Distinguished Alumni Awards

The NYU Alumni Association is proud to recognize outstanding graduates for their exceptional personal and professional achievements. Awardees are selected through a comprehensive nomination and evaluation process by the Awards Committee of the NYUAA Board. Their contributions to their communities and around the world exemplify NYU’s spirit. Each spring, honorees are recognized at the NYU Alumni Awards luncheon in New York City.

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Group of nicely dress people posing for photo with NYU Alumni award A metal for the Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service Setting up for the NYU Alumni Awards event Woman standing at podium giving a speech Photo of three nicely dressed people posing at a table at the NYU Alumni event

Recent Honorees

These honorees exemplify NYU's spirit through their contributions to their communities and around the world.

  • Christy Turlington Burns in a white sweater
    Meet Christy

    Distinguished Alumni Award

    Christy Turlington Burns

    GAL ’99

    Founder and President, Every Mother Counts

    Christy Turlington Burns is the founder and president of Every Mother Counts (EMC), an organization that has invested more than $27 million in programs focused on making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere.
  • Eduardo D. Rodriguez
    Meet Eduardo

    Distinguished Alumni Award

    Eduardo D. Rodriguez

    DEN ’92

    MD, DDS

    Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS, serves as the Helen L. Kimmel Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and as Chair of the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone, specializing in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery.
  • Quemuel Arroyo
    Meet Quemuel

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award

    Quemuel Arroyo

    CAS ’12, WAG ’20

    Chief Accessibility Officer and Senior Advisor to the Chairman and CEO, MTA

    Quemuel “Q” Arroyo joined the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in 2021 as the organization's first agency-wide Chief Accessibility Officer. In this capacity, Arroyo leads the implementation of policies, initiatives, and programs that reimagine and advance accessibility throughout the organization.
  • Jennifer Curry
    Meet Jennifer

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award

    Jennifer Curry

    WAG ’07, STEINHARDT '14

    Founder, Change Impact

    Jennifer Curry, EdD, founded Change Impact in 2017 to help social impact organizations achieve results and advance equity.
  • Rabbi Alvin Kass
    Meet Rabbi Alvin

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service

    Rabbi Alvin Kass

    STEINHARDT ’76

    Chief Chaplain, NYPD

    Chief Chaplain Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass was appointed to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in 1966, making him the most tenured chaplain in the NYPD.

Award Categories

These four awards are presented annually to alumni who embody the spirit and distinction that defines NYU.

Presented to a respected and distinguished public figure of recognized stature or identity who has clearly demonstrated a record of outstanding public service in their professional, vocational, social, and cultural endeavors, and who, by receiving this award, brings honor to the University.

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Presented to a respected and distinguished graduate of any school, college, or division of NYU who has demonstrated extraordinary achievement and/or service in their professional, vocational, social, and cultural endeavors, and who deserves acknowledgement as embodying the spirit of distinction that brings pride to the University.

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The Distinguished Young Alumnus award is presented to an outstanding graduate of any school, college, or division of NYU who is under the age of 40. This alumnus/a has demonstrated sustained excellence in their professional, vocational, social, and cultural endeavors, and who deserves acknowledgement as embodying the spirit of distinction that brings pride to the University.

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From time to time, the President of the University bestows upon an outstanding alumnus/a the President’s Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of exemplary accomplishment in the professional sector, as well as for unwavering dedication and commitment to bettering the life of the University community.

When this award is presented, it is given during the NYU Alumni Association’s Annual Meeting, which is held at the end of each academic year.

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Distinguished Alumni
Awards Directory

View past NYUAA award honorees from 2014 to today. Honorees prior from 2013 and earlier are available in a list below. To reset filters, scroll back to the default title (i.e., if using the Industry filter, navigate back to the word Industry at the top of the filter.)

