Nominations for 2027 University of Wyoming honorary degrees are due to the Office
of the President by Sunday, Nov. 1.
UW alumni, current or former trustees, faculty, staff and students all are eligible
to submit written nominations for awards to be presented in the spring. Submissions
are referred to UW’s Joint Honorary Degree and Awards Committee, which will forward
recommendations to the full Board of Trustees for approval.
“An honorary degree from the University of Wyoming is reserved for individuals whose
achievements reflect the institution’s highest ideals and exemplify excellence, service
and integrity,” UW President Shane Reeves says. “These degrees honor extraordinary
accomplishments across professions, public service and humanitarian endeavors. They
represent one of the highest distinctions a university can bestow.”
Each nomination should include the name of the nominee, provide contact information
and address at least one of the following criteria: outstanding contribution to the
lives of the people of Wyoming; outstanding career or lifetime accomplishment on a
state, national or international level by an alumna or alumnus of UW; or accomplishments
so exemplary as to have won recognition on a national or international level, with
relevance to Wyoming.
Nomination materials should include a letter of nomination that describes fully how
the nominee meets at least one of the above criteria; a vitae or similar document
describing the nominee’s accomplishments (not to exceed 10 pages), including a list
of public recognitions, public presentations, awards, honors and publications; a one-
or two-paragraph summary describing the nominee’s qualifications; and two letters
of support detailing explicit examples of how the nominee meets the criteria.
Not eligible for honorary degrees are current UW employees (except emeritus faculty)
and public officeholders, or those who left office less than one year ago, along with
their immediate family members.
Submissions should be sent to: UW President Shane Reeves, Department 3434, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071; or by email to uwpres@uwyo.edu. For more information, call (307) 766-4121 or go online to the honorary degree website.
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.