Distinguished Graduate Award Program

Announcing the 2025 DGA Recipients!

Click image above to learn more about these amazing alumni.

UPDATE 9 April 2026: The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (USNA AA&F) is pleased to announce the 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) ceremony and recognition events will be held on the following dates:

• 2025 DGA Medal Ceremony: Thursday, 4 September at 4:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall
• 2025 DGA Banquet Dinner (invitation only): Thursday, 4 September at the Fluegel Alumni Center
• 2025 On-field recognition Navy vs. UAB football game: Saturday, 6 September

UPDATE: The 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award ceremony has been rescheduled to a later date to be determined. The DGA ceremony was originally scheduled to be held March 21st at Alumni Hall. This schedule change was made so Suni Williams '87 can be present along with fellow 2025 DGAs after her return from space. A new date for the ceremony will be announced later this spring.

The Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) program honors living U.S. Naval Academy graduates who have made a distinctive contribution to their field or community and have demonstrated sustained, active support for the Naval Academy, Naval Academy Alumni Association, Naval Academy Foundation, or affiliate groups. Each year up to four graduates are chosen from a field of candidates nominated by their alumni peers for this, the highest honor the Alumni Association bestows on a living graduate and selected by the DGA Selection Panel, chaired by Admiral Harry Harris ’78, USN (Ret.). Recipients receive a medal awarded in Alumni Hall each spring. 

See the full list of DGA recipients by class year and by ceremony year including 2024.

Recent DGA IN Memoriam:

(Awarded in 2013) Richard L. Armitage ’67

DGA Program Guidelines, Criteria and Description

DGA Program Guidelines and Selection Criteria (PDF)