  • Ted Allen (GSAS ’90) 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award

    Ted Allen

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    GSAS ’90
    2015
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Martin Cohen (STERN ’76)

    Martin Cohen

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    STERN ’76
    2015
    Finance

  • Carmen Guillén Fariña (STEINHARDT ’65)

    Carmen Guillén Fariña

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    STEINHARDT ’65
    2015
    Education

  • Ruth Gruber (WSC ’30)

    Ruth Gruber

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    WSC ’30
    2015

  • Cristi Marie Hegranes (GSAS ’05)

    Cristi Marie Hegranes

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    GSAS ’05
    2015
    Journalism

  • John Sexton

    John Sexton

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service

    2016
    Education

  • Jonathan Mechanic (LAW '77)

    Jonathan Mechanic

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    LAW ’77
    2016
    Real Estate

  • Jonathan Woodson (GSM '79)

    Jonathan Woodson

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    GSM '79
    2016
    Public Service

  • Ruthie Ann Miles (STEINHARDT ’07)

    Ruthie Ann Miles

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    STEINHARDT ’07
    2016
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Martin Lipton (LAW ’55)

    Martin Lipton

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    LAW ’55
    2017
    Law

  • John Patrick Shanley (STEINHARDT ’77, HON ’09)

    John Patrick Shanley

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    STEINHARDT ’77, HON ’09
    2017
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Ali Stroker (TSOA ’09)

    Ali Stroker

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    TSOA ’09
    2017
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Lee Morin (GSAS ’78, ’82, MED ’81)

    Lee Morin

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    GSAS ’78, ’82, MED ’81
    2018
    STEM

  • Anthony Foxx (LAW ’96)

    Anthony Foxx

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    LAW ’96
    2018
    Public Service

  • George S. Barrett (STERN ’88)

    George S. Barrett

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    STERN ’88
    2018
    Healthcare

  • Billy Rosa (TSOA ’04, MEYERS ’09)

    Billy Rosa

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    TSOA ’04, MEYERS ’09
    2018
    Healthcare

  • Lindsey Ferrentino (TSOA ’09)

    Lindsey Ferrentino

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    TSOA ’09
    2018
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Hakeem Jeffries (LAW ’97)

    Hakeem Jeffries

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    LAW '97
    2019
    Public Service

  • Neil Garg (CAS ’00)

    Neil Garg

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    CAS ’00
    2019
    STEM

  • Emanuel Azenberg (ARTS ’55)

    Emanuel Azenberg

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    ARTS ’55
    2019
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Ian Axel and Chad King (both STEINHARDT ’07)

    Chad King

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    STEINHARDT ’07
    2019
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Ian Axel and Chad King (both STEINHARDT ’07)

    Ian Axel

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    STEINHARDT ’07
    2019
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Erin Schrode (CAS ’13)

    Erin Schrode

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    CAS ’13
    2019
    Public Service

  • Chris Harrison (CAS ’05, CIMS ’06)

    Chris Harrison

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    CAS ’05, CIMS ’06
    2014

  • Winston W. Ma (LAW ’98)

    Winston W. Ma

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    LAW ’98
    2014
    Finance

  • Rachel A. Robinson (NUR ’61, HON ’96)

    Rachel A. Robinson

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    MEYERS ’61, HON ’96
    2014
    Non-Profit

  • Edith S. Windsor (CIMS ’57)

    Edith S. Windsor

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    CIMS ’57
    2014
    Public Service

  • Zachary Carter (LAW ’75)

    Zachary Carter

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
    LAW ’75
    2020/2021
    Public Service

  • André De Shields (GAL ’91)

    André De Shields

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    GAL ’91
    2020/2021
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Nick Grassi (GLS ’12)

    Nick Grassi

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    GLS ’12
    2020/2021
    Finance

  • Nily Rozic (CAS ’07)

    Nily Rozic

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    CAS ’07
    2020/2021
    Public Service

  • Christy Turlington Burns in a white sweater

    Christy Turlington Burns

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    GAL '99
    2023
    Arts, Culture, and Entertainment

  • Eduardo D. Rodriguez

    Eduardo D. Rodriguez

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    DEN '92
    2023
    Healthcare

  • Quemuel Arroyo headshot

    Quemuel Arroyo

    Distinguished Alumni Award
    CAS '12, WAG '20
    2023
    Public Service

  • Jennifer Curry

    Jennifer Curry

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award
    WAG '07, STEINHARDT '14
    2023
    Non-Profit

  • Rabbi Alvin Kass

    Rabbi Alvin Kass

    Keogh Award
    STEINHARDT '76
    2023
    Public Service

No results found.

