The Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Award recognizes returning adult undergraduate students whose exceptional determination and perseverance have enabled them to pursue their academic work and to contribute to the community as demonstrated by their leadership and service.
Call for nominations!
Nominations for the 2026 award will open in late 2025. Students must be graduating in May, August, or December 2026.
Annual Celebration of Outstanding Adult Students
Eligibility
To be considered for the award a student must be:
- currently enrolled at UW-Madison as a senior undergraduate degree candidate who began or resumed university work after a significant interruption (usually 5 years) in their formal education
- earning a first undergraduate degree, with a cumulative GPA which reflects academic success
- anticipating graduation in May, August or December of the current year
- a NEW nominee having not been considered for this award previously
Nominations
Nominations for this award are accepted December through mid-February each year. UW–Madison faculty, staff, students, and members of the community may submit nominations to the Adult Career and Special Student Services during that time using the online nomination form.
Student stories
Award News - Student Stories
- Dora Aranda, Norman Canestorp, and Jennifer Halvorson, 2024 winners
- Christine Fifarek and Robert Hall, 2023 winners
- Christine Gerbitz, Carly Major, and Danielle Tolzmann, 2022 winners
- Jesus Garza-Noriega and Marianna Globacheva, 2021 award winners
- Talesa Allen and Rick Kempf, 2020 award recipients
- Aysha Dominguez and Olivia Wine, 2019 recipients
- Chance Cork & Angeline Mboutngam, recipients
- James McGowan & Gretchen Erdmann-Hermans, recipients
- Shannon Davis & Natasha Pedone-Kahle, recipients
- Patrick M Dunn & Jolene Enge, recipients
- Jessie Otradovec, recipient
Support this award
The Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Award is supported in part by the American Association of Women – Monona/Madison branch. Gifts of any amount to the AAUW – Madison Fund for Excellence are both welcome and greatly appreciated.
Contact Information
Adult Career and Special Student Services, 21 N Park St, Rm 7101, Madison, WI 53715, 608-263-6960; advising@dcs.wisc.edu
Sponsored by the Division of Student Life, the Division of Continuing Studies’ Adult Career and Special Student Services, and the American Association of University Women