Each year, HKS honors several outstanding alumni and one alumni network for exceptional public service and significant contributions to the Kennedy School and to local, national, and global communities.
2026 Alumni Award Recipients
Learn About the Alumni Awards
This award, established in 1997 and formerly known as the Alumni Achievement Award, recognizes alumni who have significantly improved the human condition at the local, state, provincial, national, or international level. Recipients will have made a substantial difference for people, organizations, or governments through a single influential act or a series of steps that produced positive societal change. Nominations come from HKS alumni, faculty, and staff. Self-nominations for this award are discouraged.
Previous Recipients
2025
Natalia Gavrilița (née Catrinescu) MPP 2005
2024
Andrew Natsios MC/MPA 1979
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Jian-Li Yang PhD 2001
2012
James R. McCorkell MPA 1999
2011
Jia Yang MC/MPA 2001
2010
Susan Ople MC/MPA 1999
2005
Robert B. Zoellick MPP 1981
2002
Juan Carlos Navarro MPP 1985
Carol Raphael MC/MPA 1979, S&L 1987
2001
Douglas K. Bereuter MC/MPA 1973
Anne F. Reed MC/MPA 1981
Barbara B. Roberts S&L 1989
2000
Sheila P. Burke MC/MPA 1982
Alan “Scotty” K. Campbell MPA 1949, PhD 1952 (Awarded Posthumously)
Donald Y. Tsang MC/MPA 1982
1999
Linda W. Chapin S&L 1988
Klaus M. Schwab MC/MPA 1967
1998
Ira A. Jackson MC/MPA 1976
Harris M. Mule MC/MPA 1967
Paul N. Ylvisaker MPA 1945, PhD 1948 (Awarded Posthumously)
1997
Mollie H. Beattie S&L 1986, MC/MPA 1991 (Awarded Posthumously)
Ian D. Clark MPP 1972
Paul A. Volcker Jr. HKS 1951
This award recognizes alumni under the age of 40 who have stood out as leaders or catalysts for change and who have made meaningful differences to individuals, organizations, or governments.
Harvard Kennedy School established this honor (formerly known as the Rising Star Award) in 2001. Recipients exemplify the HKS goal of educating enlightened public leaders, generating answers to our most challenging public problems, and taking on complex issues that require entrepreneurial efforts. Nominations come from HKS alumni, faculty, and staff.
Previous Recipients
2025
Sebastian Burduja MPP/MBA 2011
2024
Catherine Lee MPA/ID 2011
2023
2022
María Soledad Rueda García MC/MPA 2019
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Moís Cherem MPP 2009
2013
Ejaj Ahmad MPP 2008
2012
Melodie J. Potts Rosevear MPP 2008
2010
Amit Bouri MPA 2007
Mehmet G. Daimaguler MC/MPA 2005
2003
Raymond M. Jefferson MC/MPA 1989
Nazanin Samari MPP 2002
2002
Jared M. Genser MPP 1998
Jeremy B. Zucker MPP 1997
Gregory H. Zaff MPP 1993
2001
Brett M. Peiser MPP 1996
Claudio Orrego MPP 1995
Established in 2006, this award recognizes alumni who have made exceptional contributions to the HKS community by volunteering their time, creativity, and energy and by advancing the spirit of volunteerism and service to the School. It honors the memory of Julius Babbitt MC/MPA 2001, a member of the HKS Alumni Board who served as both director of HKS alumni programs and chair of the HKS New England Alumni Network. Nominations come from HKS alumni, faculty, and staff.
Previous Recipients
2025
2024
Brooke Ellison MPP 2004
2023
2022
2021
Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine MPP 1996
2020
2019
2018
Yasmin Padamsee Forbes MC/MPA 2008
2017
2016
2015
2014
Doug Levine MPA 2008
2013
Wendy Feldman MC/MPA 1989
2012
Joseph A. Rieser Jr. MPP 1974
2011
Akiteru Maruta MC/MPA 2003
2010
Robert Xie MC/MPA 1994
2007
Lisa-Joy Zgorski MPP 1993
Established in 2015, this award recognizes one Regional Network or Shared Interest Group (SIG) each year that has significantly strengthened the alumni community within its region or affinity group, and advanced the network’s ties with the School. Nominations come from officers of Regional Networks or SIGs on behalf of their network.
Previous Recipients
2025
The Washington, D.C. Alumni Council
2024
HKS New England Alumni Association
2023
Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (BAA)
2022
Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Network (HKSWN)
2021
2020
Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D) Shared Interest Group
2019
2018
HKS Alumni Network of the United Arab Emirates
2017
HKS Washington, DC Alumni Network
2016
HKS Alumni Network of the San Francisco Bay Area
2015
Established in 2017, this award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated long-term commitment to the Kennedy School community through their dedicated annual support of any amount. Each year’s recipient, who embodies the power of alumni participation and philanthropy, has shown that gifts of all amounts can have a tremendous impact on students, faculty, and alumni. Individuals are nominated and selected by members of the HKS Fund Executive Council.
Previous Recipients
2025
2024
David Chipanta MPA/ID 2005 and Donald Karl MPP 1976
2023
Harriett “Tee” Taggart MCP 1973 and Hien Dao MPP 2005
2022
Amelita Armit MC/MPA 1979 and Hamissou Samari MPP 2012
2021
Luiz Felipe d’Avila MC/MPA 2007
2020
The Honorable Jerome A. Holmes MC/MPA 2000
2019
2018
2017
This award, established in 2018 as the Digital Innovation Award and renamed the Alumni Innovation Award in 2024, recognizes alumni who have 1) identified and clearly defined a problem whose innovative solution would have a positive social impact; and 2) devised a solution to the problem that is measurable, is sustainable, and has the potential to be scaled. Solutions, which can come from any sector, may include (but are not limited to) technology (e.g., artificial intelligence), inclusive excellence, and sustainability, all with the goal of creating positive social impact. While solutions can be early prototypes, they must have been tested with end users. Recipients of this award will have creatively addressed a complex challenge to create positive change for individuals and communities.
Previous Recipients
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Adamas Belva Syah Devara MPA 2016