The UofL community and public are encouraged to nominate graduates who deserve to be recognized for their career accomplishments, philanthropic endeavors and contributions to the community. A formal recognition ceremony for all honorees will take place in fall 2024 during Homecoming week on UofL’s Belknap Campus.

“Our annual Alumni Awards celebration is the signature event of our week of Homecoming festivities. These awards recognize distinguished graduates who are exemplary ambassadors for the university and reflect the high standing and character of their alma mater,” said Josh Hawkins, assistant vice president for Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

In addition to the Alumni Fellow awards designated for each school and college, Louisville Alumni will also present awards for Emerging Leader, Diversity Leadership, Military Alumni, Alumni Ambassador and the Wilson Wyatt Alumnus/a of the Year.��

The Wilson Wyatt Alumnus/a of the Year award personifies the qualities, mission and values of the university. The 2023 Alumnus of the Year was awarded to Steve Trager, executive chair of Republic Bank and Trust Company.

Students, graduates and friends of the university can submit online nominations to the Office of Alumni Relations through Friday, March 1.

Criteria for each award, as well as nomination forms, are available online at . Listings of previous Alumni Awards honorees can also be found on the website. For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 502-852-6186 or visit .

The Alumni Awards are the highest honors bestowed by Louisville Alumni. Helm is one of 18 honorees who will be celebrated this fall during

Helm received a Bachelor of Arts with highest honors in political science in 1979 and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the Brandeis School of Law in 1982. She was twice selected as a University of Louisville Alumni Fellow: in 2008, for the College of Arts & Sciences and in 2017, for the Brandeis School of Law.

She retired from Starbucks Coffee Co. after a prestigious 21-year career in legal and human resources roles, including serving on the company’s executive team as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary and executive vice president, chief partner officer (leading human resources).

“Lucy Helm is an extraordinary Cardinal who is deeply committed to UofL’s mission. We are proud and excited to recognize her accomplishments at this year’s Alumni Awards celebration,” said Josh Hawkins, assistant vice president for alumni relations. “Her commitment to excellence inspires all of us to follow her lead and make a positive impact on our community.”

At Starbucks, Helm was a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion, including leading the company’s achievement of gender and racial pay equity in the U.S. She also created Starbucks’ pro bono services program, which became a model for other corporate law departments. Helm is now the global chair of the board of Mercy Corps, a global relief and development organization.

The Alumnus of the Year honoree personifies the qualities, mission and values of the university. The award is presented to a graduate who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in professional and philanthropic endeavors and who has shown loyalty and support to the entire university.

Helm joins the 2022 Alumni Fellows who represent each of UofL’s colleges, schools, libraries and student affairs division, as well as the signature award winners, who will be recognized for extraordinary achievements in their profession and enduring service in their community.

The 2022 Alumni Fellows are:

• Charles P. Denny ’75, ’80
• Sadiqa N. Reynolds ’93
• Evan Holladay ’13
• Lois S. Cronholm ’62, ’67
• Lynn Hampton ’78, ’83
• Amy B. Farnsworth ’92, ’95
• Awab Habib ’15
• Michael D. Anthony ’05, ’10
• Renee Campbell ’82
• Gulam Zade ’11
• Carol Friedman Abrams ’68
• Christa-Marie Singleton ’92
• Barry C. Johnson ’81, ’85
• Kimberly Meyer ’92, ’16
• Duke Appiah ’09, ’13
• Norbert E. Paulin ’70

For more than 30 years, the Alumni Awards have honored and celebrated the historic achievements of graduates who are exemplary ambassadors for the university.

“Louisville Alumni is grateful for the strong culture of alumni innovators, educators and collaborators who share the common bond of being UofL graduates,” Hawkins said. “The Alumni Awards is our opportunity to honor and celebrate our extraordinary alumni.” 

The 2022 Alumni Awards presented by Commonwealth Credit Union will be held Thursday, Oct. 20.

The University of Louisville will honor Alice Houston as Alumna of the Year, along with 13 additional Alumni Fellows from UofL’s schools and colleges as well as Libraries and Student Affairs.

Alice Houston, the 2020 Alumna of the Year, earned her Master of ����ֱ�� from UofL in 1975. She received her Bachelor of Science from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1968 and an Honorary Doctorate from Spalding University in 2002.

After a successful 15-year career working at UofL as assistant director of financial aid, Houston and her husband founded Houston Johnson Inc., doing business as HJI Supply Chain Solutions (HJI) along with their friend, Charlie Johnson, in 1994. Houston served as CEO from 2005 until August 2020 when the reins of the family business were turned over to her daughter and son-in-law. HJI is a supply chain logistics company with clients that include Ford Motor Company, Yanfeng, Martinrea, the Brown-Forman Corp. and Humana. More information about Houston is .��

“I am thrilled about the announcement of Alice Houston as our Alumna of the Year,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “She has been a longtime advocate of UofL and has had an incredible impact on our campus, our past students and the Louisville community. We met during my first weeks on campus. She has been a supporter, a friend and a confidante. Alice truly has the best interests of the University of Louisville at heart.”

The 2020 Alumni Fellows, in alphabetical order by college or school, are:

• , College of Arts and Sciences, 2011
• , College of Business, 1972
• , School of Dentistry, 1972, 1976
• , EdD, College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, 2007
• J.B. Speed School of Engineering, 1992, 1993
• Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, 1994
• School of Medicine, 1968, 1972
• , School of Music, 2006
• D., School of Nursing, 1991
• School of Public Health and Information Sciences, 2003, 2012, 2015
• Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work, 1980
• , Student Affairs Legacy Award, 1993
• , University of Louisville Libraries, 1968

This year is a virtual celebration featuring video interviews with the honorees as they discuss their time at UofL and the impact of their careers.

The virtual celebration kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 6 and culminates on Thursday, Oct. 22 of Homecoming week. Each day will feature a celebration video of an honoree on social media and the alumni website.

“The recipients of this year’s Alumni Awards are among the best and brightest UofL has to offer,” said Josh Hawkins, assistant vice president for Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.��“Not only have they each made significant contributions in their respective fields, but they have also had a profound impact in their communities.��They truly embody what it means to be a UofL graduate. We hope UofL alumni and friends worldwide join us in celebrating this year’s honorees by viewing, sharing and commenting on these videos.”

Other virtual events for UofL’s Homecoming 2020 are planned, with .��

Commonwealth Credit Union is the sponsor of the 2020 University of Louisville Alumni Awards and the preferred credit union partner for UofL.��