These awards are presented by the IU Alumni Association and constituent groups to recognize distinguished service of IU alumni. Their work stands as a testament to their IU education, and their service are a measure of their dedication to our university.

The first alumni award presented by the university was the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 1953. In that first class of awardees was Arthur R. Metz, a highly-regarded physician and philanthropist after whom the Metz Carillon is named; musical legend Hoagy Carmichael; J. Dwight Peterson, a business leader who also served as an IU trustee and director of the IU Foundation; and marketing pioneer and professor Vergil D. Reed.

In recent years, the IU Alumni Association has expanded its awards to include underrepresented groups, recognizing the outstanding leadership and contributions of alumni within the African American, Asian/Pacific American, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities.

All questions about the nomination and selection process should be directed to the IUAA.