Indianapolis Colts quarterback and UT alumnus Peyton Manning has received a prestigious award from the College of Communication and Information, the 2007 Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award.

The award, named for the first permanent dean of the college, began in 1994 and is given to college alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the field of communication. It is the highest honor the College of Communication and Information bestows.

Peyton Manning is one of the greatest athletes of our time, but he is also an outstanding communicator and a role model for everyone with whom he comes into contact. Mike Wirth, dean of the College of Communication and Information

"Peyton Manning is one of the greatest athletes of our time, but he is also an outstanding communicator and a role model for everyone with whom he comes into contact. We presented the Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award to Peyton in recognition of all that he has done off the football field to give back to society," said Mike Wirth, dean of the College of Communication and Information, in a recent press release.

Manning was the top graduate in his major of speech communication when he earned his bachelor's degree in 1997. He has received numerous awards both at UT and after graduation.

While at UT Manning was recognized as a three-time All American and won the Sullivan award, which honors amateur athletes based on character, leadership and athletic ability, after his senior season.

Since his graduation, Manning has received the 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which recognizes playing excellence and community service. He also founded the PeyBack Foundation in 1999, which promotes the success of disadvantaged youth in Indiana, Tennessee and Louisiana.