Phil Castle, The Business Times

Nominations will be accepted through March 15 for new awards honoring the memory of a Colorado Mesa University alumnus.

The CMU Alumni Association will present the Doug Sortor Maverick Spirit Award to an alumnus or alumna who supports CMU and Western Colorado Community College.

The Honorary Maverick Alumni Award will be presented to a supporter who didn’t attend or graduate from CMU or WCCC.

Nominations will be accepted through April 1 for the Young Alumni Who’s Who Award and Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dusti Reimer, president of the CMU Alumni Association board of directors, said the Doug Sortor Maverick Spirit Award honors a man who long served as a role model for students and other alumni. “Doug was like the ultimate champion of CMU.”

A native of Grand Junction, Sortor attended and played football for what was at that time Mesa College. He graduated in 1980.

He subsequently worked as an executive with United Parcel Service and then Strive, a Grand Junction-based organization that provides a range of services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental challenges.

Sortor served as president of the CMU Alumni Association and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021.

He died in August after being hit by a car while riding his bicycle. He was 67.

Reimer said she remembers how Sortor insisted board members learn the CMU fight song and led the board in rousing renditions.

Sortor also attended CMU events, dressed in Maverick gear and promoted the university whenever opportunities arose, Reimer said. “There was just nobody like him. He always made you feel so proud to go to CMU like Doug did.”

The Doug Sortor Maverick Spirit Award and Honorary Maverick Alumni Award will be presented as part of the Maverick Days festivities in April.

The Sortor Award will go to an individual or individuals who attended or graduated from CMU or WCCC. The selection criteria will include character; service and support of CMU, WCCC and its students, faculty and staff; and enthusiasm for promoting CMU and WCCC.

The criteria for the Honorary Maverick Alumni Award is the same, but will honor an individual or individuals who aren’t alumni. “There are a lot of people who give back to the university,” Reimer said.

The Young Alumni Who’s Who Award honors graduates under the age of 40 who’ve demonstrated a high level of accomplishment early in their careers and a commitment to CMU through volunteering, leadership and other contributions. The award will be presented at the annual alumni meeting in July.

The Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor the alumni association bestows, recognizes professional achievement, service and commitment to CMU. The award will be presented this fall as part of homecoming festivities.

Nomination forms are available online from the CMU alumni website located at

https://www.supportingcmu.com/alumni/our-alumni. Nominations must be accompanied by a letter of support from someone other than the nominator.