Save the date! The 2022 Laureates Awards will take place May 7, 2022.
More information regarding our honorees and the event will be announced soon.

Laureates Awards

The Laureates Awards Program was created by the Association of Rice Alumni in 1937 to recognize highly distinguished individuals for extraordinary achievements and contributions to their professions, local communities and Rice University. Every year, three major awards celebrate outstanding Rice alumni and friends of the university, including the Meritorious Service Award, the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Gold Medal, the highest possible honor for service to the university.

• The Meritorious Service Award recognizes significant and sustained voluntary contributions towards the advancement of the university.
• The Distinguished Alumni Award honors alumni who have advanced the interest and standards of excellence of Rice University through distinctive professional or volunteer careers.
• The Gold Medal Award, the highest honor bestowed by the ARA, recognizes outstanding service in promoting the ideals of the founder of Rice university, deep dedication to and advancement of academic excellence and uncommon generosity of time and means in support of Rice.

2020-2021 Laureates Awards Winners

On June 3, 2021, the worldwide Rice community gathered virtually to honor Rice University’s 2020-2021 Laureates Awards recipients. The special evening included a presentation of awards from Association of Rice Alumni (ARA) past Presidents Michol Ecklund ’97 and Frank G. Jones ’63, remarks from President David W. Leebron and the Laureates honorees, recognition of our 2020-2021 Young Alumni Builders Award recipients, as well as a musical performance from the Shepherd School of Music.

The ARA is honored to recognize the following distinguished individuals. Watch highlights from the night, including award presentations, acceptance speeches, the full event recording and more.

Thank you to the 2021 Laureates Awards Selection Committee!

Bryan Guido Hassin ’01 ’02, Chair
Alejandro Chaoul ’06
Kraettli Epperson ’95
Wendy Hoenig ’86
Anudeep Jain ’85
Armanda Lewis ’98 ’01
Michael Matson ’09
Dianna Milewicz ’78
Akash Morrison ’13
Priya Prasad ’08
Jan West ’73