Alumnus of the Year

The Boy Scouts of America Alumnus of the Year Award is BSA Alumni Association’s highest recognition. This award was established to recognize alumni of the BSA who, over a sustained period, have used the skills and values they learned through their association with scouting to make significant and long-lasting contributions to the scouting alumni movement, to scouting in general, and their communities. This is not meant to be another Man of the Year, Good Citizen, or general Philanthropist award. There are three levels of this award – national, territories, and council – that may be granted for alumni service.

  • The Council Alumnus of the Year Award is given for exceptional service to the alumni movement on a council-wide basis. Each council may annually select one nominee for this award. The council must notify the national office of their selection, allowing accurate record keeping and current website information. The national office will forward a Certificate to be signed locally for a formal presentation at a public event. Specific requirements are listed on the application form.
  • The Territories Alumnus of the Year Award is given for remarkable service to the Alumni movement above the Council level.  A total of four awards are presented annually. To arrive at four awards the National Service Territory (NST) will be grouped together into four different groupings to select one Territories Alumnus of the Year. These grouping are: Territories 1, 2, 3. Territories 4, 5, 6, 9. Territories 7, 8, 14, 15, 16. Territories 10, 11, 12, 13. Specific requirements are listed on the application form.
  • The National Alumnus of the Year Award is given for exemplary service to the alumni movement on a national level. One award is presented annually. Requirements can be found on the application form.

Nominations for the Territories and National Alumnus of the Year awards shall be sent to the national BSA Alumni Committee. The national chairman of the BSA Alumni Committee, in consultation with the sub-committee on awards and recognition, shall appoint a selection committee for each award. The selection committee members shall consist of previous awardees of the National Alumnus of the Year Award.

Recognition items are available for each level of the Alumnus of the Year, and includes a certificate, a medal, a lapel pin for non-uniform clothing, and an optional knot device for the BSA Alumni Award square knot, if it has previously been earned.

The Council Alumnus of the Year recognition pieces are defined by a blue and bronze medallion, a similar lapel pin, and a bronze acorn knot device.  The Territories Alumnus of the Year recognition pieces are defined by an orange and silver medallion, a similar lapel pin, and a silver acorn knot device.  The National Alumnus of the Year recognition pieces are defined by a red and gold medallion, a similar lapel pin, and a gold acorn knot device.

Eligibility

  • Nominees must be a BSA alumnus – which means he or she has been positively and personally impacted by the BSA in some way.
  • A maximum of one recipient may be awarded per council per year.
  • The nomination is not to be submitted posthumously.
  • Nominations are submitted to the Dan Beard Alumni Association committee for consideration.
  • Approved nominations are forwarded to the to the BSA Alumni Association Committee for consideration. Those approved will be returned with a personalized certificate and be added to the list of Alumnus of the Year recipients.

Primary consideration (80%) is given to those that:

  • Remind Scouting alumni to maintain a lifetime relationship with Scouting, which enables Scouting to remain healthy for future generations.
  • Scouting promotion, contributing significantly to the promotion and/or advancement of the BSA alumni program and activities at a Council level over a sustained period of time through word and/or deed.
  • Bring Scouting Alumni back to the Campfire.

Secondary consideration (20%) is given to:

  • Career and/or avocation, such as achieving high honor or distinction in their chosen profession.
  • Community service, including contributions to Scouting or other community efforts or organizations. 

Nomination Process

  1. Download the Alumnus of the Year nomination form and fill it out with all required information.

  2. Once the nomination form has been completed, it should be submitted to the Dan Beard Alumni Association either electronically or send to:

    Dan Beard Alumni Association
    Attention: Awards (Alumnus of the Year)
    10078 Reading Road
    Cincinnati, OH 45241

    Submission Deadline: April 15th

Dan Beard Council Alumnus of the Year 2023

Council Alumnus of the Year 2023

Matt Scherocman

Congratulations to Matt Scherocman (second from left in above photograph), CEO of Interlink Cloud Advisors, for being Council Alumnus of the Year! We are incredibly grateful for all Matt does for Scouting, including chairing the DBC Eagle Scout Association.

Dan Beard Council Alumnus of the Year 2024

Craig Vollmar

Congratulations to Craig Vollmar on receiving the Boy Scouts of America Council Alumnus of the Year Award, the BSA Alumni Association’s highest recognition! This award honors BSA alumni who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to their local communities through their efforts with Scouting Alumni programs. Craig’s dedication to improving Alumni communications by reworking the Council’s websites, email promotions, and marketing strategy have had an amazing impact on alumni connections. This is in addition to Craig servicing Scouting in many other ways and roles. We are proud to recognize him for his outstanding contributions to Scouting.

Craig Vollmar

DBC Alumnus of the Year Recipients

2024

  • Craig Vollmar

2023

  • Matt Schrocman

Council

  • 2024 – Craig Vollmar
  • 2023 – Matt Schrocman

Territory

  • None

National

  • None

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