UP Citizen of the Year Applications Open

The City of University Park is taking nominations for 2026 Citizen of the Year.

The application to nominate residents is open through June 1. The nomination form is available here.

The award was created to “boost public awareness and appreciation for the many residents who work, often behind the scenes, to better the City’s quality of life.” To be eligible for the award, nominees must be a resident of University Park and have worked to improve quality of life in the city.

The most recent honorees include Bubble Lounge podcast host Martha Jackson in 2025, Alex Bell, who served the city through nonprofits and as a member of several city committees, in 2024, and Brad Cheves in 2023. Cheves served as Senior Vice President for Development and External Affairs at SMU before taking over as President and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber.

Author

Rachel Snyder

View Profile

Rachel Snyder, managing editor at People Newspapers, first joined the staff in 2019. She's covered everything from Dallas and University Park municipal government to business. Rachel began her journalism career at the daily newspaper The Express Star in Chickasha, Okla. She went on to work for the daily Duncan Banner in Duncan, Okla. the weekly Sand Springs Leader, and WFAA-TV in Dallas. She’s a fan of puns and community journalism, not necessarily in that order.