Established in 2006, the IMSA Board of Trustees Alumni Awards are the highest honors bestowed to Alumni in recognition of their accomplishments and contributions to their field of endeavor, IMSA, and to the citizens of Illinois, our nation, and the world. We are able to host this program and bring our recipients to IMSA from around the world thanks to the generosity of The Cathy Veal Endowment for Recognition of Alumni.
Meet the 2024 Alumni Award Winners
Titan |
Distinguished
|
Trailblazer |
 |
 |
 |
Brian Cudiamat ’96 |
Dr. Sara Goeking ’92 |
Jessica Droste Yagan ’95 |
Eligibility
- The nominee is an alumnus/alumna. An alumnus/alumna is any person who was enrolled in IMSA’s residential program and has remained in attendance for at least two semesters.
- If selected as an award recipient, the nominee is able to attend the awards ceremony to accept the award.
- The achievements of the nominee fulfill the criteria defined in one of the following awards:
Trailblazer Award
The nominee shall have earned national or international prominence for a groundbreaking and sweeping initiative that has redefined and improved how significant numbers of citizens live, learn, or work.
Distinguished Leadership Award
The nominee shall have made distinguished achievements or leadership contributions in his/her professional field of endeavor consistent with IMSA’s mission. The awardee also may have made significant civic or community contributions or exemplified extraordinary courage and selflessness under challenging circumstances.
Titan Award
Through outstanding service to IMSA, the nominee has advanced the institution’s mission and work. The nominee shall have dedicated significant time, talent, and/or treasure to endeavors that help the Academy fulfill its role in developing talent and leadership in mathematics, science, and technology for our state, nation, and world.
Past Alumni Award Recipients
| Award Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Brian Cudiamat ’96 | Titan |
| 2024 | Dr. Sarah Goeking ’92 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2024 | Jessica Droste Yagan ’95 | Trailblazer |
| 2023 | Angel Alvarez '98 | Titan |
| 2023 | Elizabeth “Spike” Malecha ‘90 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2022 | Robert M. Chang ‘89 | Titan |
| 2022 | Jasmine Kwasa ‘09 | Titan |
| 2022 | Joseph W. Turek ‘90 | Trailblazer |
| 2021 | Jerome “Jay” Budzik ‘95 | Titan |
| 2021 | Sona Nadenchek Golder ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2021 | Carl Earl Lambert Jr. ‘03 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2021 | Neha Narula ‘99 | Trailblazer |
| 2021 | Michael Peil ‘90 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2020 | Rhiana Gunn-Wright ‘07 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2020 | Tamora Kimmet ‘91 | Titan |
| 2020 | Amy Meek ‘98 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2019 | Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski ‘10 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2019 | Arati Shroff ‘98 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2019 | Lacey Thomas ‘08 | Titan |
| 2019 | Anna Yusim ‘95 | Trailblazer |
| 2018 | Princess Imoukhuede ‘98 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2018 | Aaron Parness ‘00 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2018 | Michael Damian Thomas ‘92 | Titan |
| 2017 | Julie Comerford ‘98 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2017 | Vincent Enriquez ‘99 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2017 | Claudia Flores ‘93 | Trailblazer |
| 2017 | Jessica Droste Yagan ‘95 | Titan |
| 2015 | Gabriel Demombynes ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2015 | Michael Suh ‘97 | Titan |
| 2014 | Melvin R. Bacani ‘90 | Titan |
| 2014 | Steve Crutchfield ‘93 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2013 | B. Scott Gaudi Ph. D. ‘91 | Trailblazer |
| 2013 | Gretchen E. Green ‘92 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2013 | Kathleen Plinkse ‘97 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2013 | Dwan LaMar Prude ‘97 | Titan |
| 2012 | Alex (Dietrich) Green ‘97 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2012 | Amy (Timm) Kinney ‘95 | Titan |
| 2012 | Winjie Tang Miao ‘94 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2012 | Sam Yagan ‘95 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2011 | Ronjon Paul ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2011 | Matthew Pritchard ‘93 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2011 | Clara Shih ‘00 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2011 | Frank Wood ‘92 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2010 | Dan Frakes ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2010 | Lillian S. Kao ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2010 | Mike McCool ‘91 | Titan |
| 2010 | Travis Schedler ‘98 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2009 | Pooja K. Agarwal ‘01 | Titan |
| 2009 | Thandeka K. Chapman ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2009 | Joshua A. Gerlick ‘99 | Titan |
| 2009 | Sendhil Revuluri ‘90 | Titan |
| 2009 | Rebecca Willett ‘96 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2008 | Steven S. Chen ‘96 | Trailblazer |
| 2008 | Neal K. Groothius ‘97 | Titan |
| 2008 | Sanza T. Kazadi ‘90 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2008 | Mia K. Markey Ph.D. ‘94 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2008 | Cpt. H. Kenyatta Ruffin ‘99 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2008 | Russel E. Simmons ‘95 | Trailblazer |
| 2008 | Paul. J. Strasma ‘94 | Titan |
| 2008 | Scott Swanson ‘90 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2007 | Michael H. Brody ‘96 | Titan |
| 2007 | Ben Chelf ‘96 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2007 | Andrea (Ande) L. Croll ‘97 | Titan |
| 2007 | B. Scott Gaudi Ph. D. ‘91 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2007 | John B. Hoesley ‘89 | Titan |
| 2007 | Rob McCool ‘91 | Trailblazer |
| 2007 | Ramez Naam ‘90 | Trailblazer |
| 2007 | Yu Pan ‘95 | Trailblazer |
| 2007 | Douglas A. Pratt ‘97 | Titan |
| 2007 | Noah A. Rosenberg Ph. D. ‘91 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2007 | Tuwanda Williamson M.D. ‘91 | Distinguished Leadership |
| 2007 | Terri L. Willard ‘89 | Distinguished Leadership |
