Outstanding Alumni Nomination Process

Nomination Process

The Harold L. Adams ’61 Outstanding Alumni Award Nomination Process is intended to select and honor our alumni who have earned unique distinction throughout the success of their profession, service to the College of Architecture, and contribution to society. The process is involved for both the nominator and selection committee, but it can be summarized as follows:

  1. Select your Texas A&M alumnus/alumna nominee:
  • Refer to the extensive eligibility criteria below to qualify them on the basis of professional achievement and career distinction, service to society, and service to and support of the College of Architecture.

2. Fill out and submit a completed nomination form before May 30, 2025 (The College of Architecture will reach out to confirm the submission):

Online Nomination Form

3. The Outstanding Alumni selection committee will review and put forth the top nominees.

4. The Dean of the College of Architecture will make the final selection from the committee’s top nominees.

5. Honorees will be announced in the summer of 2025.

Criteria for Selection

Nominees should be accomplished in all three (three) distinct areas outlined below. This distinction will reflect Texas A&M University’s core values: excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service. The three areas of impact are:

  1. Professional Achievement and Career Distinction: Nominees should have achieved prominence within their respective fields, whether through industry, government, education, or other admirable undertakings that reflect positively on the College of Architecture. Professional achievement and career distinction may be demonstrated through professional work and leadership. Recognition of accomplishments may include honors, awards, designation as a Fellow, or election to leadership positions in professional organizations such as AIA, ASLA, CELA, APA, and AGC. Publications and media coverage of work that reflects positively on the nominee’s contributions may also be considered, along with testimonials and other acknowledgments of excellence.
  2. Service to Society: Nominees should have demonstrated integrity and a commitment to society by bettering the lives of others through military or civic service or other volunteer efforts. All United States military service is currently voluntary and demonstrates a commitment to society. Alumni who opt for careers in civic service may better the lives of others as public servants by holding elected offices or professional positions in government or other civic organizations. Volunteer service to society refers to pro bono activities benefiting the community or society at large that are not directly related to a nominee’s employment, professional development, business development, or involvement with professional organizations such as AIA, ASLA, APA, or AGC. Service may be independent or through nonprofit organizations. Pro bono leadership positions in civic/industry organizations such as ULI, Central Houston, Inc., and Downtown Dallas, Inc., or on professional journal editorial boards are also considered service to society. Volunteer service should remain community-focused and not be for personal or professional gain. Please describe any military, civic, or charitable organizations or professional publications listed, along with the nominee’s service activities and their impact on society.
  3. Service to and Support of the College of Architecture: Nominees’ actions and accomplishments should reflect the importance of their educational training, pride in their alma mater, and loyalty to Texas A&M as noted through their interest in and support of the college of architecture. Support of the college may include serving on college or departmental professional advisory boards and councils or design juries, guest lecturing, providing project materials and guidance for studio assignments, giving tours of built work and professional offices, mentoring and providing internships for students, recruitment and outreach efforts such as attending college/department career fairs, speaking to middle and high school students, participating in the ACE Mentor Program, and donating funds to further educational efforts, among other activities. Please indicate both the breadth and depth of the nominee’s involvement. For nominees to exceed the criteria in Service to the College of Architecture, service must be interactive and go beyond participating in career fairs, hiring interns, and employing former students or graduates.

Eligible Nominees 

Nominees must be former students or graduates enrolled in a regular course of study in the College of Architecture (or its predecessor academic designations) at Texas A&M University or the A&M College of Texas. Former students employed by the university, the Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation, the Texas A&M Foundation, the College of Architecture, or their affiliates are not eligible during their term of employment. Members of the Association’s board of directors are not eligible during their term of service. Posthumous nominations are eligible for consideration.

These awards are given for outstanding achievement, and no compromise will diminish their significance.

Method of Nomination 

Nominations may be made for an Outstanding Alumni Award by any of the following individuals or groups (group nominations must designate one contact person), excluding noted exceptions below:
• Any member of a Texas A&M Club or class
• Any member of the university administration, faculty, or staff
• Any member of the College of Architecture, administration, faculty, or staff
• Any member of an affiliate or support organization of the university
• Any Texas A&M former student
• Any friend of Texas A&M

Noted exceptions: the university president, the Texas A&M Foundation president, the 12th Man Foundation president, the Association of Former Students president and CEO, or the board of directors, and the College of Architecture dean may not nominate an individual.

