Social justice advocates, public servants, artists, educators, military leaders, an environmental conservationist and even an Olympic athlete are part of the 2022 class of Distinguished Alumni Awards recipients that will be honored at this year’s ceremony held on April 7th.

The eighth annual celebration honors exceptional alumni from each of the six academic schools and three Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) units in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. Selected by the school from which they earned their degree or their respective ROTC unit, alumni are recognized for their significant contributions to the College, Institute, and the public welfare.

This year’s honorees are:

Chaunté Lowe

2022 Economics Distinguished Alumni Award 

Sybrina Atwaters, Ph.D.

2022 History and Sociology Distinguished Alumni Award 

Rachel Lammers

2022 International Affairs Distinguished Alumni Award 

Nettrice R. Gaskins, Ph.D.  

2022 Literature, Media, and Communication Distinguished Alumni Award

Tabatha Pilgrim Thompson

2022 Modern Languages Distinguished Alumni Award

Margaret Burgess

2022 Public Policy Distinguished Alumni Award

Col. Mark A. Massaro, U.S. Air Force

Commander, 495th Fighter Group

2022 Air Force ROTC Distinguished Alumni Award

Retired Col. Tom Taylor, U.S. Army

2022 Army ROTC Distinguished Alumni Award

2nd Lt. Nicholas Collins, U.S. Marine Corps

2022 Navy ROTC Distinguished Alumni Award

The recipients of the Ivan Allen Jr. Legacy Awards also will be recognized at the ceremony. The awards honor faculty and students whose lives and work embody the spirit of Georgia Tech alumnus and former Atlanta mayor, Ivan Allen Jr. (Commerce 1934).

This year’s awardees include:

Lisa Medford

Ivan Allen Jr. Legacy Award - Undergraduate 

Mario Bianchini

Ivan Allen Jr. Legacy Award - Graduate 

Carol Colatrella, Ph.D.

Ivan Allen Jr. Legacy Award - Faculty

To honor individuals associated with the College who have made extraordinary contributions to its advancement, reputation, and mission, the Dean’s Appreciation Award is given.

The 2022 winner is James Langford, entrepreneur, corporate executive, and nonprofit leader who has championed environmental causes for decades.

The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Awards will be held at The Historic Academy of Medicine on April 7, 2022. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7:00 p.m.

To see the full bios of each honoree, visit the Distinguished Alumni Awards page.