Outstanding Alumna Award - 2024

The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation introduced the Outstanding Alumna Award at the 1982 Convention in Atlanta to recognize ZTA alumnae who have become outstanding leaders in their chosen professions, demonstrated significant accomplishments and made notable contributions to society. Many of the past recipients have also served the Fraternity in their post-collegiate years, but that is not a requirement for the award. These outstanding women serve as role models for all members of Zeta Tau Alpha and their informative and inspiring speeches are highlights of our biennial Convention. You can view all Outstanding Alumna recipients here.

2024 Winners

Amy Monger Parsons
Kappa Alpha Chapter
Colorado State University

The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation has selected Colorado State University President Amy Monger Parsons as the 2024 ZTA Outstanding Alumna for her ongoing leadership in higher education administration. Amy was named CSU's 16th president in February 2023 after holding several senior executive leadership roles on the Fort Collins campus and within the CSU System.

Amy was initiated into ZTA at Kappa Alpha Chapter at Colorado State in 1993. She served her chapter as Recruitment Chair, Parliamentarian and New Member Class President.

“As a CSU student, being a Zeta grounded me in the university experience," Amy said. "I felt fortunate to be part of a tradition that existed long before I set foot on campus, and that will continue far beyond my lifetime. Sororities and fraternities link members to a unique history and a specific set of rituals and values.” Fittingly, Amy will receive the Outstanding Alumna Award on July 20, during the historic 125th Anniversary Convention in Indianapolis.

Amy received her bachelor’s degree in political science from CSU and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado. After law school, she was a litigation attorney for five years before being named Deputy General Counsel and Associate Legal Counsel at CSU in 2004.

In 2009, she became Vice President for University Operations at CSU, helping to navigate through the fiscal challenges of the Great Recession. She supported the first comprehensive salary equity survey to uncover and remedy gender-based inequities and oversaw an historic physical transformation that included construction and renovation of state-of-the-art classroom buildings, parking structures, research facilities, and an on-campus stadium.

From 2015 to 2020 she served as Executive Vice Chancellor of the CSU System and led system-wide initiatives, including creation of the CSU Spur campus at the National Western Center in Denver. She spent three years as a chief executive officer in the private sector before returning to her alma mater as President.

In her first year in this role, she has championed CSU’s “Thematic Year of Democracy and Civic Engagement.” This central university initiative has brought together the university community for dozens of events designed to engage the campus in civil, thoughtful, and productive dialogue.

Amy currently serves on the NCAA Committee for Infractions, the Salazar Center for North American Conservation External Advisory Board, and the Colorado Business Roundtable Board of Directors. Previously, she served on a variety of Denver-based boards and commissions.

"We are thrilled to honor Amy for her leadership in higher education," said ZTA Foundation President Carolyn Hof Carpenter. "Our Founders were among the earliest women to attend college. They established Lifelong Learning as one of our key values and Amy exemplifies that value each day on the CSU campus and in the larger community of university administrators."