Nominations for the next class of inductees into the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni will be accepted through August 15.

Who will take the stage in 2026 to receive Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni medals?

That decision ultimately will be made by the Rutgers University Alumni Association (RUAA) Board of Directors, but everyone has the opportunity to nominate an alumna or alumnus for consideration by August 15.

Introduced in 1987, the hall’s first class of inductees included Paul Robeson and Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman. Since then, more than 200 alumni have been inducted, including five former New Jersey governors, Emmy Award-winning actor Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Carli Lloyd, a professional soccer star who led the U.S. team to two Olympic gold medals.

The honor is awarded to alumni who have distinguished themselves through career and civic activities as well as philanthropy and/or service to the university. All alumni—and there are more than 600,000—are eligible for consideration.

Visit this page for more about the process and to submit a nomination.

For more information, including stories and videos about recent winners and a list of all inductees, visit the Hall of Distinguished Alumni Page.

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