Distinguished Alumni Honorees 1987 - 2013

View recipients of Distinguished Alumni Awards prior to 2013.

Name School Award Year Award
Charlotte K. Frank STEINHARDT ’00 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award
Jane L. Rosenthal GAL ’77 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award
Lauren A. Burke LAW ’09 2013 Distinguished Young Alumni Award
The Honorable Raymond J. Lohier LAW ’91 2013 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Daniel Barry GSAS ’83 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award
Vasiliki Karlis DEN ’92 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award
Jacqueline Murekatete CAS ’07 2012 Distinguished Young Alumni Award
Alan Greenspan STERN ’48, ’77, GSAS ’50 2012 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Matthew Sapolin WSC ’93, WAG ’96 2012 President’s Alumni Achievement Award
Jill Claster WSC ’52, GSAS’54 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award
Lonnie R. Bristow MED ’57 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award
Melissa Kushner WAG ’06 2011 Distinguished Young Alumni Award
Kenneth R. Feinberg LAW ’70 2011 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Abraham H. Foxman LAW '65 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award
Maria Bartiromo WSC '89 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award
Kelly Kennedy Mack STERN ’02 2009 Distinguished Young Alumni Award
Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika STEINHARDT ’80 2009 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Charles Simic WSC '67 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award
Patti Scialfa GAL ’75 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award
Richard Cash MED ’66 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award
Jonathan Lippman WSC ’65, LAW ’68 2008 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Allen S. Keller MED '88 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award
Eduardo J. Martí WSC ’64, '66, GSAS ’71 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award
Kathleen A. Corbet Stern '89 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award
Christopher H. Shays STERN ’74, WAG ’78 2007 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Carole Bayer Sager STEINHARDT ’65 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award
Harry T. Stewart, Jr. TANDON ’63 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award
Lee Archer, Jr. GSAS '56 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award
Roscoe C. Brown, Jr STEINHARDT ’49, ’51 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award
The Honorable Carol Bellamy LAW ’68 2006 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Peter David Lax WSC ’47, CIMS ’49 2006 President’s Alumni Achievement Award
Abraham Lackman WSC ’71 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award
Marvin Leffler STERN ’42, ’51 2005, 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award
Ray Suarez WSC ’78 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. Dorothy I. Height STEINHARDT ’33, ’35, HON ’75 2005 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Ismail Merchant STERN ’60 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award
Lee M.E. Morin GSAS ’78, ’82, MED ’81 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award
The Honorable Dennis Jacobs GSAS ’65, LAW ’73 2004 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Calvin Ramsey STERN ’59 2004 President’s Alumni Achievement Award
Eric Kandel MED ’56 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award
Philip Coltoff SSSW ’64 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award
Stanley Kasten WSC '73 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award
Raymond W. Kelly LAW ’74 2003 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Alec Baldwin TSOA ’94 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award
Joyce Frances Brown STEINHARDT ’71, ’80 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award
Ruth Gruber WSC ’30 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award
Charles B. Rangel STERN ’57 2002 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Jerome M. Hauer GAL ’75 2000 Distinguished Alumni Award
Martha Craven Nussbaum WSC ’69 2000 Distinguished Alumni Award
Betty Weinberg Ellerin WSC ’50, LAW ’52 2000, 2022 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Distinguished Alumni Award
Clive J. Davis WSC ’53 1999 Distinguished Alumni Award
Rita E. Hauser LAW ’59 1999 Distinguished Alumni Award
Robert S. Ledley DEN ’48 1999 Distinguished Alumni Award
Yale J. Kamisar ARTS ’50 1999 Distinguished Alumni Award
