David B. Thorud Leadership Award

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Nominations for 2023-24 are closed.

Recognizing outstanding leadership since 2006, the Thorud Leadership Award is the highest leadership honor at the University of Washington.

The Thorud Leadership Award is presented to two employees each year, who receive $2,500 and are recognized at the UW Awards of Excellence. The award is open to current UW faculty, academic appointees and staff below the level of vice president, vice provost, dean and chancellor. Self-nominations are not accepted.

If your nominee is being recognized for their exceptional achievement in public service, please consider nominating them for the Outstanding Public Service Award.


TO GET STARTED: View the Thorud Award criteria
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David B. Thorud

The Thorud Award honors the long and varied service of its namesake. David Thorud came to the UW in 1981 as dean of the College of Forest Resources, but then stepped into other key leadership positions when the need arose, including director of Government Relations, acting vice president of University Relations, special assistant to the president, and acting provost. Despite retiring in 2000, Thorud remains active in the UW community as dean emeritus.