2027 External Relations Group Awards for Excellence

Submit Your Best Work for National Recognition
The 2027 External Relations Group Awards for Excellence is open!
All submissions are due by October 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST.
No late submissions will be accepted.

The External Relations Group's Awards for Excellence honor and celebrate the most creative and effective approaches used to promote academic medicine through alumni relations, communications, community relations, development, and marketing programs and projects.

Submit your work and gain national recognition for the strategy, creativity, and talent you and your teams exhibit every day as you work to advance medicine, research, education, and community collaborations at your institutions.

Looking for guidance on what to submit? Here are some examples of what the judges want to see:

✔ Special campaigns you’ve completed—even on a shoestring budget
✔ Community relations initiatives
✔ Influential writing
✔ Annual giving campaigns
✔ Special events you’ve hosted for alumni or donors
✔ Print and digital publications
✔ And everything in between!

We’ve created Guidelines and Instructions and FAQ documents to guide you through the submission process and answer the questions you may have. You can also check out past Awards for Excellence winners for additional inspiration.

Be sure to fully review the Guidelines and Instructions before submitting your entry to learn everything that must be included in your submission.

Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of your team and demonstrate the immeasurable value you bring to your institution, community, and academic medicine.

To get started on submitting your influential work, simply choose “Start Now.”
Please note: Even if you submitted in past years, you will still have to make a new account.

If you have questions, please reach out to Melanie Whall at mwhall@aamc.org.