• Nominations are now open for the Charles Sturt University 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards
• Individuals can apply, or those wanting to acknowledge the impact of someone they admire can nominate an alumni
• Nominations close on Monday 11 May 2026

Charles Sturt University is calling for nominations to recognise alumni who are creating meaningful, positive change in their professions, industries or communities.

Nominations are now open for the University’s 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards, which celebrate the outstanding achievements and positive impact of Charles Sturt graduates across Australia and around the world.

Development Officer (Alumni Relations) in the Charles Sturt Advancement Office, Ms Naomi Ricketts, said nominations are welcome from individuals wishing to apply or from those wanting to acknowledge the impact of someone they admire.

“Every year, we meet alumni who are transforming lives - whether through groundbreaking research, uplifting their communities, leading in their professions or driving creative and entrepreneurial change,” she said.

“If you’re contributing to your field or making a difference in your community, and you reflect the values of our university, we strongly encourage you to apply for the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

“You may not realise how inspiring your journey is, but your story could encourage the next generation of regional leaders.”

Ms Ricketts said the awards reinforce Charles Sturt’s proud legacy as Australia’s leading regional university and highlight the global strength of its alumni network.

“Our graduates are out there solving problems, strengthening regional communities and helping build a better future. These awards give us a chance to shine a light on their achievements and share their stories,” she said.

The annual program includes six award categories.

The award categories are:

• Charles Sturt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Professional Excellence: This award recognises outstanding leaders in their industry or profession who have made or are making significant and positive impact on their communities, their industry, or the world. Read 2025 Professional Excellence winner’s story here.

• Charles Sturt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Research Excellence: This award recognises outstanding research leaders whose research is changing lives, or whose scholarly contributions have made a substantial impact to their field of research. Read 2025 Research Excellence winner’s story here.

• Charles Sturt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Social Impact: This award recognises leaders/individuals whose professional or voluntary work has generated significant social impact to a group or wider community. Read 2025 Social Impact winner’s story here.

• Charles Sturt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Young Alumnus: This award recognises extraordinary achievements of our new graduates. Nominees must be under the age of 35. Read 2025 Young Alumnus winner’s story here.

• Charles Sturt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Creativity: This award recognises alumni who have made an extraordinary impact through innovation in their industry or profession. This encompasses all industry sectors.

Read 2025 Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Creativity winner’s story here.

• Charles Sturt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – First Nations Excellence: This award recognises outstanding achievement or contribution by a First Nations alumnus in their chosen industry, profession or field. Read 2025 First Nations Excellence winner’s story here.

Full guidelines, including eligibility, application and assessment information, privacy details and previous recipients, are available on the awards website. Nominations close on Monday 11 May 2026.

For more information, contact alumni@csu.edu.au