Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
Nominate Now: Third Annual "A Life Touched, A Generation Changed" Award Process Opens
7/17/2025 11:00:00 AM | General, David G. Kabiller NU for Life Program
EVANSTON, Ill. – In recognition of the generosity of University Trustee David G. Kabiller '85, '87 MBA, Northwestern Athletics established the "A Life Touched, A Generation Changed" award in 2023 to annually honor one former Wildcats letterwinner for their resounding impact on others through actions and deeds, while serving as an inspiration to their community.
Northwestern Athletics has opened the nomination process for this year's award and encourages all members of the Wildcats community to nominate a student-athlete who has graduated from Northwestern who they believe is worthy of the recognition.
Click here to nominate a Wildcats alumnus for the third annual A Life Touched, A Generation Changed award. The success of the nomination process depends on our community members committed and ongoing participation. We appreciate your engagement in one of Northwestern Athletics' newest traditions.
The recipient must have distinguished themselves through their unique contributions to society at large, making a positive impact on the lives of others through their work and/or service. A monetary gift will be awarded to the recipient's sports program in honor of their positive impact.
Nominations for the award will be accepted until Friday, August 8, with the honor presented during the homecoming football game on Saturday, October 4.
Last year, John Trautwein was selected as the 2nd annual recipient of the 'A Life Touched, A Generation Changed' Award. In October 2010, Trautwein and his family suffered the tragic loss of their oldest child, 15-year-old Will, who took his own life. As a result, Trautwein and his wife, along with their surviving children and Will's closest friends, immediately formed a nonprofit organization, "The Will To Live Foundation," whose mission is to raise the awareness of teen suicide in our communities, while finding ways to proactively teach teens to improve their own Will To Live by "delivering hope" to each other. As President and Founder of The Will To Live Foundation, Trautwein runs a non-profit that works with teenagers to help increase their Will To Live and to spread teen suicide awareness in communities across the country.
Trautwein has given more than 500 speeches all over the country and his "Life Teammates" message that was inspired by his days as a baseball player at Northwestern has been recognized by CNN, USA Today, Fox Sports, Major League Baseball as well as hundreds of churches, schools, and universities around the country. Trautwein and his wife are also recipients of the George W. Bush Presidential Point of Light Award for their work with Will to Live.
An alumnus of both Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and Kellogg School of Management, Kabiller was himself a student-athlete. As an undergraduate, he received an athletic scholarship to play tennis at Northwestern and was named to the Big Ten Conference Academic All-Conference team. He conceived and ultimately endowed the Kabiller NU for Life Program to help educate students about their professional options and to inspire them through alumni mentoring. Since its launch 13 years ago, the program has become an integral component of the student-athlete experience at Northwestern. More than 1,500 student-athlete alumni across every sport and undergraduate major have participated. Alumni engagement in the program also has grown exponentially, with more graduates serving as mentors, shadowing hosts and employers.
In addition to his service on the University's Board of Trustees, Kabiller was co-chair of the New York Regional Campaign Committee for We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern, chair of the Nanotechnology Executive Council and a life member of the Kellogg Global Advisory Board. A generous and longtime benefactor to Northwestern, Kabiller is a platinum-level member of NU Loyal, Northwestern's giving society recognizing consistent annual giving to the University, with 25 consecutive years of giving.
Kabiller is also a passionate advocate for nanotechnology research at Northwestern. In 2015, he introduced the international Kabiller awards, which biennially recognize two top scholars – one pioneer and one rising star – in the field of nanoscience and nanomedicine. In 2018, Kabiller endowed both honors, ensuring that this recognition continues in perpetuity. The 2019 awards honored Northwestern professor Chad Mirkin with the $250,000 Kabiller Prize, the world's largest monetary award for achievement in nanotechnology, and Molly Stevens of Imperial College London with the $10,000 Kabiller Young Investigator Award. Most recently, Kabiller has created The Kabiller Science of Empathy Prize, which is awarded biennially to a Kellogg faculty member and an alum, whose work advances our understanding of empathy and its impact in business.
Northwestern Athletics has opened the nomination process for this year's award and encourages all members of the Wildcats community to nominate a student-athlete who has graduated from Northwestern who they believe is worthy of the recognition.
Click here to nominate a Wildcats alumnus for the third annual A Life Touched, A Generation Changed award. The success of the nomination process depends on our community members committed and ongoing participation. We appreciate your engagement in one of Northwestern Athletics' newest traditions.
The recipient must have distinguished themselves through their unique contributions to society at large, making a positive impact on the lives of others through their work and/or service. A monetary gift will be awarded to the recipient's sports program in honor of their positive impact.
Nominations for the award will be accepted until Friday, August 8, with the honor presented during the homecoming football game on Saturday, October 4.
Last year, John Trautwein was selected as the 2nd annual recipient of the 'A Life Touched, A Generation Changed' Award. In October 2010, Trautwein and his family suffered the tragic loss of their oldest child, 15-year-old Will, who took his own life. As a result, Trautwein and his wife, along with their surviving children and Will's closest friends, immediately formed a nonprofit organization, "The Will To Live Foundation," whose mission is to raise the awareness of teen suicide in our communities, while finding ways to proactively teach teens to improve their own Will To Live by "delivering hope" to each other. As President and Founder of The Will To Live Foundation, Trautwein runs a non-profit that works with teenagers to help increase their Will To Live and to spread teen suicide awareness in communities across the country.
Trautwein has given more than 500 speeches all over the country and his "Life Teammates" message that was inspired by his days as a baseball player at Northwestern has been recognized by CNN, USA Today, Fox Sports, Major League Baseball as well as hundreds of churches, schools, and universities around the country. Trautwein and his wife are also recipients of the George W. Bush Presidential Point of Light Award for their work with Will to Live.
An alumnus of both Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and Kellogg School of Management, Kabiller was himself a student-athlete. As an undergraduate, he received an athletic scholarship to play tennis at Northwestern and was named to the Big Ten Conference Academic All-Conference team. He conceived and ultimately endowed the Kabiller NU for Life Program to help educate students about their professional options and to inspire them through alumni mentoring. Since its launch 13 years ago, the program has become an integral component of the student-athlete experience at Northwestern. More than 1,500 student-athlete alumni across every sport and undergraduate major have participated. Alumni engagement in the program also has grown exponentially, with more graduates serving as mentors, shadowing hosts and employers.
In addition to his service on the University's Board of Trustees, Kabiller was co-chair of the New York Regional Campaign Committee for We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern, chair of the Nanotechnology Executive Council and a life member of the Kellogg Global Advisory Board. A generous and longtime benefactor to Northwestern, Kabiller is a platinum-level member of NU Loyal, Northwestern's giving society recognizing consistent annual giving to the University, with 25 consecutive years of giving.
Kabiller is also a passionate advocate for nanotechnology research at Northwestern. In 2015, he introduced the international Kabiller awards, which biennially recognize two top scholars – one pioneer and one rising star – in the field of nanoscience and nanomedicine. In 2018, Kabiller endowed both honors, ensuring that this recognition continues in perpetuity. The 2019 awards honored Northwestern professor Chad Mirkin with the $250,000 Kabiller Prize, the world's largest monetary award for achievement in nanotechnology, and Molly Stevens of Imperial College London with the $10,000 Kabiller Young Investigator Award. Most recently, Kabiller has created The Kabiller Science of Empathy Prize, which is awarded biennially to a Kellogg faculty member and an alum, whose work advances our understanding of empathy and its impact in business.
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