Pitzer Alumni Association Awards

Pitzer College produces engaged, socially responsible citizens of the world through an academically rigorous, interdisciplinary liberal arts education emphasizing social justice, intercultural understanding, and environmental sensitivity.

On an annual basis, the Pitzer College Alumni Association recognizes alumni who embody the values of the College and our community.

Awards Given

The awards are as follows:

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes an alum who boldly puts the spirit of a Pitzer education into action. This person’s professional and/or personal achievements demonstrate an unwavering commitment to making impactful changes in their community. The recipient demonstrates how a Pitzer education truly prepares graduates to transform the world.

The GOLD Alumni Achievement Award

The GOLD Alumni Achievement Award (formally the Young Alumni Achievement Award) recognizes a GOLD (Graduate Of the Last Decade) alum who relentlessly applies Pitzer’s unique educational experience to their professional life. The recipient finds creative and innovative ways to make impactful changes in the community.

The Pitzer Award for Alumni Service

The Pitzer Award for Alumni Service honors alumni who have made an impact on the life of the College through service, leadership, and dedication. The recipient of this award embodies the core values of Pitzer by giving generously of their time, talent, and energy to advance the Pitzer community. Whether through volunteerism, mentorship, advocacy, or campus engagement, their contributions strengthen Pitzer’s mission and inspire fellow alumni to remain actively connected.

Nominating an Alum

Nominations are now open through Sunday, October 26, 2025. If you know a Pitzer alum who has an outstanding track record of demonstrating our core values in their career and in their post-graduation service to the College, they might be a good fit for one of the Alumni Association's awards. Self-nominations are welcomed and encouraged. To self-nominate or nominate a fellow alum for an award, use our nomination form: 
Alumni Awards Nomination Form

This Year’s Winners

This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award went to Diana Bob ’02, an attorney focusing on Indian law and environmental issues related to public policy. Diana Bob graduated from Pitzer in 2002 with a degree in anthropology and environmental studies. A student-athlete, she was part of the Sagehens softball team. While at Pitzer, she was awarded both the Udall Scholarship for Environmental Policy and the Udall Native American Congressional Internship. Bob went on to graduate from Lewis and Clark Law School in 2005 with a certificate in environmental law.

The Young Alumni Achievement Award went to Dixinyao (Moonlight) Zhu serves as the secretary-general of MyH2O Water Information Network, an NGO in China that aims to connect clean water resources to rural communities through a data visualization platform and customized data services for solution providers. The company's goal is to bring in new resources to underprivileged populations and improve their overall health. At Pitzer she received a degree in international relations with a minor in media studies. .
Learn More about This Year’s Winners