Nominations for GSAS Alumni Awards

The GSAS Alumni Awards recognize the contributions of GSAS graduates to society and are the highest honor given by the Graduate School to its alumni.

The Awards Committee of the GSAS Alumni Association Board of Directors, composed of GSAS alumni across varied disciplines and occupations, oversees a careful review of all nominees, culminating in the Dean of the Graduate School’s selection of awardees. The committee enthusiastically accepts nominations of master's or doctoral graduates of Columbia Arts and Sciences programs for the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Achievement and the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award.

Nominations submitted by September 15 will be considered for the current award cycle. Nominations submitted after September 15 will be considered for the following year.

Nominations by GSAS Alumni

If you are a graduate of any master's or doctoral Columbia Arts and Sciences program, you may nominate yourself or a fellow graduate for an award by answering these questions and providing supporting materials. Please note that you will be required to log into a Google account to access the nomination form. For any questions or issues, please email [email protected].

Nominations by Columbia Faculty

Each academic year, GSAS alumni and departments nominate some of the School's most accomplished graduates who are engaged in fascinating, wide-ranging work and making significant contributions to society. Any member of the Columbia faculty is welcome to submit a nomination through this form.

FAQ

  • Who is eligible to be nominated for an award? All master's and doctoral graduates of Columbia Arts and Sciences programs are eligible for an award. Read about past recipients here.
  • Who can submit a nomination? Any member of the Columbia faculty and any master's or doctoral graduate of a Columbia Arts and Sciences program may submit an award nomination.
  • May alumni self-nominate? Yes, by using the form for nominations by alumni. 
  • Are the awards selective? Yes. The awards committee receives many nominations for each award. 
  • What happens after a form is submitted? GSAS staff members review the forms for accuracy and confirm that requested information has been supplied. Eligible nominations are then sent to the awards committee for consideration in the current year, if submitted by September 15. If submitted after September 15, they will be considered the following year. 
  • When are award winners notified? Those selected for an Alumni Award are notified in February.
  • Will a nominee who is not selected be considered in subsequent years? Nominees remain under consideration for five consecutive years.
  • Why does the form require me to log in with a Google account? When a file upload option is included on a form (even optionally), Google requires users to log in.