Alumni Awards

For years the University of North Georgia Alumni Association has honored our most outstanding alumni at the annual Alumni Awards Banquet.

UNG Alumni Association Awards

Alumni Hall of Fame Award - Recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves through outstanding professional careers and/or contributions to community service.

Distinguished Alumnus Award - Recognizes alumni who have an extraordinary record of service and support to the University.

Distinguished Young Alumnus Award - Recognizes alumni within their first 20 years of graduation from the University who have distinguished themselves through outstanding professional careers and/or outstanding contributions to community service.

Ralph Colley Spirit of North Georgia Award - Recognizes alumni who have experienced adverse circumstances in their lives and have risen above those circumstances to live an exemplary life.

Golden Steeple Award - Recognizes alumni or others who have a long record of support or who have made an extraordinary contribution to the University and/or the Alumni Association.

Distinguished Professor Award - Recognizes two faculty members (North - Dahlonega & Blue Ridge and South - Gainesville, Cumming, & Oconee for their teaching strengths, responsiveness to student needs (individual and group), research and publications, service to the University of North Georgia, service to the community/region, and Service to the profession.

Paul M. Hutcherson Outstanding Student Award - Presented annually to a senior undergraduate male and female full-time student of the University of North Georgia Dahlonega Campus. Nominated students should have exhibited by his/her personal conduct and behavior, as well as individual accomplishments in campus, home, or community life, those traits of personal character and human endeavor which reflect on himself/herself, his or her family and friends an unusually high degree of credit and which also exemplify the highest ideals of citizenship encouraged of all students.

To nominate someone for one of the awards, please click on the appropriate link below:

Congratulations to the
2024 Alumni Association
Award Recipients

  • Mr. Mike Higley ‘81

  • Josh Sprayberry '07

  • GEN (Ret) Stephen J. Townsend '82

  • Mr. Jim Ruska '68

  • Dennis Cook ‘75

  • Dr. Michallene McDaniel, UNG Gainesville

    Dr. Butch Newkirk, UNG Dahlonega

  • Maddox Rose

    Zoe Kinzie

  • Lillian Hayes

  • Grace Vaughn