Awards

Submit Award Nominations — Nominations for Fall 2024 Alumni Council awards will open soon. For more information, contact Lindsey Lessard at llessard@bowdoin.edu .

Alumni Award for Faculty and Staff

Established: 1963

Purpose: Awarded every other year to the faculty or staff member who has demonstrated a loyalty and devotion to Bowdoin not only in the fulfillment of his or her position at the College, but through active involvement in a broad number of activities and with a broad number of constituencies during his or her time at Bowdoin. The award is presented for service and devotion to Bowdoin, recognizing that the College in a large sense includes both students and alumni.

Alumni Service Award

Established: 1932 as Alumni Achievement Award. Name changed in 1953.

Purpose: Awarded to the alumnus or alumna whose services to Bowdoin most deserve recognition. The award honors a record of service rather than a single act or achievement. It is the highest honor given by the Alumni Council.

1932      Jehiel S. Richards ’72, Lyman A. Cousens ’02
1933      Luther Dana ’03
1934      Harry L. Palmer ’04, George F. Libby M’91
1935      John F. Dana ’98
1936      George C. Wheeler ’01
1937      William E. Lunt ’04
1938      Scott C. W. Simpson ’03
1939      Kenneth C. M. Sills ’01
1940      Charles S. F. Lincoln ’91
1941      Hoyt A. Moore ’95
1942      Alden H. Sawyer ’27
1943      Thomas W. Williams ’10
1944      Paul K. Niven ’16
1945      Chester G. Abbott ’13
1946      James F. Claverie ’10
1947      Widgery Thomas ’22
1948      Wallace C. Philoon ’05
1949      Sumner T. Pike ’13
1950      Adriel U. Bird ’16 (posthumously)
1951      Harold L. Berry ’01
1952      Arthur Chapman ’94
1953      Frank C. Evans ’10
1954      Kendrick Burns ’14
1955      Cloyd E. Small ’20
1956      Leland W. Hovey ’26
1957      John W. Leydon ’07
1958      Seward J. March ’12, Malcolm E. Morrell ’24
1959      S. Sewall Webster ’10
1960      Charles A. Cary ’10
1961      Frederick W. Willey ’17
1962      William D. Ireland ’16
1963      John C. Pickard ’22
1964      Emerson W. Zeitler ’20
1965      Earle S. Thompson ’14
1966      Glenn R. McIntire ’25
1967      Willard B. Arnold, III ’51
1968      Philip S. Wilder ’23, Donovan D. Lancaster ’27
1969      Sanford B. Cousins ’20
1970      Louis Bernstein ’22
1971      John L. Baxter ’16
1972      Ross L. Wilson ’40
1973      A. Shirley Gray ’18
1974      Roy A. Foulke ’19
1975      William C. Pierce ’28
1976      Samuel A. Ladd, Jr. ’29
1977      Vincent B. Welch ’38
1978      Norman P. Cohen ’56
1979      Paul G. Kirby ’56
1980      Lewis V. Vafiades ’42
1981      C. Cabot Easton ’48
1982      Walter S. Donahue, Jr. ’44
1983      Richard C. Bechtel ’36
1984      William G. Wadman ’49
1985      Robert M. Farquharson ’64, David E. Warren ’76
1986      Laurie A. Hawkes ’77
1987      William R. Owen ’37
1988      Geoffrey R. Stanwood ’38
1989      Peter S. Smith ’60
1990      Paul E. Gardent ’39
1991      William H. Hazen ’52
1992      Timothy M. Warren ’45
1993      I. Joel Abromson ’60
1994      Merton G. Henry ’50
1995      John F. Magee ’47
1996      Norman C. Nicholson, Jr. ’56
1997      Donald R. Kurtz ’52
1998      David Z. Webster ’57
1999      Peter B. Webster ’62
2000      Iris W. Davis ’78
2001      Charles G. Bridge ’61
2002      Robert L. Morrell ’47
2003      Walter E. Bartlett ’53
2004      Albert F. Lilley ’54
2005      Sanford R. Sistare ’50
2006      Herbert S. French, Jr. ’46
2007      Robert H. Millar ’62
2008      John Papacosma '58
2009      Mark W. Bayer ’79
2010      David P. Becker ’70
2011      Edward E. Langbein, Jr. '57
2012      Marijane Brenner Browne '83
2013      Robert F. Lakin '68
2014      Tracy J. Burlock '81
2015     Leo J. Dunn III '75
2016     James W. MacAllen '66
2017     Charles E. Prinn III '61
2018      Richard E. Burns '58
2019      Alvin D. Hall '74
2020      Staci Williams Seeley '90
2021      Albert E. Gibbons, Jr. '58, P'96
2022      D. Ellen Shuman '76

Alumni Footprints Award

Established: 2004; Renamed: 2016; Remained: 2021

Purpose: In keeping with the heralded words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Class of 1825, this award recognizes a volunteer who has left "footprints on the sands of time" through professional, academic, and/or volunteer activities demonstrating leadership for the Common Good and a commitment to serving others.

Please note that in 2021 the purpose of this award was reimagined. Award recipients prior to 2022 were recognized for service to Bowdoin by organizing regional and identity programs.

