Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Award
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.
Read about our 2025 winners
In 2025 we celebrated 45 years of this award. Chikara Crooks and Ivanna Ceballos were our winners.
Annual Celebration of Outstanding Adult Students
Call for nominations
Nominations for the 2027 award will open in late 2026. Students must be graduating in May, August, or December 2027.
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
Want to nominate a student?
Nominations for this award are accepted from December through mid-February each year. UW–Madison faculty, staff, students, and members of the community may submit nominations to the University Special Student Services during that time using our online nomination form.
Past award winner stories
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Dora Aranda, Norman Canestorp, and Jennifer Halvorson
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Christine Fifarek and Robert Hall
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Christine Gerbitz, Carly Major, and Danielle Tolzmann
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Jesus Garza-Noriega and Marianna Globacheva
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Talesa Allen and Rick Kempf
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Aysha Dominguez and Olivia Wine
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Chance Cork & Angeline Mboutngam
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James McGowan & Gretchen Erdmann-Hermans
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Shannon Davis & Natasha Pedone-Kahle
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Patrick M Dunn & Jolene Enge
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Jessie Otradovec
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.