The MTSU National Alumni Association has extended the deadline for submitting nominations for the 2020-21 Distinguished Alumni Awards to Friday, May 1.

The awards, which will include an overall Distinguished Alumni recipient and Young Alumni Achievement honoree, recognize those with prolonged records of achievement who have made outstanding contributions to society and who exemplify the ideals for which MTSU stands in extraordinary ways.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, third from left, greeted the 2019-20 MTSU Distinguished Alumni: Aaron Shew, left, Young Alumni Achievement Award; Jeremy Cowart, overall Distinguished Alumnus; and Citations of Distinction recipients Carroll Van West (Achievement in Education/MTSU faculty), G. Edward Hughes (Achievement in Education/non-MTSU); and Meagan Flippin (Service to Community). The awards were presented Friday, Oct. 25, in the Ingram Building’s MT Center. The nomination deadline for 2020-21 Distinguished Alumni is May 1. (MTSU file photo by James Cessna)

This year marks the seventh year for the expanded awards, which include True Blue Citations of Distinction.

People are encouraged to nominate someone online for an award. Criteria and nomination forms can be found at www.mtalumni.com/awards.

Recipients selected later this year will have a celebration in their honor during MTSU Homecoming Week this fall, as well as be recognized at the Homecoming Parade and football game.

Click on the badge to see a list of all those honored as MTSU Distinguished Alumni since 1960.

The date for the Homecoming Game against rival Western Kentucky is Saturday, Oct. 3. Homecoming Week will be Sept. 28-Oct. 3.

The True Blue Citations of Distinction will include awards for the following categories:

• Achievement in Education — MTSU Faculty.
• Achievement in Education — Non-MTSU Faculty.
• Service to Community.
• The David Cullum Award for Service to the University, named in memory of the former president of the National Alumni Association, Blue Raider Athletic Association and MTSU Foundation, who died in May 2013. He was a member of the Class of 1955.

Anyone with questions about the form or process can contact the Office of Alumni Relations by calling 615-898-2922 or 800-533-6878, or email Michelle Stepp, Alumni Relations associate director, at Michelle.Stepp@mtsu.edu.

MTSU has more than 300 combined undergraduate and graduate programs.