UW Alumni Association Names Alumni Awards Recipients

The University of Wyoming Alumni Association (UWAA) has selected four alumni to receive this year’s alumni awards.

Honorees and their awards are: D. Michael Thomas, Building a Better Wyoming Award; Dilnoza Khasilova, Network Leader Award; Ericka Patten, Rising Alumni Award; and Mark Mader, Life Member Service Award. They will be recognized for their significant professional achievements and service at the annual Brown and Gold Alumni Banquet Thursday, April 11.

Building a Better Wyoming Award

This award recognizes UW alumni who have made a difference in the lives of Wyoming residents and who are sources of UW strength and pride.

Thomas, from Buffalo, graduated in 1977 with a degree in animal science and pre-veterinary medicine. After graduating, he worked in the agricultural sector as both a loan officer and a manager of a feed and ranch supply business.

In 1993, he turned to his passion for sculpture and used it as a way for telling the stories of Wyoming. His sculptures, a testament to Wyoming’s spirit and the Western way of life, grace the university campus and state, reflecting his dedication and the lasting impact of his artistic talents.

To learn more about Thomas, go here.

Network Leader Award

This award recognizes UW alumni who are active members of the UWAA and who have been leaders and actively engaged in a UWAA network.

Khasilova, of Laramie, earned a master’s degree in education in 2014 and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction in 2020. Her commitment to fostering alumni engagement and lifelong learning through unique programs, such as the World Language and Culture Program and the WyoGlobal Alumni Network, exemplifies her passion for connecting the global UW community.

To learn more about Khasilova, go here. 

Rising Alumni Award

This award recognizes UW alumni who have graduated in the last 10 years and have distinguished themselves through a high level of professional accomplishment in their careers.

Patten, from Denver, Colo., graduated in 2016 with a degree in marketing. As a project manager and creative for the marketing agencies Look Listen, Ogilvy, and Code and Theory, she produced projects from sales enablement at IBM and American Express to her most recent digital work with Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, Zappos and the NFL.

Patten’s ascent in the advertising and public relations world, coupled with her ongoing engagement with the UWAA, showcases her steep trajectory of success and commitment to her alma mater.

To learn more about Patten, go here. 

Life Member Service Award

This award recognizes a UWAA life member who has shown outstanding and exemplary service primarily on behalf of or for the UWAA and the association’s community.

Mader, of Laramie, is a 1971 graduate in business administration. His leadership as UWAA board president (2019-2020), his astute financial acumen and his instrumental role in the UWAA’s strategic financial initiatives underscore his unwavering dedication to the university’s mission and the positive impact he continues to foster.

To learn more about Mader, go here.

“The University of Wyoming Alumni Association extends its deepest gratitude to these outstanding individuals,” says Jack Tennant, UWAA executive director. “We are excited to honor their significant contributions and achievements, and we are reminded what it looks like to have steadfast commitment to excellence as alumni and members of the UW community.”

Those interested in nominating individuals for one or more of the UWAA alumni awards for 2025 can do so by going to www.uwyo.edu/alumni/awards/index.html.