Forever Duke Award

2010 Forever Duke Award Winners:

2009 Forever Duke Award recipients receiving their awards from President Richard
Brodhead at the DAA's annual Volunteer Leadership Conference

Eligibility Criteria and Guidelines

Click here to make a nomination
Background and Introduction

In 2007-08, following the recommendations of the DAA Board's Awards and Recognition Committee, the Forever Duke Award was established to recognize excellence in volunteer service of alumni to the University, the Alumni Association, and its various constituencies.

Guidelines

Eligibility. The Forever Duke Award may be presented to any alumnus/ae of the University. Special effort is taken to ensure inclusion of alumni of graduate and professional schools, and those who support the University internationally.

Nominations and Selection. Nominations are solicited from multiple parties across the University, with particular emphasis among Alumni Affairs and Development staff given their vantage points in observing and identifying exemplary service. Nominations are gathered by staff semi-annually and distributed to the Awards and Recognition Committee of the DAA Board for evaluation and selection. The goal will be to have them submitted to the Awards and Recognition Committee by April and October of each year. A brief explanation of the nominee's volunteer service, the rationale for their candidacy, and how their service has been distinctive is expected.

The Awards and Recognition of the DA Board of Directors shall meet periodically throughout the year and include among their tasks selection of Forever Duke award honorees. Evaluation of candidates and selection shall occur no less than twice annually.

Importantly, nominees for the C.A. Dukes Award who are NOT selected during their initial year of candidacy are to remain C.A. Dukes Award candidates for a period not to exceed three successive years. Further, for each C.A. Dukes Award nominee not selected for that award, the committee will decide whether the person shall be referred as a candidate for the Forever Duke Award. Similar to the policy outlined for C.A. Dukes, Forever Duke Award candidates shall remain so for a period not to exceed two successive years after their initial period of candidacy.

To make a nomination via the online form, click here.

Criteria. Selection priority is to be placed on candidates who have clearly demonstrated exceptional leadership roles in support of the Alumni Association's mission of engaging, connecting and celebrating Duke alumni and friends, as well as the broader goals of the University. This service may be a one-time event (e.g.. chairing a charitable fundraiser for some element or program of the University, or doing an extraordinary job as Class Reunion Chair; or piloting a DukeAlumsEngage event). Contemporary examples of such leadership and extraordinary volunteer service may be associated with the following:

• Engagement
- DukeEngage
- DukeAlumsEngage
- Exceptional volunteer service or leadership on one of the many campus wide boards or committees (such as, but not limited to the Annual Fund, Development and Capital Campaign Committees, Women’s Forum, Alumni Councils, Boards of Visitors, Boards of Advisors, DAA)
- The “unsung hero/heroine” – volunteers who take unusual initiative, accept responsibility, "always show up," go beyond what is expected, etc.

• Connection
- Local, Regional and International Clubs
- Alumni Admissions Advisory Committees
- Affinity Groups

• Celebration
- Reunion Committees

Presentation of Awards. Forever Duke Award recipients will be honored at an annual Homecoming Weekend event where the awards will be presented. Recipients unable to attend in their initial year will be re-invited in successive years for a reasonable period. Otherwise, whenever possible and practical, the Forever Duke presentations will be made by Alumni Affairs, Development or other appropriate University representatives. Other presenters may include peer alumni. Ideally, awards will be presented within months of selection and will be publicly announced via Duke Magazine, Duke Blue Connections, and other relevant media.

Acknowledgement of Nominations. Nominators of those selected for awards should receive a letter or other notice about their candidate’s selection shortly before the public announcement.

Alumni Affairs staff will take advantage of various media to highlight the volunteer service contributions of Award recipients, to include the Duke Alumni Association Website.