The Iowa State University Alumni Association (ISUAA) will hold its annual Distinguished Award Celebration tonight to honor alumni and friends for their accomplishments and contributions to the university.

The celebration begins at 2 p.m. in Benton Auditorium. President Wendy Wintersteen will be speaking at the event and celebrating alongside the alumni and friends.

The ISUAA will be giving out two awards and the Iowa State University Foundation will distribute four Order of the Knoll awards. The premiere award being awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Established in 1961, the Distinguished Alumni Award,  is the highest honor given to alumni by Iowa State University through the ISU Alumni Association. This year three alumni will receive this honor:

Richard A. Carmichael of Keota, Iowa graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1955. Dr. Carmichael has been internationally recognized for his work to create the world’s first cloned calves in 1984. He has repeatedly been honored with awards from Iowa State including but not limited to the Stange Award for Meritorious Service from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, which is the college’s highest honor.

Barbara J. Janson of Dedham, Massachusetts graduated in 1965 with a degree in Mathematics. Janson is highly involved in service and philanthropy, working with Boston Ballet’s Board of Overseers, the Best Israel Deaconess Hospital’s Board of Overseers and International Cancer Center Advisory Board and many more organizations. She has also been active with the university as a member of the Order of the Knoll, a lifetime member of the ISUAA, and as a member of the Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean’s advisory council.

Suku Radia of Des Moines, Iowa graduated in 1974 with a degree in Industrial Administration and Accounting. Originally from Uganda, he has lived in Iowa over 43 years because his family was evicted from the African country. Radia has served on the board for over thirty-seven nonprofit organizations and been active with the university as a member of the College of Business dean’s advisory council and the Iowa State Foundation Governors, as well as the Order of the Knoll.

Two people will also be receiving the Honorary Alumni Award. Established in 1968, this is the highest award given by the ISUAA to individuals who are not graduates of the university.

According to Julie Larson, the Chief of Staff for the ISUAA, the individuals honored with this award may as well be alumni.

“You would never know they are not alumni,” she said, “just because of the amount of loyalty and dedication they have to our university.”

This year, Debbie L. Bergstrom of Clarion, Iowa and John Schuh, a current professor at Iowa State, will be awarded the Honorary Alumni Award.

The ISU Foundation will also be contributing award at the celebration. Order of the Knoll Campanile Award will be awarded to Ana Hays McCracken and Ed McCracken. Dick Horton, Sandy Horton, and Lowell Greimann will receive the Order of the Knoll Faculty and Staff Award. Finally, Rockwell Collins, Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa will be given the Order of the Knoll Corporate and Foundation Award.