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Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is an annual honor to recognize alumni of Snow College who inspire excellence in others by serving as a role model and have demonstrated significant commitment, career contributions, and community impact.

What do Distinguished Alumni Recieve Upon Being Awarded?

  • Presented and honored at a ceremony during Homecoming in which they are given a personalized plaque.
  • Distinguished Alumni are presented at halftime during the Homecoming Game.
  • Distinguished Alumni are recognized in the Snow College Magazine and on Snow College's website.
  • Recipients will receive VIP credentials for sporting events.
  • Tickets to theater and concert productions available upon request.
Distinguished Alumni presented at halftime.
Alumni Distinguished Alumni Presented at Half Time
Rhett Long at halftime

See more about the past recipients of the distinguished alumni award.

Criteria

Candidates will be recognized for their accomplishments in their career field and/or contributions to the community through public service. Nominees should meet the following criteria to be considered for the award:

  1. A nominee must be a graduate of Snow College (certificate or degree).
  2. A nominee should inspire excellence in others by serving as a role model.
  3. A nominee should be recognized for significant career contributions and/or achievement.
  4. A nominee should demonstrate visible commitment to the well-being of the local area, state, nation or world.

Nomination Requirements

A completed nomination packet must be submitted before a nominee can be considered for the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Selection

The Awards Committee will review nominations and vote on the recipient(s). The Awards Committee reserves the right not to select a recipient each year.

Deadline

All nomination materials must be postmarked or received in the Snow College Advancement Office (Noyes Building) no later than April 30th to be considered for that year.

Contact

For any assistance, email ude.wons@inmula

2024 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

Larry and Jennifer Farnes

Larry and Jennifer Farnes

“Cherish every moment, strive for your optimum performance, be kind to all, and be a friend to those in need,” is the advice Snow College alumnus Larry Farnes gives to current and future Badgers. Following these values played an important role in Larry’s life, especially after he turned down a basketball opportunity at Ricks College in Idaho to come to Ephraim, Utah in 1969 and play for the Snow College basketball team.

Balancing academics and athletics can be a difficult challenge, but Larry found it to also be an unexpected advantage that influenced his academic success and personal growth; he explains, “My athletic experience provided the maturity I needed and gave me the confidence to dream dreams and then have the tenacity and commitment to see those dreams become a reality, despite overwhelming opposition. I learned to love and care for people more than myself.”

Art and Heather Enke

Art and Heather Enke

The key to success in business, according to Art and Heather Enke, revolves around an old industry maxim: business is about identifying and then solving problems. But that’s not the only thing—networking and innovation are also crucial. “You have to build products to meet customer needs,” Art notes, “not the other way around.”

The Enkes would know. Art and Heather are the founders and owners of Corjl, an international software business based in Phoenix, Arizona with over 20 employees and customers as far away as the Netherlands and South Africa. Both are Badgers (class of 1998), and both believe that their experiences at Snow College gave them the start they needed for a long career of innovation and entrepreneurship.

As Snow College students, Art and Heather never pictured creating a software business together in later life. “I would have said that we’d be musicians together!” Art notes. “The theme of our marriage is to innovate. In business and in life, innovate.” Innovation is exactly what they have done, but always in the background in Snow College—the foundation for both their personal and professional lives.

