Linnea Smith Honored With 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award

Smith is the founder and medical director of the Yanomono Medical Clinic, located in the remote Amazon jungle of northeastern Peru. A UW-educated physician who founded the clinic in 1990 following a vacation in the Amazon, she left behind a successful medical practice in Wisconsin to start the clinic for indigenous people who previously had to travel 50 miles by dugout canoe to reach a doctor. Now supported by a nonprofit foundation, the Amazon Medical Project, Smith's work at the clinic has saved thousands of lives.

Smith earned her bachelor's degree from UW-Madison in 1981, followed by a UW medical degree in 1984.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Wisconsin Alumni Association. The award celebrates outstanding UW-Madison graduates whose professional achievements, contributions to society, and support of the university exemplify the Wisconsin Idea.

"Through their one-of-a-kind endeavors, these UW alumni are credited with some of the world's most innovative and important contributions," said Paula Bonner MS'78, WAA's President and CEO. "We're proud to recognize them as part of the worldwide community of 370,000 passionate, inspired UW-Madison alumni."

The recipients will be honored at an awards program at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, at the Wisconsin Union Theater in Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St. The awards program is free and open to the public. Details and registration are at uwalumni.com/daa.