Young Alum Award

The Young Alum Award is an honor the college bestows on its alumni who have achieved a high level of success within 15 years of graduating from Coe.

2024 recipient | Anna Hegland '13

Anna Hegland obtained her B.A. in English at Coe before moving to the United Kingdom to complete an M.A. in Shakespeare studies (University of Birmingham – Shakespeare Institute) and a Ph.D. in medieval and early modern studies (University of Kent – Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies). Her work is published in the British Shakespeare Association’s Teaching Shakespeare magazine, Shakespeare Bulletin and Symbolism, and a chapter on Middleton and pedagogical duties of care appears in the edited collection Boundaries of Violence (Routledge, 2023). She is a co-editor for a new collection, The Theatrical Legacy of Thomas Middleton, 1624-2024 (Routledge, 2024), a regular contributor to national and international conferences and a plenary speaker at the 2024 British Graduate Shakespeare Conference. During the Covid-19 lockdowns in the UK, Anna was a founding editor of the award-winning digital library project MEMSlib, dedicated to making open-access resources available for students and researchers of the medieval and early modern studies. Anna is currently an advisor and adjunct professor at Carthage College, where she supervises the peer career tutoring program and teaches in the First Year Experience and Intellectual Foundations programs. As an alumna, she is a member of The Coe College Library Association (CCLA) and gives regularly to the college in support of the annual Day of Giving.

While nominations are accepted year-round, only those submitted by January 31 will be considered for awarding at that year's Homecoming celebration.

Past recipients

Award eligibility

Professional achievement exemplifies the superior educational quality and ideals of Coe College. Nominees also illustrate their dedication to Coe and their community through their continued engagement and service.
Nominees must have graduated from Coe College a minimum of 15 years ago.
Award may be presented posthumously but living award recipients must be present to accept the award.
Current members of Coe's Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors/President's Advisory Council, or Alumni Council cannot receive this award while serving their term.

Judging criteria

The Coe Alumni Council evaluates nominees based on the following weighted criteria:

60%–Distinction in their professional field
Recognition including, but not limited to, scholarship, awards, and leadership recognition by one's peers in, trade associations, business, education, sports, and medicine.

20%–Loyalty to Coe
Dedication to the college measured in volunteer service including, but not limited to, admission assistance, student engagement, alumni events, Board of Trustees, Board of Visitors/President's Advisory Council, Alumni Council or Coe Fund.

20%–Community Engagement
Service to the nominee’s community, including, but not limited to, board, committee, task force, and volunteer service.