Alumni Awards
Intro Heading link
The University of Illinois College of Medicine recognizes exceptional alumni in reunion years with a series of awards. We encourage UI COM alumni, faculty, staff, students, and other professional colleagues to nominate alumni for one or more of the awards listed below.
Nominations for the 2025 awards are open; you may submit nominations until May 18, 2025. Please contact the Alumni Office at COMAlumni@uic.edu with any questions about the awards or nomination process.
2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients will be announced in June and recognized during the Reunion Distinguished Alumni Awards Reception on September 19, 2025.
Awards Heading link
Distinguished Alumni Award
Established in 1960, this award recognizes alumni whose professional achievements and cumulative contributions have brought personal distinction, enhanced the general health and well-being of the public through professional practice, research or public policy, and brought honor to their medical alma mater.
Alumni Humanitarian Award
Established in 2025, this award honors alumni who embody an ongoing commitment to providing healthcare to communities in need and the underserved, or whose extraordinary service has contributed to the good of humankind.
Alumni Early Achievement Award
Established in 2025, this award honors alumni who graduated within the last 20 years and have excelled in their careers, making significant contributions to public health through clinical care, medical science, research, humanitarianism, or administrative activities.
Distinguished Alumni Award Past Recipients Heading link
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Distinguished Alumni Award Past Recipients
*deceased
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- Truman O. Anderson ’50, MS ’52, PhD ’55, MD ’60, R ’61*
- William Arends ’37, MD ’40*
- Steven D. Averbuch, MD ’79, R ’82
- Gloria Jackson Bacon, MD ’62, MPH ’84*
- Elmer L. Becker, MD ’45, PhD ’47*
- Georges C. Benjamin, MD ’78
- Leonard Berlin ’57, MD ’59, R ’63
- Lionel M. Bernstein ’44, MD ’45, PhD*
- William R. Best ’45, MD ’47*
- Derald E. Brackmann, MD ’62
- Rowine H. Brown-Truitt, MD ’39, JD, HD ’75*
- Harris Busch ’45, MD ’46, PhD*
- Richard Hong ’51, MD ’53*
- Hushang Javid, MD ’46, MS ’48, PhD ’48*
- Manucher J. Javid, MD ’46
- Robert J. Jensik, MS ’38, MD ’39, R ’48*
- Frank J. Jirka ’48, MD ’50*
- Lebaron P. Johnson, MD ’44*
- Dudley Johnson ’53, MD ’55*
- Olga M. Jonasson ’56, MD ’58*
- Prerna M. Khanna, MD ’91
- Edward A. Kompare, MD ’65
- Paul Kotin, MD ’40*
- Ben W. Lichtenstein ’30, MD ’33*
- Louis R. Limarzi, MD ’31, MS ’38*
- Armand Littman, MD ’43, PhD*
- William H. Marshall, MD ’53*
- William R. Martin, MD ’53*
- Terry Mason, MD ’78, R ’80
- Douglas J. Mathisen, MD ’74
- James A. McDermott, MD ’63, R ’66
- Karl A. Meyer, MD ’60*
- Marilyn T. Miller ’56, MD ’59, R ’64, MS ’66*
- Ronald J. Ciskoski, MD ’62*
- Daniel T. Cloud, MD ’48*
- Everett P. Coleman, MD 1913*
- Woodruff L. Crawford, MD 1920*
- John A. Degiovanni, MD ’72
- Edward F. Domino, MD ’51, MD ’51*
- Sheldon Dray, MD ’46, MS ’47*
- Effie O. Ellis, MD ’50*
- M. Engle, MD ’40*
- Emil J. Freireich ’47, MD ’49, HD ’82*
- Jack L. Gibbs ’51, MD ’53*
- Jay L. Goldstein, MD ’78, R ’82*
- Wayne M. Goldstein, MD ’78
- Michael S. Gordon ’59, MS ’61, MD ’61, PhD*
- William J. Grove, MD ’44, MS ’48*
- Robert L. Hare ’47, MD ’49*
- Leo M. Henikoff, MD ’63, HD ’97
- Jerome M. Hershman ’55, MD ’57*
- Edward J. Hertko ’52, MD ’54*
