2026 ACES alumni awards recognize remarkable leaders and innovators

Each year, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign proudly recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of its alumni. At the 2026 ACES Alumni Awards Gala, award recipients will be recognized across four categories: Outstanding Young Alumni, Career Achievement, Award of Merit, and ACES Family Spirit. The 2026 honorees will be celebrated on April 13 at Pear Tree Estate.

The ACES Alumni Award of Merit recognizes alumni with an outstanding record of personal and professional accomplishments, extraordinary humanitarian contributions, and a history of serving the College of ACES.

The 2026 ACES Alumni Award of Merit recipients are:

• Gregg BeVier, Suwanee, Georgia - B.S. ’75 agricultural science, M.S. ’77 animal sciences 
• Todd Gleason, Mahomet, Illinois - B.S. ’86 agricultural communications
• Usha Barwale Zehr, Badnapur, Maharashtra, India - M.S. ’85 and Ph.D. ’88 agronomy 

The ACES Career Achievement Award is presented to alumni who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievements and/or made extraordinary humanitarian contributions resulting in meaningful or life-changing impacts on a significant population.

The 2026 ACES Career Achievement Award recipients are:

• Steven Cooke, Greely, Ontario, Canada - Ph.D ’02 natural resources and environmental sciences
• Brian Moeller, Keystone, Colorado - B.S. ’81 agricultural science
• Rita Mumm, Urbana, Illinois - B.S. ’89 agricultural science, Ph.D. ’93 genetics and plant breeding
• Vasey Mwaja, Nairobi, Kenya - Ph.D. ’94 horticulture 

The ACES Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes alumni under the age of 40 who have also shown outstanding personal achievement or significantly enhanced or improved the lives of others through remarkable leadership and service.

The 2026 Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipients are:

• Kale Monk, Columbia, Missouri - Ph.D. ’17 human development and family studies
• Anna Oldani, Washington, D.C. - B.S. ’12 agricultural and biological engineering
• Sarah Wright, Bloomingdale, Illinois - B.S ’16 animal sciences

The ACES Family Spirit Award honors a family of alumni who have demonstrated their support of ACES as alumni and/or students.

The 2026 ACES Family Spirit Award recipient is the Dameron family of Lexington, Illinois.

• The Dameron family exemplifies loyalty, service, and excellence, making them highly deserving of the ACES Family Spirit Award. Their legacy spans three generations of Illini, with six — and soon to be seven — ACES graduates and three additional University of Illinois alumni. From Gary Dameron’s early leadership in livestock judging and founding of the renowned Dameron Angus Farms to the family’s ongoing support of ACES students, they have consistently provided mentorship, hosted judging teams, and promoted the college’s mission. Whether through advancing the livestock industry or fostering student success, the Damerons embody the spirit of Illinois and the land grant mission.

At the April Alumni Awards Gala, awardees will be pinned as the newest members of the College of ACES Round Barn Society, a recognition society composed of alumni who have brought honor and distinction to ACES through leadership and achievement. Membership is granted to ACES alumni after serving in elected positions on the alumni boards (past or current) or receiving individual award recognition from the college or the University of Illinois Alumni Association.

“These honorees truly embody the ACES spirit and represent leaders who leverage their knowledge to influence industries, enhance lives, and make lasting contributions to society,” said Raquel Lacey-Nelson B.S. ‘97 agricultural science, president of the ACES Alumni Association Board of Directors. “We are thrilled to recognize and celebrate their impact.”

Registration for the ACES Alumni Award Gala is open and available until March 26, 2026.