Back row left to right: Tito Castro, UOG Alumni Association, VP/President-Elect, Norman Analista, UOG Director for Development & Alumni Affairs, Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, UOG Senior Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs, Dr. James Sellmann, College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Dean, Dr. John Sanchez, School of Education, Dean, Dr. Margaret Hattori Uchima, School of Nursing & Health Sciences, Dean, Amanda Shelton, UOG Alumni Association, President, Giana Pangelinan, UOG Alumni Association, Treasurer, Jim Hollyer, Associate Dean, College of Natural & Applied Sciences, Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President

Six individuals were named winners for the 2017 UOG Distinguished Alumni Awards on October 28 at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa Micronesian Ballroom. The search for nominees was announced by the UOG Office of Development & Alumni Affairs and the UOG Alumni Association in July of this year. Five awards were given to one individual from each of the University’s schools and colleges: College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, College of Natural & Applied Sciences, School of Business & Public Administration, School of Education and School of Health. One award was given to an alumnus who is retired from military service.

Nominees’ packets were forwarded to a board of judges including the respective Deans and one faculty member from each of the schools and colleges, an alumni association representative, a notable member of the island community, and a representative of UOG’s Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. Judges’ ratings were forwarded to President Robert Underwood for a final decision.

Nominees were judged based on the following criteria:  

·      Professional accomplishment in their field: has the nominee attained a high level of distinction and achievement through scholarship, research, teaching, creative contributions to the arts (comprising Humanities, Performing and Fine Arts, Social Sciences and Business) or sciences (comprising Science, Engineering and Health Sciences) and/or service to society?

·      Candidate exhibits a high degree of character and integrity.

·      Civic and University involvement, awareness and concern.

·      Nominee's achievements have local, national and/or international significance.

Military
Colonel (USA, Ret.) Reynold F. Palaganas
Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Liaison Officer to US Pacific Command (USPACOM), Camp Smith, Hawaii
B.A. Political Science and English Literature(double major); Minor: Military Science, 1982

• School of Education
  Magdalena Hallers
  College of Micronesia/FSM, Professor of Education
  B.A. Special Education, UOG, 1994
  Master of Education, UOG, 2000
  
  

• School of Nursing & Health Sciences
  Josie Zamora
  Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, Hospital Nurse Supervisor II
  Associate Degree in Nursing, UOG, 1986
  
  

• College of Natural & Applied Sciences
  Dr. Jerry Castro
  Guam E.N.T., LLC – sole proprietor
  BA Biology/ University of Guam/ May 15, 1988
  
  

• School of Business & Public Administration
  Carlos Camacho
  Micronesia Self-Help Housing Corporation, Executive Director
  BBA, Finance and PMBA, University of Guam, 2005
  
  

• College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
  Amata Coleman Radewagen (Aumua Amata), Republican, American Samoa’s third Member of Congress
  B.A. Psychology, UOG, 1975

*Congresswoman Radewagen could not attend the event due to a schedule conflict but was able to send a video acceptance message.