Distinguished Educator Award

Established: 1964

Purpose: Awarded every other year to recognize outstanding achievement in education (teaching or administration) by a Bowdoin alumnus in any field and at any level of education.

1965       Wilbert Snow ’07
1966       Frank E. Macdonald ’23
1967       George T. Davidson, Jr. ’38
1968       Jeffrey J. Carre ’40
1969       Herbert B. Moore ’48
1970       John S. Holden ’35
1971       David W.D. Dickson ’41
1972       Asa S. Knowles ’30
1973       W. Howard Niblock ’35
1974       L. Wyman Trull ’32
1975       Gerhard Rehder ’31
1976       Nathan W. Watson ’35
1977       Adelbert Mason ’44
1978       Philip E. Burnham ’34
1979       Frank A. Brown, Jr. ’29
1980       David S. Lovejoy ’41
1981       John F. MacMorran ’46
1982       Lawrence L. Pelletier ’36
1983       J. Gilmour Sherman ’53
1984       Donald F. Weafer, Jr. ’70
1985       Neal W. Allen, Jr. ’40, John A. Pidgeon ’49
1986       John L. Thomas ’48, Peter D. Relic ’58
1987       Claude B. Bonang ’52, Sherman David Spector ’50
1988       W. John Friedlander ’54, William F. Wyatt, Jr. 53
1989       David O. Solmitz ’65, Richard L. Whitmore, Jr.’65
1990       Richard Pike ’67, John W. Halperin ’63
1991       Norman A. LeBel ’52, Maurice A. Butler ’74
1992       John P. Brennan ’74, Milton M. Gordon ’39, Theodore Stern ’39
1993       A. Austin Albert ’55, Peter F. Hayes ’68
1994       Michael S. Cary ’71, Douglas P. Biklen ’67
1995       J. Duke Albanese ’71, Leonard S. Gottlieb ’47
1996       Merrill C. Cousens ’69
1997       Michele G. Cyr ’76
1998       Alexander L. Lee, Jr. ’80
1999       Lee Todd Miller ’78
2000       John B. Grant, Jr. ’58
2001       Raymond F. Kierstead Jr. '56
2002       Cameron K. Dewar '70
2004       Kathryn Graff Low ’78
2005       Andrew W. Williamson III ’55
2007       Agisilaos J. Pappanikou ’52
2009       Robert “Sandy” Ervin ’69
2011       John S. Lunt '61
2013       Jane Foley Fried '83
2015       Bernard B. Fortier '79, Cheryl A. Foster '83
2017       Margaret L. O'Sullivan '92
2019       G. Calvin Mackenzie '67
2021       Leroy R. Gaines '02
2022       Ronald Brady '89, P'19

Foot Soldier of Bowdoin Award

Established: 1999 by the Bowdoin College Alumni Council through the generosity of David Z. Webster ’57

Purpose: The Foot Soldier of Bowdoin Award honors an individual who, during the prior year, showed tireless dedication to college initiatives in Development, Admissions and/or Alumni Relations. In addition to sponsoring the award, the Foot Soldier of Bowdoin Award and Scholarship Fund finances a scholarship given in the recipient's name to a deserving Bowdoin student or students.

Polar Bear Award

Established: 1999

Purpose: Awarded in recognition of significant personal contributions and outstanding dedication to Bowdoin. The award honors a record of service rather than a single act or achievement.

2000
      Douglas C. Bates ’66
      John J. Beades, Jr. ’60
      David V. Cox ’80
      Charles E. Prinn III ’60
      William F. Springer ’65
      Nathan W. Watson ’35

2001
      John C. Cummings ’61
      Peter E. Driscoll ’69
      Reginald P. McManus ’52
      Deborah J. Swiss ’74
      Mary Ann Villari ’75
      Winthrop B. Walker ’36

2002

      Richard E. Burns ’58
      Richard P. Donovan ’73
      Frank J. Farrington ’53
      Roscoe C. Ingalls, Jr. ’43
      John A. Whipple ’68
      George F.T. Yancey, Jr. ’68

2003
      C. Ingersoll Arnold ’39
      Kathleen McKelvey Burke ’89
      Richard M. Burston ’49
      Kenneth M. Cole III ’69
      Peter D. Fuller ’59
      Richard C. Johnstone ’44

2004
      Robert I. de Sherbinen ’45
      Robert R. Forsberg, Jr. ’85
      Edward M. Fuller ’60
      Mary Hoagland King ’80
      Alfred D. Nicholson ’50
      Gail Worthington ’85

2005
      Campbell Cary ’46
      Leonard W. Cotton ’71
      Richard J. Ganong, Jr. ’86
      Joel Sherman ’61
      T. Douglas Stenberg ’56
      David Thorndike ’46

2006
      Ellen L. Chan ’97
      Erik Lund ’57
      Jeffrey Mao ’92
      Edward G. Poole ’82
      Sandra L. Stone ’77
      Widgery Thomas, Jr. ’47