Nominations will be accepted using the following guidelines: 

In addition to completing the Award Nomination Form (required), nominations must include the following supporting items that further distinguish the nominee:

  • A one-page nomination cover letter is required from the nominator (or nominator group representative) that summarizes the nominee’s worthiness for being recognized in three distinct areas of impact: (1) Professional Achievement & Career Distinction; (2) Service to Society; (3) Service to and Support of the College of Architecture.
  • Up to three letters of support from individuals with specific knowledge of the nominee’s accomplishments and character. Letters of support should specifically address the nominee’s accomplishments in all three areas of impact. Each letter of support must not exceed one page. (required) Letters of support will not be accepted from the university president, the Texas A&M Foundation president, the 12th Man Foundation president, the Association of Former Students president and CEO, or the board of directors.
  • ONLY the selection committee will review the nomination cover letter, letters of support, and award nomination form. Resumes, CVs, and portfolios will not be included in the final packet and WILL NOT BE REVIEWED BY SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
  • One nomination per individual per year will be considered.
  • No limitations will be placed on the total number of nominations accepted for consideration.
  • Nominees may be contacted to make sure that their nomination packages are complete and advise the appropriate authors for letters of support.

Submission Instructions 

  1. Ensure all files are named correctly to identify the content (e.g., “Joe Smith 2025 COA Nomination_Cover_Letter.pdf,” “Joe Smith 2025 COA Letter_of_Support_1.pdf,” “Joe Smith 2025 COA Letter_of_Support_2.pdf,” “Joe Smith 2025 COA Letter_of_Support_3.pdf”).
  2. Double-check that the nomination letter and letters of support adhere to the one-page limit and are in PDF format.
  3. Click on the “Choose File” buttons below to select the files from your computer for the nomination letter and up to three letters of support. Alternatively, you can drag and drop all files into the designated area at once. After selecting the files, they will appear in the upload area, allowing you to confirm that all necessary documents are included.
  4. If any files are incorrect or omitted, you can remove the specific file by clicking the “Remove” link next to the file name and re-upload the correct document.

To be considered, the complete nomination packet must be submitted by midnight on May 30 for the current year’s Outstanding Alumni Award. Nomination packets submitted on May 31 or later will be held and considered for the following year’s nomination.

Guidelines for Outstanding Alumni Committee Member Selection

  • The dean of the College of Architecture will appoint six former students representing the professions of architecture, construction science, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Appointees should be current or former practitioners in one of the previously listed disciplines. At least three of the selection committee members appointed by the dean must have served the previous year, and at least two of the selection committee members appointed by the dean must be a previous recipient of the college’s Outstanding Alumni Award. Note: An individual may simultaneously fill the role of a previous committee member and a previous Outstanding Alumni recipient.
  • Each department head (architecture, construction science, and landscape architecture & urban planning) will appoint one currently serving faculty member to the Outstanding Alumni Selection Committee.
  • Individuals are ineligible to serve on the OA Selection Committee if they have nominated a candidate or written a letter of support for a nominee whose package will be presented.

Method of Award Recipient Selection 

The College of Architecture will use the following guidelines for the Outstanding Alumni Award selection:

• The College of Architecture office of the dean will collect submitted nominations, which will be reviewed and validated.
• The dean’s office will submit valid nominations to the selection committee before the meeting.
• Committee members will score each nominee based on the three specific areas of impact: professional achievement and career distinction, service to society, and service to the College of Architecture. The committee will then review individual and aggregate scoring analysis for all nominees.
• Committee members will recommend candidates who demonstrate extraordinary merit in all three areas of impact to the dean, who will make the final selection and confirmation.
• Nomination forms will be held for five years. If an individual is not selected for the award, their nomination form may be updated and renewed by the original or other appropriate nominator for consideration in a subsequent year.
• All information in nomination packets, as well as all selection committee discussions, will be kept strictly confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

Announcement and Recognition 

The College of Architecture will announce honorees annually through various methods, and the award presentation will reflect the stature of the award. A public presentation is desirable.

Point of Contact 

For further information regarding the College of Architecture’s Outstanding Alumni selection and nomination process, please contact Deanna Cowan in the College of Architecture at dcowan@tamu.edu.