Past Award Recipients

2023
  • Rhett Long
  • Gary and Janet Carlston
2022
  • Brent Thorne
2021
  • Neal Cox
2020
  • Daniel Maynes
  • Sampei "Sam" Nakao
2019
  • Jack Anderson
  • John "Jeb" Branin
2018
  • Boyd Beck, Ph.D.
  • Maria O'Mara
2017
  • Randy Kay Cox
  • Ted and Vickie Olson
2016
  • Justin Osmond
  • Charles Pugh
2015
  • Theressa Alder
  • Dr. Daniel M. Witt
2014
  • James Tatton, M.D.
  • Frank Weaver
2013
  • Eddie Cox
  • Bart Nelson
2012
  • Yvonne Whitmore
  • Gordon Christensen *
2011
  • Verla Sorensen
  • Mitchell Palmer
2010
  • Lee R. and Joy Barton
  • Kay and Becky Barton
  • Lisa and Karl Anderson
2009
  • Mark and LeAnn Stoddard
  • Leonard and Laura Blackham
2003
  • Richard Ray Olson
  • Norma Stubbs Olson
  • Cary Peterson
  • Ranee Peterson
2002
  • Douglas P. Peterson *
  • Izola Blackham *
  • Perry Blackham *
2001
  • Gene Bertelson *
  • Betty Wing Bertelson
  • Roland Christensen
  • Roland Roger Johnson
  • LaRue Tucker Johnson *
2000
  • Ronald R. Giles
  • Larry G. Nielson
  • Stephen Paul Taylor
1999
  • Dr. Byron Gassman
  • Renee Jones Gassman *
  • Glen P. Peel
  • Gordon Lee Peterson
  • Kent Thompson *
1998
  • Leonard M. Blackham
  • Dr. Bert Gividen
  • Val Greaves Gividen
  • Jerry D. Pulsipher
1997
  • Robert Anderson
  • Heber Horrace Hall *
  • Jerry J. Ohrn
  • Glenda Rigby Staker *
  • Robert Warnick
  • Carol Warnick
1996
  • Jay F. Gardner *
  • Dee C. Hansen
  • Ruth Pickett Ross *
  • Royal C. Whitlock *
1993
  • Eunice Alder *
  • Reed Braithwaite *
  • James E. Hansen *
  • Gary Myrup
  • Morris Sorenson *
1990
  • Hoyt Anderson *
  • Doug Barton
  • Floyd Breinholt *
  • Boyd Grant
  • Calvert Therald Larsen
  • Mary Peacock
  • Arthur Willardsen *
1989
  • Wilber Braithwaite *
  • Byrl Brown Dorland *
  • Dr. Afton Hansen
  • Charles (Chuck) Hyer
  • Arthur Nielsen *
  • Dr. Wanda Robertson *
  • Maurine Scott*
1988
  • Phillip C. Anderson *
  • Therald N. Jensen *
1987
  • Clair R. Acord *
  • Royal N. Allred *
  • Miles A. Anderson *
  • David M. Archer
  • Gerald M. Armstrong
  • Royal A. Bagely *
  • Donald k. Barton *
  • Max H. Blain *
  • Royden C. Braithwaite *
  • Harden W. Brienholt *
  • Perry Christensen
  • Edward L. Christensen *
  • Kent Christensen *
  • Lavaun Cox *
  • Wilbur W. Cox *
  • Helen Bailey Dyreng *
  • Gerald L. Ericksen *
  • Mcloyd Ericksen *
  • Dewey J. Fillis*
  • Duane A. Frandsen *
  • Kay L. Frischknecht *
  • Glen K. Goodwin *
  • Robert M. Graham
  • Mark J. Howard
  • Ferral D. Huntsman
  • Elaine Allred Jarrett
  • Arlo Jensen
  • Doris Nielson Larsen *
  • Glen S. Larson *
  • Nolan F. Mangelson
  • Sammy N. Newton *
  • Richard R. Olsen
  • Rulon P. Peterson *
  • Zella C. Poulson *
  • Ellis T. Rasmussen *
  • Roy Reid *
  • Darell H. Stewart *
  • Grant N. Stubbs
  • Lee R. Thompson *
  • Peter Thompson *
  • Twain C. Tippetts *
  • Michael Watson
  • Kay Keeler Willardson
  • Gene R. Yardley
Recognitions Prior to 1987
  • Jack C. Alder *
  • Glen A. Allred *
  • Ruel A. Allred
  • Wallace E. Allred
  • Blaine E. Anderson *
  • Curtis J. Armstrong *
  • Melba K. Armstrong *
  • Milton G. Armstrong *
  • Glen Kenneth Bailey
  • Zella Anderson Bassett
  • Woodrow W. Beck *
  • Hugh V. Bird *
  • Reed W. Brinton
  • Calvin Reed Brown *
  • Royal Lee Brown *
  • Gary L. Carlston
  • Michael R. Carlston
  • Shirley Anderson Cazier *
  • Douglas Fred Christensen
  • James Boyd Christensen *
  • Mac Christensen
  • Morlin E. Cox *
  • Lavon Day
  • Esther Coombs Durfey *
  • Paul P. Dyreng
  • Alma S. Edwards *
  • Kent Evans *
  • Lillian Win Fjeldsted *
  • Clair E. Frischknecht *
  • John K. Frischknecht
  • John Boyd Grant
  • Don Rue Hickman *
  • Bliss Harmer
  • Arlea Hope Howell *
  • Berdean H. Jarman
  • Joseph A. Jenkins
  • Larue Paulsen Jennings *
  • Lawrell Jensen *
  • Moroni L. Jensen *
  • Harold E. Johnson *
  • Arlyn R. Madsen *
  • Joan Stevens Mcallister
  • Dorothy Jensen Mclaughlin *
  • Elwin N. Mikkelson *
  • Alta Gassman Moffitt *
  • Gwen Tuttle Monroe *
  • Francis N. Mortenson *
  • Roger H. Nelson
  • Keith C. Nielsen
  • LaRue M. Nielson *
  • John Anthon Olsen
  • Eva Olsen Peterson *
  • Merritt L. Poulson *
  • Darol B. Rasmussen *
  • Thora Jensen Rasmussen *
  • Jewell Rasmussen *
  • Victor J. Rasmussen *
  • Elder Rex C. Reeve *
  • Howard T. Reid *
  • Clair E. Rosenberg *
  • Maurine Thomson Scott *
  • George Sterling Spencer
  • Lamar H. Stewart *
  • Dorothy Jensen Stoddard *
  • Glen R. Stubbs
  • Lagrande H. Terry *
  • Ralph D. Thomson *
  • Lyman S. Willardson *
  • Ethelyn Taylor *
  • LaVerl Christensen *
  • Ralph Blackham *
  • Marjorie Madsen Riley *
  • George Staples *