The Murray State University Alumni Association established the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962 to honor outstanding graduates who have excelled professionally in their chosen profession at the national, regional and local levels.

 

Recipients represent a variety of professions and include Pulitzer Prize winning journalists and renowned authors, research scientists and physicians, executives, entertainers and educators, military leaders and Emmy award-winning broadcasters.

1962	Gene G. Graham ’48	Author, Journalism
1964	Dr. Forrest D. Pogue '31	Author, Historian
1971	John Fetterman '48	Author, Journalism
	Dr. J. Paul Hogan '42	Science, Research
	Joe Torrence '36	Government
1972	Dr. Adron Doran '32	Education, Government
	Max Hurt '27	Community Service, Government
1974	Marion E. Burks '35	Law, Government
	Martha Robertson Ellison '45	Education
	Dr. Robert Cecil Gentry '37	Climatology Research
	Dr. James Hocker Mason '34	Education
	Dr. Richard Max Shackelford '36	Genetics, Research
	Harry Lee Waterfield '32	Government, Business
1975	Dr. Dorothy White Harkins '43	Education
	Dr. Joe Morgan '35	Education
	William Harold Riddle '42	Actor
1976	Dr. Van Bogard Dunn '46	Education, Ministry
	Dr. L. J. Hortin '43	Education, Journalism
	Dr. Donald M. Prince '48	Business, Education
1977	Frank Ellis '35	Agriculture, Government
	Dr. June August Ellis '40	Law, Government
	R. William Taylor '50	Business, Industry
	Samuel Rayburn Watkins '43	Business
	Harry W. Wilson Jr. '35	Law Enforcement, Education
1978	Pat M. McCuiston '39	Government, Community Service
1979	Dr. John W. Hall II '58	Physicist, Research
	Thomas Wheeler Johnson M.D. '47	Medicine
	Dr. Charles Howard Story '61	Science, Education
1980	Charles W. McDowell '62	Education, Public Service
	Dr. V. Jacque Voegeli '56	Education
1981	Dr. Ray Mofield '43	Education
	Ed Norris '50	Law
	Dr. Gene Wells Ray '60	Research, Development
	Dr. Gayle Douglass Rayburn '61	Education
	Tom Rickman '65	Author, Playwright, Screenwriter
1982	Alex Harvey '64	Songwriter, Singer, Actor
	Bill Morgan '50	Business, Military Service
	John C. Quertermous M.D. '38	Medicine
1983	Lewis R. Applegate Sr. '39	Education, Government Relations
	Dr. Roy L. Pruett '44	Chemistry, Research
1984	Robert G. Burton '62	Business, Publishing
	John Mack Carter '48	Journalism
1985	MG Bobby F. Brashears '56	Military Service
	LTG John I. Hudson '71	Military Service
	BG (ret.) Mary Opdyke Marsh '51	Military Service
	Dr. Joseph N. Prince '59	Arts, Education
1986	Jerry Don Crutchfield	Music Industry
	Charles W. Mercer M.D. '56	Medicine
1987	David L. Armstrong '66	Law, Government
	Thomas B. Logan M.D. '61	Medicine
	Dr. Jerry Pritchett Thornton '69	Education
	Jude Deveraux (Jude Gilliam White) '70	Author
1988	Dr. Wanda Durrett Bigham '56	Education
	Dr. Douglas C. Harris '61	Business
	Frank C. Miller M.D. '58	Medicine
1989	Dr. Ted Callicott '49	Public Service, Science
	Dr. John C. Snider '61	Education
1990	Jackie Hays Bickel '79	Broadcasting
	Dr. Patrick I. Brown '65	Education
	Henry Earl Jones M.D. '61	Medicine
	Carl Mays '63	Communications
1991	Thomas D. Hutchens '61	Business
1992	Dr. Walter Bumphus '71	Education
	Tony Di Paolo '67	Education
	Ruby Krider '38	Education
	David Reed	Business
1993	Richard Hurt M.D. '66	Medicine
	Dr. Jack Rose '63	Education
	Dr. Ken Winters '57	Education
1994	Richard Anderson '80	Business
	Jerry Shroat '63	Business
	A. B. Waters '41	Engineering
1995	William Huston '74	Government
	Dr. William Wiles '53	Economics
1996	Mac Anderson '68	Business
	Arthur Bauernfeind '60	Business
	Dr. Martha Ross Redden Ozer '66 '68	Education
1997	Pamela Graham Anderson '80	Broadcasting
	Dr. Ricardo Artigas '72	Business
	Dr. Jimmy Clark '63	Education
1998	Edward G. McFarland M.D. '78	Medicine
	Dr. Donald W. Oliver '67	Engineering
1999	George Allbritten '55	Business
	Nick King '71	Business
	Scott Smith '85 '85	Business
2000	Dr. Ed Cupp '64	Biology, Research
	Arthur Fields '67 '68	Business
	Stephen A. Williams '72	Business
2002	David E. Alexander '75	Business
	Lana Garner Porter '65 '72	Business
2003	Harold Ford '49	Agriculture
	Loretta Shearer M.D. '60	Medicine
	Dr. James Gantt '71	Technology
2004	Rex Geveden '83 '84	Engineering Physics
2005	Dr. Don I. Tharpe '73 '74	Public Affairs
2006	Anna M. McHargue M.D. '56	Medicine
2007	W. Dwight Armstrong '71	Agriculture
	Judge Jerry Brown '54	Law
	Kris Robbins '81 '83	Business

Do you know a Murray State graduate who has held a responsible position and made significant contributions to his or her profession on the national, state and local levels? If so, use the link below to submit your nomination.

Nomination Form