The Promising Prairie Star Recognition Program honors outstanding graduates under the age of forty or those who have graduated within the previous 5 years. Honorees are selected for their emerging and unique innovation, creativity and success in their chosen career and/or life's work. Established by the Young Alumni Committee in 2024, the inaugural class of honorees will be selected and recognized in the Spring of 2025.

Nomination form for this year's program will only be available from October 15, 2024 through November 15, 2024.

Nominate Deserving Alumni Today

Recipients must be nominated for the award. Recipients may self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. Working from these nominations, the Young Alumni Committee will select up to twenty-five (25) recipients per year. The recipients will be recognized via the UIS Today magazine, alumni website, e-newsletter, and social media.

Criteria

• Nomination is required. Nominees must be living at the time of their nomination.
• Nominations will be considered active for five years if they continue to match the criteria.
• Nominees must have earned an undergraduate, graduate and/or doctoral degree from University of Illinois Springfield.
• Nominees must be under the age of forty or have graduated within the previous 5 years.
• Nominees must demonstrate emerging and unique innovation, creativity, and success in their chosen career and/or life’s work.
• Nominees should reflect the characteristics of a University of Illinois Springfield graduate. Those characteristics include ethical and enthusiastic leadership; capability of transforming local and global communities; critical thinking; integrity, honesty, and accountability for actions.
• Individuals who are recognized through this program previously are not eligible to be recognized again.