Alumni Achievement Award (Est. 1957)

The highest honor bestowed upon alumni by the University of Illinois Alumni Association on behalf of the University of Illinois. The award is presented to those alumni who have attained outstanding success and national or international distinction in their chosen profession or life’s work, and whose accomplishments reflect admirably on or bring honor to their Alma Mater.

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  Michael S. Hopkins, ’92 ENG

  Ret. Col. Michael S. Hopkins, ’92 ENG, a NASA astronaut and Space Force officer, exemplifies the highest standards of excellence, leadership, and service. As an Illinois undergraduate, Hopkins showed his tenacity and determination early, securing a walk-on position with the Illinois football team. His dedication and work ethic earned him four varsity letters, a starting role in the defensive backfield, and election as a team captain his senior year. During his tenure, Illinois enjoyed significant success, including the 1989 Big Ten Championship. After completing a master’s degree at Stanford University, Hopkins excelled as an aerospace engineer and U.S. Air Force flight test engineer before joining NASA in 2009.

  For NASA, Hopkins completed two spaceflights, International Space Station (ISS) Expeditions 37/38 on Soyuz (2013-14) and 64/65 on SpaceX Crew-1 (2020-21). He logged over 330 days in space, conducted five spacewalks totaling more than 32 hours, and played a critical role in transitioning spaceflight from governmental to commercial partners. In 2020, Hopkins became the first astronaut member of the U.S. Space Force.

  As an astronaut, engineer, and military officer, Hopkins has made major contributions to global science, collaboration with international partners, and the overall success of America’s space missions. His participation in research aboard the ISS has advanced medical, environmental, and technological knowledge for all nations.

  Hopkins has received multiple honors, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Through it all, he has remained loyal to Illinois by engaging with students, participating in alumni outreach, and serving as an inspiration for Illini pursuing STEM careers.

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  Deb (Ridgeway) Neubek, ’82 FAA

  Deb (Ridgeway) Neubek, ’82 FAA, grew up in Illinois gazing at the stars, dreaming of designing space stations and lunar habitats. She chose the U. of I. to study architecture and the University of Houston to study space architecture, and she joined NASA shortly thereafter. Over the next three decades, in a civil service career at Johnson Space Center that spanned six U.S. presidential administrations, she supported the establishment of national space policy and was instrumental in the development of the International Space Station (ISS), leading negotiations for a significant portion of the station’s contracts. She also served as the ISS’s vehicle integration manager and as a manager for systems engineering and integration.

  As chief of NASA’s Exploration Analysis Branch, Neubek led advanced design and conceptual studies for future exploration of the Moon and Mars, helping the U.S. return to space after the retirement of the space shuttle. Later, as chief of staff-technical for the Constellation Program, she helped establish the foundational programs and projects that enabled the U.S. return to the Moon, including this year’s Artemis II mission.

  Neubek has received many awards, including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, the NASA Senior Executive Fellowship to Harvard University, and two Johnson Space Center Director’s Certificates of Commendation. Her philanthropic endeavors include service to two nonprofit organizations: Helping Parents Heal, which assists parents whose children have passed, and the Nature Discovery Center. She also has recently been appointed to the City of Bellaire’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

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