AWARDS: Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni are globally recognized for their exceptional contributions.
November 24, 2019 - Bread and Butter, the presidential turkeys, attend a press conference in their honor at the Willard Intercontinental Washington, D.C. on Monday, November 25, 2019. (Photo by Erin Williams/Virginia Tech)

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors graduates of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics for exceptional and sustained professional achievement, recognition as innovative leaders in their fields, and meaningful service to their communities. This includes engagement and contributions to the department, the college, and the university.
All alumni who are at least 10 years beyond graduation are eligible.
The Recent Young Alumni Award honors alumni who have graduated within the past 10 years and have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence in their professional or civic endeavors.
Recipients of this award have made significant contributions in their respective fields and serve as inspiring role models for their peers. Through their accomplishments, they have distinguished themselves as outstanding ambassadors for the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, the college, and the broader community of recent graduates.
Timeline
- Award announcements: October 15, 2025
- Submissions due: November 17, 2025
- Winners announced: Week of January 20, 2026
Criteria
- The nomination packet will include a narrative, not to exceed two pages, put together by the nominator or alumni if a self-nomination. The narrative should describe the nominee's qualities, achievements, and work.
- CV/Resume, not to exceed three pages
- Evaluation parameters: 60 percent industry leadership, 40 percent service
CALS Certificate of Teaching Excellence
- Recent Winner: Shamar Stewart
- Recent Winners: Michele Mickelwait and Jack Wilson
- Previous Winner: Kristen Frick
- Recent Winner: Hannah Burton and Issac Turpin
- Recent Winner: Rebekah Olson
- Recent Winner: Phoebe Pyles
- Recent Winner: Wilmer Stoneman
- Previous Winner: Dhamu Thamodaran
CALS Alumni Career Achievement Award
- Recent Winner: James "J" Pearson
- Previous Winner: Greg Estep
CALS Outstanding Alumni in the Global Community
- Recent Winner: Tom Debass
- Recent Winner: George Norton
- Previous Winner: Catherine Woteki
CALS Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumni
- Recent Winner: Elijah Griles
CALS Staff Employee of the Month
- Recent Winner: Jen Shelton
- Previous Winner: Stephanie Hendrick
Principles of Community Award
- Recent Winner: Mike Ellerbrock
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Virginia Tech: Excellence in Teaching Spotlight
- Recent Winner: Mike Ellerbrock
Virginia Tech's Grad School: Outstanding Master's Thesis
- Recent Winner: Maguette Sembene
Agricultural & Applied Economics Association's Distinguished Teaching Award
- Recent Winner: Dixie Watts Dalton
- Previous Winner: Klaus Moeltner
Southern Agricultural Economics Association's Emerging Scholar
- Recent Winner: Xi He
Southern Agricultural Economics Association's Job Market Competition
- Recent Winner: 2nd Place, Armine Poghosyan; 3rd Place, Nate Hu
Southern Agricultural Economics Association's Outstanding Master's Thesis
- Recent Winner: Samantha Ripley
North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Graduate Student Teaching Award
- Recent Winner: Armine Poghosyan
Virginia Association of Economists' Best Paper for the 2024 Annual Meeting
- Recent Winner: Leonard-Allen Quaye
Chesapeake Research Consortium's Sellner Guardian Award
- Recent Winner: Kurt Stephenson (co-recent Winner, Denice Wardrop)
American Agricultural Law Association's Excellence in Ag Award
- Recent Winner: Jennifer Friedel
Questions:
If you have questions about our awards or would like archived winner information, please email Nancy Moseley, Awards Coordinator.
Awards Committee:
Purpose: To identify, recommend, and assist faculty, staff, students, and alumni in achieving recognition for contributions both internally and externally to Virginia Tech.
Members
- Darrell Bosch (Co-Chair)
- Dixie Watts Dalton (Co-Chair)
- Amy Guerin
- Chanita Holmes
- Catherine Larochelle
- Nancy Moseley