Moved to Serve
Tillman Honors serves as an opportunity to amplify impactful stories of service such as 2023 Champion Award winner Gary Sinese and our soon to be announced 2023 Make Your Mark award winner. Join hundreds of our supporters, investors and Tillman Scholars who embody the values of service, impact, scholarship, and humble leadership.
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The Champion Award
The Champion Award celebrates Pat’s legacy and belief that we should always strive to be part of something bigger than ourselves, by recognizing an individual for remarkable civic contributions, extraordinary fortitude and spirit of service.
Gary Sinese
2023 Champion Award
This year, we proudly present the 2023 Champion Award to Gary Sinese for his commitment to advocacy for service members and their families.
Gary Sinise’s stage, film and television career has spanned more than four decades. In 1974, at 18 years old, he co-founded Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he served as Artistic Director for seven years. He has starred in or directed over a dozen productions at the renowned theater, some of which played on or off Broadway. 20 years into his career, for his performance as Lt Dan Taylor in Forrest Gump, he received nominations for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Awards, and earned the Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board of Review and the Commander’s Award from the Disabled American Veterans. He is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and two-time SAG Award winner.
For nearly 40 years, Gary has stood as an advocate on behalf of America’s service members. It began in the early ‘80s, supporting local Vietnam veterans’ groups in the Chicago area, and into the ‘90s, when his portrayal of Lt. Dan formed an enduring connection with service members throughout the military community, and as he worked on behalf of the Disabled American Veterans organization, which he continues to actively support today. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Sinise’s dedication to our nation’s active-duty defenders, veterans, first responders and their families has become a tireless crusade of support, service, and gratitude for all those who protect our freedom and serve our country.
In 2011, Sinise established the Gary Sinise Foundation with a mission to serve our country by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. The Foundation’s four programmatic pillars are their way of “doing a little more” for those who sacrifice so much for the country. Giving back to those who sacrifice for our nation and encouraging others to do the same has become Gary Sinise’s personal quest and what he hopes will endure as a legacy of service to others.
“While we can never do enough for our defenders and their loved ones, we can always do a little more.” – Gary Sinise


Bryan Stevenson
2022 Champion Award

Fawzia Koofi
2021 Champion Award

Jon Stewart & John Feal
2020 Champion Award

Sen. John McCain
2019 Champion Award

Kamau Murray
2018 Champion Award

Gabrielle Giffords & Mark Kelly
2017 Champion Award

Jon Krakauer
2016 Champion Award

Sebastian Junger
2015 Champion Award
The Make Your Mark Award
The Make Your Mark Award celebrates Pat’s legacy and belief that we should always strive to be part of something bigger than ourselves, by recognizing a Tillman Scholar for embodying the values of service, scholarship, humble leadership and impact in their work and daily life. Our 2023 Make Your Mark Awardee will be announced soon!

Bridgette Bell
2022 Make Your Mark Award

Rick Schumacher
Digital Dunkirk
2021 Make Your Mark Award

Kate Hoit
Digital Dunkirk
2021 Make Your Mark Award

Junaid Lughmani
Digital Dunkirk
2021 Make Your Mark Award

Jackie Munn
2020 Make Your Mark Award

Adrian Perkins
2019 Make Your Mark Award

Jason Turner
2018 Make Your Mark Award

Kimberly Jung
2016 Make Your Mark Award

Adrian Kinsella
2015 Make Your Mark Award

Service to School:
Tim Hsia & Khalil Tawil
2015 Make Your Mark Award

Chris Roessner
2017 Make Your Mark Award
2022 Sponsors & Partners
Without loyal support, our mission would go unfulfilled. Interested in supporting Tillman Honors? For sponsorship information, please contact Jacki Stuckert.
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