Presidential Awards

People who rise to the top do so through hard work, commitment and excellence. And there is a special group of those people who make it a point to lift up others. Their success is defined by service and a generosity of spirit. They lead by example and have a lasting impact in whatever they do.

Presidential awards are bestowed by the president of the university and honor those who have not only elevated themselves, but also the people around them, the communities in which they live, the industries in which they work and the organizations that they serve. In doing so, they bring honor to UNT as a member of the university family. The president gives these awards to students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and community members to recognize the highest levels of achievement, excellence and service. View the list of Presidential Award recipients.

Presidential Medal of Honor

This exclusive award, given by the president, honors those who have gone above and beyond to support UNT and its mission. It is the highest presidential honor given to an individual. The president selects the recipients and presents the awards as the occasion arises.

President’s Citation

The President’s Citation is given to individuals who have given extraordinary service and support to UNT either in enhancing the university’s reputation or in helping the university to accomplish its mission. The president selects the recipients and presents the awards as the occasion arises.

Honorary Degrees

UNT awards Honorary Degrees to individuals who, by their extraordinary achievements, add substantial knowledge to or better society as a whole. A special certificate and the degree is awarded to recipients as the occasion arises.

UNT Community Award

The UNT Community Award honors students, faculty or staff members for outstanding service that has enriched the UNT experience for the UNT community. This outstanding service is characterized by consistent and meaningful involvement in the campus community with servant-leadership. The president selects the recipients and presents the awards as the occasion arises. This award will be presented at the Staff Appreciation Luncheon or Salute to Faculty Excellence event depending on the respective recipient. Fill out the nomination form.

President's Special Recognition Award

The Special Recognition Award honors an extraordinary student, faculty or staff member (or group) who has contributed momentous, unique talent or service to the university and cultivated UNT pride. This award is given where no usual award or recognition is available due to the unique quality of the contributions. The president selects the recipients and presents the awards as the occasion arises. This award will be presented at the Staff Appreciation Luncheon or Salute to Faculty Excellence event depending on the respective recipient. Fill out the nomination form.

Bob Rogers Service and Community Engagement Award

This award is named in honor of the late Bob Rogers, Professor Emeritus of music and former assistant dean of the College of Music, who was best known for volunteering his time as a pianist at campus events and as a fixture in the Denton community. The award is given to a faculty or staff member whose talent, dedication, passion and community service enhances both UNT and the greater community and helps them maintain strong bonds. This award will be presented at the Staff Appreciation Luncheon or Salute to Faculty Excellence event depending on the respective recipient. Fill out the nomination form.

Instructions for submitting a nomination

  1. Download PDF by right-clicking and select, "Save As." Save the file to your hard drive.
  2. Open the PDF in a PDF viewer. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.
  3. Fill out the form and save the changes to the PDF file.
  4. Attach PDF to an email, send to PresidentsAwards@unt.edu.

The nomination window will open Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, and close Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.