2007
      Thomas J. Costin ’73
      S. Kirby Hight ’38
      Elizabeth B. Michalski ’87
      Edward F. Woods ’43

2008
       Sarah A. Bullock ’88
     Herbert P. Phillips ’54
     Steven J. Rose ’79

2009
      Roger K. Berle ‘64
      Bruce A. Chalmers ’59
      Robert A. LeMieux ’60

2010
      J. Warren Harthorne ’53
      Chester E. Homer, Jr. ’51
      Sean M. Marsh ’95

2011

      Leo J. Dunn '75
      Alison E. George '03
      Jonathan "Jay" Green '60
      Daniel B. Spears '81

2012

      A. Paul Berté '63
      Kijan A. A. Bloomfield '04
      Peter B. Webster '62

2013

      John "Jack" Abbott '63
      Peter T. C. Bramhall '56
      Margaret E. G. Magee '02
      Carolyn L. O'Boyle '00
      Kevin A. Petrie '95
      Mike Poor '64

2014

      Jennifer Goldsmith Adams '90
      Joseph J. Leghorn '74
      Michael T. Sullivan '94

2015

      Paula Tremblay Burke ’87
      Joseph M. Herlihy ’75
      Martha Robinson Higgins ’78

2016

      Robert W. Armstrong '71
      Ella Frederiksen Brown '84
      Robert E. Peterson '65
      Carter A. Welch '86

2017

      Anthony F. Antolini '63
      Kathleen D. Emerson '10
      William L. Gibson '69
      Diana L. Spagnuolo '96

2018

      Anthony P. Belmont '60
      Norman P. Cohen '56
      Victoria J. Lichtendorf '97
      Chad M MacDermid '00

2019

     Ronald A. Golz '56
     halley k harrisburg '90
     Edward E. Langbein, Jr. '57

2020

     Gerald C. Chervatian '87
     Chester W. Cooke III '57
     Paul G. Kirby '56
     Wellesley L. Wilson '08

2021
     John T. Daggett, Jr. '51
     Catherine W. Dempsey '88
     Todd R. Herrmann '85
     Richard A. Morrell '50
     D. Bobbitt Noel '72
     Cecilia Xin Sun '10

2022
Harvey B. Stephens '55
Edgar M. Reed '69

2023
Shoshana Kuriloff Sicks ’04
Clifford S. Webster ’72
Robert J. Whelan ’83

Young Alumni Service Award

Established: 1999

Purpose: Awarded in recognition of distinguished and outstanding service to Bowdoin. The award honors a record of service rather than a single act or achievement. (Alumni whose classes have graduated within 10 years of the commencement preceding the award ceremony are eligible.)

Alumni Fund Awards

Leon W. Babcock Plate

Awarded annually to the class making the largest contribution to the Alumni Fund, the Babcock Plate was presented in 1980 by William L. Babcock, Jr. ’69 in honor of his grandfather, Leon W. Babcock ’17.
2022 Recipient: 45th Reunion Committee, Class of 1977

Alumni Fund Cup

Awarded annually since 1932, the Alumni Fund Cup recognizes the reunion class making the largest contribution to the Alumni Fund unless that reunion class wins the Babcock Plate; in that event, the cup is awarded to the non-reunion class making the largest contribution.
2022 Recipient: Class of 1976

Class of 1916 Bowl

Awarded annually to the class with the greatest improvement over its Alumni Fund performance of the preceding year, the original Class of 1916 Bowl was presented to the College by the Class of 1916 in 1959.
2022 Recipient: Class of 2001

Class of 1929 Trophy

Established in 1963 by the Class of 1929, the Class of 1929 Trophy recognizes that one of the ten youngest classes attaining the highest percentage of participation.
2022 Recipient: Class of 2013

Robert M. Cross Award

Established in 1990, the Robert M. Cross Award is awarded annually to the Class Agent or Agents whose outstanding performance, hard work, and loyalty to Bowdoin, as personified by Robert M. Cross ’45, H’89, during his many years of association with the Fund, are deserving of special recognition.
2022 Recipient: 10th Reunion Committee, Class of 2012

Robert Seaver Edwards Trophy

Awarded annually to that one of the ten youngest classes making the largest contribution to the Alumni Fund, the Edwards Trophy honors the late Robert Seaver Edwards, Class of 1900. It was presented to the College in 1965.
2022 Recipient: Class of 2012

Harry K. Warren Trophy

Awarded annually beginning in 1998, the Harry K. Warren Trophy recognizes the two reunion classes achieving the highest percentage of participation.
2022 Recipient: Class of 2012 and Class of 1972

Fund Directors’ Trophy

Established in 1972 by the Directors of the Alumni Fund, the Fund Directors’ Trophy is awarded annually to the class or classes that, in the opinion of the Directors, achieved an outstanding performance that deserves special mention.
2022 Recipients: 45th Reunion Committees, Classes 1976 and 1977

Class of 1976 Trophy

Established in 2004, the Class of 1976 Trophy is awarded annually to the class agent, associate agent, or team of volunteers whose energy, creativity and leadership in a non-reunion year are deserving of special recognition.
2022 Recipients: Nailah Khoory '22

Awards

Alumni Award for Faculty and Staff

Alumni Award for Faculty and Staff Recipients

Alumni Service Award

Alumni Service Award Recipients