Call for Honors & Awards Nominations

Since 1964, NACUA has honored individuals in higher education law with its annual honors and awards. Members are invited to submit nominations by Friday, January 31 for those individuals they feel personify the spirit of the honors and awards listed below. NACUA encourages and seeks nominees who represent the broad range of individual and institutional diversity within NACUA. 

The Committee on Honors and Awards does not receive the names of the individuals who make nominations. To ensure confidentiality, please do not submit nominations on letterhead or to NACUA directly. Instead, use the 2025 Honors and Awards Nomination Form linked below. If necessary, upload any additional information you feel might be helpful for the Committee in a separate unmarked document to the "Supporting Documentation" field on the nomination form.

Any current NACUA member, excluding current Board members and current NACUA employees, is eligible to be nominated for an honor. All nominations are completely confidential.

• View list of current Board members here
• View a colleague’s NACUA history here
• View prior Award Recipients here 

All nominations will be reviewed by the NACUA Committee on Honors and Awards, which will recommend the names of individuals to be honored for approval by the Board of Directors. This year’s honors will be presented as part of the 2025 Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington during the Honors and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 25.

Nominations Deadline Friday January 31

The Distinguished Service Award

Established by the Association to recognize individuals who have given extraordinary service both to NACUA and to institutions of higher learning over an extended period of time, whether in legal or other capacities (for example, as members of governing boards). Recipients have made outstanding contributions to the work of the Association, and to its recognition in the legal and educational profession. View list of past recipients

Fellow of the Association

The status of Fellow recognizes a current NACUA member for outstanding and extensive scholarship in higher education law over an extended period, for the benefit of NACUA member colleges and universities. View list of past recipients

First Decade Award

This award recognizes a member representative who has made a significantly innovative contribution to NACUA or provided outstanding service to the Association and to the practice of higher education law, and who has been a member of NACUA for ten or fewer years. Contributions might include but are not limited to, participation in NACUA educational programs as a speaker or moderator; contributions to NACUA's publications program or legal resources library; and/or service on NACUA committees, task forces, and workgroups, or a singular innovation that significantly advances NACUA's ability to achieve its mission. View list of past recipients

Honorary Member

This membership category is conferred upon persons who have made substantial contributions through NACUA to the understanding of legal issues affecting colleges and universities, whether or not the persons so honored are members of the bar. Honorary members have made uniquely valuable contributions both to the understanding of legal issues in higher education and to the continuing life and development of the Association.  View list of past recipients

Life Member

This membership category is granted upon an individual's retirement from the regular practice of higher education law (or similar end of regular representative status), in recognition of outstanding service and substantial contributions to the Association. View list of past recipients

Please take this opportunity to nominate a deserving colleague! For questions, please contact NACUA Director of Meetings and Events Meredith L. McMillan, staff co-liaison to the Committee.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Janine

Janine DuMontelle

Chair, Committee on Honors & Awards