EIU Alumni Services

The most distinguished seniors at EIU are individuals who have enriched the university community with their active involvement in all facets of campus life. The Distinguished Senior Award recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding character and leadership through academic achievement, campus and community involvement, and/or extra-curricular honors or awards. 

Nominations and applications for the 2023 Distinguished Senior Awards are now being accepted.  The deadline is Friday, March 31, 2023. 

About the Distinguished Senior Awards

Award Criteria

To apply for this honor, students must meet the following criteria:

• Must be graduating in the Spring, Summer, or Fall 2023.
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Application/Nomination

Eligible students may either apply or be nominated.

• Students may apply by submitting this online application form.
• Anyone within the EIU community (faculty, staff, alumni, parents, etc.) may nominate a student by submitting this online nomination form.

2022 Award Selection and Presentation

Twenty-three recipients were chosen for the 2022 awards.

In alphabetical order, this year’s recipients include Paul Blanchard a German and philosophy double major from Naperville; Jerimiah Boyd-Johnson a political science major from Riverdale; Maria Cruz a Spanish and communication studies double major from West Chicago; Megan Fisher an elementary education major from Charleston; Karen Gonski a psychology major from Braidwood; Atlas Hennegan an English and philosophy double major from Burlington, Wis.; Aysha Hutson a communications disorders and sciences major from Charleston; Amani Jackson Gladney a psychology major from Chicago; Carolyn Karns a biological sciences major from Charleston; Chermaine King a construction management major from Belleville; Abigail Link a special education major from Arenzville; Alexandra Mann a nutrition and dietetics major from O’Fallon; Mia Melendez a marketing major from Bolingbrook; Kendra Moore an art education major from Belleville; Ryan Moore a sociology major from Charleston; Niondina Nystrom an exercise science major from Sweden; Jayla Schwarzlose an exercise science graduate from West Salem; Bailey Smola a special education major from Elk Grove Village; Alecia Stacey a middle level education major from Sesser; Khristopher Stevens a German and corporate communications double major from Chicago; Chavionne Thomas a world languages and cultures major from Charleston; Olivia Triplett an elementary education major from Monticello; Grace Vojslavek a special education major from Plainfield; Jacqueline Williams a kinesiology, sport and recreation major from Chicago; and Constance Young a political science major from Bellwood.