About the 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.
Learn more about the purpose of each award, who is eligible to be honored and the criteria by which the honorees are selected.
If you know someone who deserves to be honored as a Laureate, please submit a nomination.
Recognizes significant and sustained voluntary contributions towards the advancement of the university
Purpose
To provide recognition for those who have rendered meritorious service to the university.
Eligibility
Anyone who meets the criteria is eligible for this award, including all employees of the university. University employees should receive the award for voluntary service above and beyond their job responsibilities.
Individuals must be living at the time of selection.
No one who has received the Gold Medal is eligible for this award.
Members of the Laureates Committee and their spouses are not eligible to receive an award during their period of service on the committee. Their names will be held until the following year and will continue in consideration for three years from the new date.
Criteria
Significant, sustained, voluntary contributions of energy, time and creativity towards the advancement of the university.
Number of Awards
The committee may select a maximum of five recipients in any year.
The Laureates Award Committee may recognize additional award recipients due to exceptional circumstances.
Previous Meritorious Service Award Winners
Honors alumni who have advanced the interest and standards of excellence of Rice University through distinctive professional or volunteer careers
Purpose
To provide recognition for outstanding achievements by alumni of Rice University.
To provide role models for currently-enrolled and future students of Rice University.
To provide an open forum for these distinguished alumni to be recognized and to share their expertise and experience with various university constituents.
Eligibility
Candidates must have attended the university as an undergraduate or graduate student for a period of at least one year and be living at the time of consideration.
No one who has received the Gold Medal is eligible for this award.
Members of the Laureates Committee and their spouses are not eligible to receive an award during their period of service on the committee. Their names will be held until the following year and will continue in consideration for three years from the new date.
Criteria
Consideration for this award shall be reserved for those who have advanced the interest and standards of excellence of Rice University through distinctive professional or volunteer careers.
In reviewing qualifications of a candidate, the committee would likely consider points similar to these:
- Advancement of the value of one's profession; exceptional expertise or dedication.
- Significant professional innovations or research findings.
- Voluntary contributions of energy, time, creativity, and skills for the advancement of the community welfare, the arts, education, social or government service.
Number of Awards
The Laureates Committee may select a maximum of five alumni to receive the award in any year.
The committee shall not select more than one individual from a particular profession for recognition in a given year.
The Laureates Award Committee may recognize additional award recipients due to exceptional circumstances.
The highest honor bestowed by the ARA, the Gold Medal 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.
Purpose
To provide recognition for those who have rendered extraordinary service to the university. This award is the highest given by the Association of Rice Alumni.
Eligibility
Any person who by virtue of his/her affinity to the University meets the criteria for consideration.
Preference will be given to the living, but posthumous awards are not forbidden.
Members of the Laureates Committee and their spouses are not eligible to receive an award during their period of service on the committee. Their names will be held until the following year and will continue in consideration for three years from the new date.
Criteria
In reviewing qualifications of a candidate, the committee would likely consider points similar to these:
- Outstanding service in promoting the ideals of the founder of Rice University.
- Unusually deep dedication to and advancement of the academic excellence of the University.
- Uncommon generosity of time and means in support of the University.
Number of Awards
The Laureates Committee may or may not choose to award the Gold Medal in a given year.
A maximum of two individuals may receive the award in any year.
The Laureates Award Committee may recognize additional award recipients due to exceptional circumstances.
