexts that could include through culture, volunteerism, or community and professional work. Has achieved sustained success over their career through culture and creativity that is noteworthy and exceptional.

The Alumni Rising Star Award recognises recent alumni (graduated five years ago or less at the nomination deadline) whose early accomplishments inspire and provide leadership to students and alumni. Nominees must meet all the following eligibility criteria: Work, whether professional or volunteer, demonstrates a significant positive impact that has been felt by many – locally, nationally and/or internationally. Their accomplishment(s) raise their profile and standing within their community, country or internationally and/or bring greater recognition to their profession. Demonstrates leadership qualities in a variety of contexts that could include volunteerism, or community work or through their profession. Work and/or contribution in their community inspires action, emotion or a response in others.

The Alumni Volunteer Award recognises those York alumni who have made a significant contribution to the wider University of York community through their commitment to volunteering. Nominees must meet all the following eligibility criteria: Has contributed a significant amount of time and effort to volunteering for the benefit of the University, current students and their fellow alumni. Has demonstrated sustained and outstanding impact through their volunteering actions. Has supported the University’s commitment to volunteering through gifts of time.

The Global Community Award recognises and honours the outstanding achievements of an international alum who has realised distinction in their chosen field and whose accomplishments enhance the prestige of the University of York. Nominees must meet all the following eligibility criteria: Work, whether professional or volunteer, demonstrates a significant positive impact that has been felt by many – in their home country and/or internationally. Has achieved sustained success over their career that is noteworthy and exceptional. Their accomplishment(s) raise their profile and standing within their community, country or internationally and/or bring greater recognition to their profession. Demonstrates leadership qualities in a variety of contexts that could include volunteerism, or community work or through their profession. Demonstrates the ability to influence decisions within a variety of contexts; for example, within government, industry or through advocacy efforts. The nominee must have enrolled to study at the University of York as an international student and be currently residing overseas.

The Equality Champion Award is open to all alumni. It recognises and honours an alum whose outstanding contribution to equality has promoted positive attitudes towards equality and diversity and who has helped to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with dignity and respect. Nominees must meet all the following eligibility criteria: Demonstrates an outstanding contribution to equality, showing how their work has promoted positive attitudes and influenced positive change. Work, whether professional or volunteer, demonstrates a significant positive impact on improving equality. Their role, work and/or contribution in their community raises awareness of equality issues inspires action, emotion or a positive response in others.

1. An alum cannot win more than one award category in any calendar year and cannot win the same award category more than once. 
2. Awards will not be awarded posthumously. 
3. Joint nominations will not be accepted. 
4. Self-nominations will be accepted. 
5. Nominations will be accepted for alumni of the University of York.
6. Current members of the University Executive Board, Senate and Council are not eligible to be nominated in any award category. 
7. Nominators are responsible for ensuring that they have written permission from the nominee, and proof of this must be included at the time of nomination.
8. Current students are not eligible to be nominated in any award category. 
9. The selection panel’s decision is final on all matters relating to the nomination process and the selection of award recipients; no correspondence will be entered into. 
10. The selection panel reserves the right to select nominations to remain valid for up to two years. Nominators will be responsible for updating additional information. 
11. The selection panel reserves the right not to allocate an award in one of the categories if, in their opinion, there are no entries of sufficient merit. The number of awards allocated in each category will be at the discretion of the selection panel. 
12. The University reserves the right to disclose the identity of the nominator to the nominee. 13. Personal information submitted to the University by the nominator or nominee, in connection with the awards, will be given to the selection panel for the purpose of judging the awards and will be stored in the University’s alumni database, Raisers Edge/ NXT.
13. The nominator’s and/or selected nominee’s name, image and statement may be published and/or used in any form of media, in any context pertaining to the awards. 
14. Award recipients will be announced online in University of York publications and on social media.