Distinguished Alumni Tribute

Of the more than 547,000 former students of Texas A&M University, only 306 have received the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Distinguished Alumni Tribute recognizes this select group of Aggies who have upheld, at the highest level, Texas A&M's legacy of excellence.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award, established in 1962, is presented jointly by Texas A&M University and The Association of Former Students to recognize Aggies who have achieved professional excellence and made significant contributions to their local and global communities. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a former student of Texas A&M.

The Distinguished Alumni Tribute, located immediately north of the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center, is a cornerstone component of Aggie Park — 20 acres in the heart of campus that The Association is transforming into a premier green space to bring the Aggie Network together for celebration, relaxation and inspiration.

With excellence as a thematic cornerstone, the Distinguished Alumni Tribute highlights our university’s most accomplished former students in enduring stone and stainless steel. The Tribute also celebrates the history and meaning of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, offering inspiration to all Aggies with the university’s core values and meaningful quotes carved into stone, and employing metaphorical references to create a sense of the actual recognition experience.

The linear axis of the Tribute is bisected by an elliptical plaza bearing three 25-foot lighted columns that create an entrance and framework. Representing excellence, leadership and selfless service, these grand columns are adorned with the seal of Texas A&M University and the stylized Aggie Ring emblem of The Association of Former Students, flanking a replica of the bronze medallion that is presented to each Distinguished Alumnus. The light emanating from the columns signifies the academic devotion to enlightenment and the symbolic leadership of the Distinguished Alumni, Texas A&M and The Association.

The names of the Distinguished Alumni are engraved chronologically on steel panels housed beneath a canopy built upon steps that represent the core values of Texas A&M — the same principles the Distinguished Alumni applied and modeled throughout their lives.

The design of the Tribute is modern yet timeless, rooted in the integrity of the materials used. The Tribute itself illuminates a path that is ever changing with the addition of new Distinguished Alumni, the flow of visitors who experience the journey, and the eternal glow of the honored recipients.

Design firm POTTER is designing the Distinguished Alumni Tribute, with construction by James R. Thompson, Inc. Completion is anticipated in the summer of 2022.

The development of Aggie Park, including the Distinguished Alumni Tribute, is being funded through private donations raised by The Association of Former Students. To make a gift in support of the Distinguished Alumni Tribute, use the form below or contact Association Vice President Nic Taunton ’07 at NTaunton07@AggieNetwork.com or (979) 845-7514.