We are very proud to welcome back an accomplished alumnus/ae to each graduation ceremony to give a speech to our graduating class. It is a great honor to be selected, and speakers have demonstrated a great breadth of experiences across the field of employment relations. Prior to May 2000, the event was informal and consisted of speakers giving “alumni greetings” and then the students receiving their degree. No one dressed in regalia or participated in a formal ceremony.
| Year | Awardee |
| May 1992 | Leonard Borkowski |
| May 1993 | Janet Snow-Godfrey |
| May 1994 | Francine Parham |
| May 1995 | Yasumitsu Nihei and Osamu Koyama—son of Hachiro Koyama |
| May 1996 | Daniel Gallagher & Sophia Zukrowski |
| May 1997 | Arnold Webber |
| May 1998 | Alan May |
| December 1998 | Floyd Whellan |
| May 1999 | No Speaker |
| December 1999 | Paul Elbert |
| May 2000 | Don Martin |
| December 2000 | Michele Miller |
| May 2001 | Robben Fleming |
| December 2001 | Marla Mellies |
| May 2002 | Joseph Moore |
| December 2002 | Thomas Wicke |
| May 2003 | Brian Mallory |
| December 2003 | Lisa Kelly |
| May 2004 | Sandy Roach |
| December 2004 | Alan May |
| May 2005 | Christopher Pawlowicz |
| December 2005 | Bruce Carmichael |
| May 2006 | Alan Tecktiel |
| December 2006 | Steven Merkin |
| May 2007 | Joyce Ingram |
| December 2007 | Leon Loichle |
| May 2008 | Craig Ritchie |
| December 2008 | Joel Zelnick |
| May 2009 | Larry Pearlman |
| December 2009 | Sandy Sigman |
| May 2010 | Linda Blandford-Beringsmith |
| December 2010 | John Brockhaus |
| May 2011 | Robin Ritter |
| December 2011 | Kim Warmbier |
| May 2012 | Jack Calabro |
| December 2012 | Phil Menzel |
| May 2013 | Tim Brinkmann |
| December 2013 | Adrienne Washington |
| May 2014 | Peter B. Liveright |
| December 2014 | Steven Ginsburgh |
| May 2015 | John Ramon |
| December 2015 | George Paulin |
| May 2016 | Francine Parham |
| December 2016 | Michael Schwartz |
| May 2017 | David Hanrahan |
| December 2017 | Kimberly Ramsey |
| May 2018 | Andrew Bartlow |
| December 2018 | Dan Spaulding |
| May 2019 | Naomi Saladin |
| December 2019 | Will Waller |
| May and December 2020 | Video Remarks from Dean Drasgow and Alumni (COVID) |
| May 2021 | Video Remarks from Dean Drasgow, Larry Pearlman, and Professor Ryan Lamare (COVID) |
| December 2021 | Craig LaTorre |
| May 2022 | Andrea Frohning |
| Fall 2022 | Samantha Dwinell |
| Spring 2023 | Kim Martin |