- Ford K. Hick ’28, MD ’31, MS ’33, PhD ’36*
- Charles S. Hirsch, MD ’62*
- Marc H. Hollender, MD ’41*
- Mack W. Hollowell, MD ’43*
- Richard Hong ’51, MD ’53*
- Hushang Javid, MD ’46, MS ’48, PhD ’48*
- Manucher J. Javid, MD ’46
- Robert J. Jensik, MS ’38, MD ’39, R ’48*
Col
- Frank J. Jirka ’48, MD ’50*
- Lebaron P. Johnson, MD ’44*
- Dudley Johnson ’53, MD ’55*
- Olga M. Jonasson ’56, MD ’58*
- Prerna M. Khanna, MD ’91
- Edward A. Kompare, MD ’65
- Paul Kotin, MD ’40*
- Ben W. Lichtenstein ’30, MD ’33*
- Louis R. Limarzi, MD ’31, MS ’38*
- Armand Littman, MD ’43, PhD*
- William H. Marshall, MD ’53*
- William R. Martin, MD ’53*
- Terry Mason, MD ’78, R ’80
- Douglas J. Mathisen, MD ’74
- James A. McDermott, MD ’63, R ’66
- Karl A. Meyer, MD ’60*
- Marilyn T. Miller ’56, MD ’59, R ’64, MS ’66*
- Burtis E. Montgomery, MS ’32, MD ’33*
- Max M. Montgomery, MD ’31, MS ’40*
- Harold M. Mortimer ’26, MD ’29*
- Arno G. Motulsky ’45, MD ’47, HD ’82*
- Edwin E. Mullin, MD ’44*
- William P. Murphy, MD ’47*
- Richard A. Nyako MS ’71, PhD ’72, MD ’76, R ’80*
- Dan C. Ogle, MD ’29*
- Stanley W. Olson, MD ’39*
- Marshall J. Orloff, MD ’51*
- John W. Otten, MD ’52*
- Paul Q. Peterson ’35, MD ’38, MPH*
- Col. Martin A. Pfotenhauer, MD ’45, USA, MC (Ret)*
- Clifford G. Pilz ’45, MD ’45*
- George H. Pollock, MD ’45, PhD ’52*
- James C. Pritchard ’54, MD ’58, R ’63*
- Marie B. Puumala, MD ’35*
- Reino H. Puumala, MD ’34, MS ’36*
- John G. Raffensperger ’51, MD ’53*
- Jack S. Remington ’54, MD ’56*
- William H. Requarth ’35, MD ’38, MS ’40, F ’41*
- Julius B. Richmond ’37, MD ’40, HD ’79*
- Stuart S. Roberts ’53, MD ’55, MS ’56*
- Stanley G. Rousonelos ’50, MD ’52*
- Lester H. Rudy, MD ’41*
- David L. Sackett ’58, MD ’60, R ’63*
- Lester B. Salans ’59, MD ’61
- Louis F. Scaramella, MD, R ’60*
- Robert E. Schettler, MD ’36*
- Harold M. Schoolman ’48, MD ’50*
- Theodore R. Sherrod, PhD ’45, MD ’49*
- Albert H. Slepyan, MD ’35 *
- Henry H. Swain ’49, MD ’51, MS’ 51*
- Martin A. Swerdlow, MD ’47*
- Philip G. Thomsen, MD ’35*
- Philip Thorek ’28, MD ’31*
- Alex S. Tulsky, MD ’35*
- Warren D. Tuttle, MD ’43*
- Charles A. Veatch, MD ’42*
- Alvin L. Watne ’50, MD ’52, MS ’56, R ’58*
- James A. Weatherly, MD ’34*
- Robert W. Williams, MD, R ’66*
- Stuart D. Wilson ’58, MD ’60
- Vernon E. Wilson, MD ’52, MS ’52*
Criteria Heading link
Nominees must:
- Hold an earned degree from the University of Illinois Chicago
- Be an individual living at the time of nomination
- Be of such stature, demonstrated ability, and renown that alumni, students, faculty, and staff of the University of Illinois College of Medicine will take pride in and be inspired by their recognition
- Nominations will remain active for five years from the date of the initial submission.
Those not eligible:
- Previous recipients
- Current members of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, Alumni Association Boards or Councils, UI COM Awards Committee members, relatives, employers, or employees thereof
- Current faculty and staff of the University
- Persons currently holding or running for elected state or federal public office in Illinois
Nominate alumni or colleagues for award consideration! Heading link
Please submit all nomination materials by May 18, 2025. Any materials or nominations received after this date will be considered for the 2026 awards cycle. To submit nominations, please complete the form below. If needed, please contact the individual you are nominating to obtain information that will help you complete the form below.