Alumni Service Award

To be considered for this award, you should:

• Provide evidence of regular and sustained service to the community, university, or society as a whole
• Contribute beyond, or entirely outside, the realm of the nominees’ standard career responsibilities
• Display a passionate commitment to the above endeavor(s)
• Demonstrate ethical, commendable behavior in the execution of the above endeavor(s)
• Accomplish the above during or after their academic tenure at AMU

• Nominees may be self-nominated, nominated by another graduate, a member of the faculty or staff, or another person outside the university who knows the nominee and the university well
• Nominees will be notified of their nomination and encouraged to apply for the award
• The award may, but will not necessarily, be awarded annually

All materials are to be submitted in one complete packet on the award nomination form. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member or supervisor who knows you well. The letter should specifically address how you meet the requirements for the award. You may want to give your recommendation writer a summary of the award
• An original essay of no more than 1,000 words that outlines why you are an exceptional candidate for the award including concrete examples of how you meet each of the requirements for this award. Answers questions such as:
• In what ways have you served the community or university?
• In what ways has this service carried the spirit of the university?
• What are the recognized contributions made by you that demonstrate a benefit to the larger community?
• Evidence that you received state or national recognition for significant achievements in your chosen field
• Your current professional resume
• Additional information such as news articles, recognition awards, and volunteer service, that supports the nomination are encouraged, but not required

• Award recipients will be honored during Commencement weekend, and should we have an in-person celebration, one night accommodations and individual travel expenses to attend Commencement will be paid for by the University
• Award recipients receive a crystal trophy
• Award recipients are not required to attend Commencement to accept the award

Bryan Sodders

Bryan Sodders graduated from AMU with a bachelor's in homeland security in 2017.  He is currently enrolled in a master’s program for management and an associate program for human relations.  

Bryan has served in the Air Force since June 2003. He has served at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Osan Air Base in South Korea and Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Bryan is currently stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and serves as a First Sergeant to the 592d Special Operations Maintenance Squadron.

He has been married to his best friend Santana for 14 years. They have four kids: Trey, Amya, Caiden and Makinley. As a family, they enjoy the outdoors and anything that enables them to spend quality time together.