Established in 1973, the Alumni Distinguished Service Awards recognize individuals for their contributions to the university. Recipients:
| 1973 | John W. Bates Jr. |
| Guy L. Furr | |
| Robert O. Goodykoontz | |
| John W. Hancock Jr. | |
| Charles R. Harris | |
| Adger S. Johnson | |
| Edward H. Lane Sr. | |
| Walter S. Newman | |
| Robert B. Pamplin Sr. | |
| Samuel D. Preston | |
| Herman L. Pritchard | |
| W. Thomas Rice | |
| Frank L. Robeson | |
| Heath M. Robinson | |
| C. Eugene Rowe | |
| Carrie T. Sibold | |
| Oscar F. Smith III | |
| Erwin H. Will | |
| Robert F. Willey | |
| Harry C. Wyatt | |
| 1974 | Gordon D. Bowman |
| Clifford A. Cutchins III | |
| Charles O. Gordon | |
| Gilbert L. Seay | |
| Wyatt A. Williams | |
| 1975 | Henry G. McBurney |
| Margaret R. Svoboda | |
| William S. Moffett | |
| Clarice Slusher Pritchard | |
| Harry N. Gustin II | |
| William E. Betts Jr. | |
| 1976 | J. Edwin Givens |
| Henry B. Boynton | |
| Lucy Lee Lancaster | |
| 1977 | Julian N. Cheatham |
| Lewis A. Hall | |
| Davidson Charlton Wysor | |
| 1978 | Charles B. Kirk Jr. |
| W. Martin Johnson | |
| 1979 | Edward R. English |
| George W. Litton | |
| J. Kenneth Robinson | |
| John E. Scott Jr. | |
| 1980 | Parke C. Brinkley |
| Annie S. Leeper | |
| William C. Wampler | |
| 1981 | Christopher C. Kraft Jr. |
| 1982 | Fitzhugh C. Moore |
| 1983 | William E. Skelton |
| Lee C. Tait | |
| 1984 | Roie M. Godsey |
| Henry B. Redd (posthumously) | |
| 1985 | Richard M. Bagley |
| W. Ernest Norcross | |
| 1986 | Earl T. Gresham Jr. |
| James B. Jones | |
| 1987 | Henry J. Dekker |
| Kenneth V. Brugh Jr. | |
| 1988 | Lucian Y. Grove |
| G. Truman. Ward | |
| 1989 | Horace G. Fralin |
| Willis S. White Jr. | |
| 1990 | William K. Barlow |
| William E. Jamerson | |
| 1991 | George A. Costan |
| Kenneth L. Motley | |
| 1992 | H. M. (Mac) McEver |
| Joseph Metzger (posthumously) | |
| 1993 | Harold N. Hoback |
| Joseph C. Thomas | |
| 1994 | Thomas W. Moss Jr. |
| J. Landon Short | |
| 1995 | Charles O. Strickler |
| Leo A. Vecellio Sr. | |
| 1996 | William C. Latham |
| 1997 | Mace T. Coleman |
| William W. Moseley | |
| 1998 | Daniel W. Bird, Jr. |
| G. E. “Buddy” Russell | |
| 1999 | Mary Virginia Jones |
| Sam Lionberger | |
| 2000 | Robert B. Delano |
| John G. Rocovich Jr. | |
| 2001 | Cecil R. Maxson Jr. |
| Clifton C. Garvin | |
| 2002 | Alexander F. Giacco |
| John Grado | |
| 2003 | James E. Turner |
| Carlton Southworth | |
| 2004 | Gene A. James |
| James Eugene Justice | |
| L. Preston Wade | |
| 2005 | Marcella K. Arline |
| Eddie F. Hearp | |
| Eugene E. Fife | |
| 2006 | Calvin D. Jamison |
| Paul M. Saunders | |
| 2007 | Charles E. Broadwater Jr. |
| W. Thomas Clark Jr. | |
| 2008 | Kimble Reynolds Jr. |
| Nancy Bowman Sauer | |
| 2009 | Marni Byrum |
| Patricia Caldwell | |
| John Higginbotham |