Highline Community College in Des Moines is now accepting nominations for its most prestigious award for alumni.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award honors a former Highline student who has made outstanding contributions through community service, noteworthy professional achievement and/or recognized leadership.

Nominations are due by April 16.

Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, who attended Highline in 1968-69, was the first recipient of the award in 1990. Other past honorees include Junki Yoshida, CEO of the Yoshida Group, and Washington state's first poet laureate Sam Green.

Last year's recipient was Dr. Linda Petter, a family practitioner in Tacoma and author of "Common Medical Sense," who was honored for her outstanding work in the health care field. She has a regular feature at 7:45 a.m. Sundays on KOMO-AM 1000.

Nominees will be asked to submit a résumé and personal profile that will be reviewed by a campus selection committee. The person selected will be invited to accept the award and participate in Highline's commencement exercises on June 10.

Send nominations via e-mail to ayoung@highline.edu or hard copy to Melissa Sell, Resource Development Office, Highline Community College, PO Box 98000 MS 99-248, Des Moines, WA 98198-9800.

For more information, call 206-870-3774, e-mail rstephen@highline.edu or visit www.funds4highline.org