Louis J. Freeh LAW ’84 1999 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Raymond Lump STEINHARDT ’50 1999 President’s Alumni Achievement Award
Cynthia Ozick WSC ’49 1998 Distinguished Alumni Award
David S. Loeb STERN ’51 1998 Distinguished Alumni Award
Peter Westbrook STERN ’75 1998 Distinguished Alumni Award
Philippe de Montebello GSAS ’76 1998 Distinguished Alumni Award
Rudolph W. Giuliani LAW ’68 1998 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Dinshaw J. Patel GSAS ’68 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award
Henry A. Grunwald WSC ’44 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award
Jerry L. Cohen STERN ’53, ’59 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award
Louis K. Salkind GSAS ’90 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award
Scott Elliott GAL ’93 1997 Distinguished Alumni Award
Norman Goodman ARTS ’47, LAW ’50 1997 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Ang Lee TSOA ’84 1996 Distinguished Alumni Award
Judy Blume STEINHARDT ’61 1996 Distinguished Alumni Award
Michael A. Waldman LAW ’87 1996 Distinguished Alumni Award
Max M. Kampelman ARTS ’40, LAW ’45 1996 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Cathy E. Minehan STERN '77 1995 Distinguished Alumni Award
Marcia Gay Harden TSOA '88 1995 Distinguished Alumni Award
Sheila G. Lukins STEINHARDT ’70 1995 Distinguished Alumni Award
Thomas E. Sanders STERN '60 1995 Distinguished Alumni Award
Fernando J. Ferrer ARTS ’72 1995 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Betty Comden STEINHARDT ’37 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
Harriet Skye GAL ’93 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
John Alexander Simpson GSAS ’42, ’43 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
Mark H. Brooks STERN '92 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
Melvyn I. Weiss LAW ’59 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
Tabitha Soren WSC '89 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
Yale Strom GAL ’84 1994 Distinguished Alumni Award
Lewis Rudin STERN ’49 1994 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Alan Menken ARTS '72 1993 Distinguished Alumni Award
LeRoy T. Walker STEINHARDT ’57 1993 Distinguished Alumni Award
Susan Cartsonis TSOA '84 1993 Distinguished Alumni Award
Tamar Schlick GSAS ’85, ’87 1993 Distinguished Alumni Award
Tony Kushner TSOA '84 1993 Distinguished Alumni Award
Judith Smith Kaye LAW ’62 1993 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Edward G. Kaufman DEN '43 1992 Distinguished Alumni Award
Ellen D. Baer STEINHARDT ’73, ’82 1992 Distinguished Alumni Award
Luis R. Cancel STEINHARDT '87 1992 Distinguished Alumni Award
Paul J. Tagliabue LAW '65 1992 Distinguished Alumni Award
Susan Seidelman TSOA '76 1992 Distinguished Alumni Award
John Brademas 1992 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Carl P. Carlucci WAG ’86 1991 Distinguished Alumni Award
Catherine Cowell STEINHARDT ’83 1991 Distinguished Alumni Award
George C. Wolfe TSOA ’84 1991 Distinguished Alumni Award
Henry Kaufman ARTS ’48, STERN '58 1991 Distinguished Alumni Award
Racquel Z. LeGeros GSAS ’57, ’67 1991 Distinguished Alumni Award
Walter F. Loeb WSC ’49 1991 Distinguished Alumni Award
Laura Novoa de Anriquez LAW ’59 1991 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Donald Forman STERN ’48, LAW ’56 1990 Distinguished Alumni Award
Dorothy Strickland STEINHARDT ’58, ’71 1990 Distinguished Alumni Award
Julie Kazimiroff DEN ’80, GSAS ’87 1990 Distinguished Alumni Award
Nancy Uscher STEINHARDT ’80 1990 Distinguished Alumni Award
Wayne Shorter STEINHARDT ’56 1990 Distinguished Alumni Award
Preston Robert Tisch 1990 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Robert B. McKay, Posthumous 1990 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Avram Robert Westin ARTS ’49 1989 Distinguished Alumni Award
Pamela J. Maraldo STEINHARDT ’75 ’86 1989 Distinguished Alumni Award
J. William Middendorf II STERN ’54 1989 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Alan Greenspan STERN ’48, ’77, GSAS ’50 1988 Distinguished Alumni Award
Frances Berko STEINHARDT ’46 1988 Distinguished Alumni Award
Spike Lee TSOA ’82 1988 Distinguished Alumni Award
Edward I. Koch LAW ’48 1988 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service
Milton Babbitt WSC ’35 1987 Distinguished Alumni Award
Oliver Stone TSOA ’71 1987 Distinguished Alumni Award
Robert M. Hayes LAW ’77 1987 Distinguished Alumni Award
Robert Packwood LAW ’57 1987 Distinguished Alumni Award
John S. R. Shad LAW ’59 1987 Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service