Distinguished Alumni Award

The SIS Distinguished Alumni Award was inaugurated at the School’s
30^th Anniversary Celebration held on September 14, 2002 at the UT
Conference Center. To honor graduates who have demonstrated professional
achievement or leadership attributable to their education at the School, the
alumni board chose to select representatives from the 1970s, 1980s, and
1990s - one award for each decade. Since then, the following alumni have
been honored.

• 2007 Distinguished Alumni:

  John Wilkin
  ('86) Co-interim University Librarian and Associate University Librarian for Library Information Technology, University of Michigan

• 2006 Distinguished Alumni:

  Martha Earl
  ('85) Reference Coordinator, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Preston Medical Library, Knoxville

• 2005 Distinguished Alumni:

  Steve Cotham
  ('78) Manager, Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection and Knox County Archives, Knoxville

• 2003 Distinguished Alumni:

  Jackson “Jack” Maxwell
  ('95) Information Specialist, Memphis City Schools

• 1990s Distinguished Alumni:

  Elizabeth “Liz” Bibby
  ('96) Director, Business Information Services Center, Baker Library, Harvard
  Business School

• 1980s Distinguished Alumni:

  Biddanda “Suresh” Ponnappa
  ('84) Assistant Dean for Learning Resources, Director, Quillen Medical Library and Biomedical Communications Department

• 1970s Distinguished Alumni:

  Vicky Leather
  ('78) Director of Libraries, Chattanooga State Technical College
  

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Criteria for the School of Information Sciences Distinguished
Alumni Award

1. The candidate must demonstrate professional achievement and/or
   leadership attributable to his or her education at SIS. Examples might
   be:
   • Publications
   • Teaching record
   • Service to profession
2. The candidate must be nominated by students, alumni board, faculty,
   staff, or alumni of SIS.
3. Each nomination must include:
   • a biographical statement on why the candidate is deserving of the
     award,
   • a resume, if available, or a career summary,
   • basic information such as name, address, employment history, and all LIS
     degrees and dates.
4. Candidate must have graduated from the University of Tennessee School
   of Information Sciences/Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences
   at least five years prior to year of nomination.

Award

1. A framed award certificate will be presented to the recipient.
2. The award recipient’s name will be inscribed on a plaque that will be
   displayed in the School’s display case.
3. Reception of the award will be made at a widely attended event, which
   will be up to the discretion of the alumni board of directors.
4. The recipient will be invited to visit the School to address the
   student body and accept the award.

Selection Process

1. The entire alumni board—not including the School’s director, faculty
   representative, or staff representative—must agree by a majority vote on
   the candidate.
2. If the alumni board decides that no worthy candidate is nominated in a
   given year, the Award will not be presented that year.
3. The alumni board will set dates for nominations annually.

Deadline for Award

The Alumni Executive Board chooses the yearly deadline as appropriate
to coincide with School events.