Woman giving a speech at the podium of the NYU Alumni awards NYU Alumni logo Man recieving Alumni award on stage Group photo at a table at the NYU Alumni Awards ceremony Man in wheelchair accepting an award on stage Group of people taking a photo in front of NYU Alumni banner

NYU Alumni Association Awards

The NYU Alumni Association is proud to recognize outstanding graduates for their exceptional personal and professional achievements.

Nominate Distinguished alumni awards Alumni Volunteer Awards Register

Recent Honorees

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

  • William R. Berkley
    Meet William

    Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service

    William R. Berkley

    STERN ’66

    Chair Emeritus, NYU Board of Trustees

    William R. Berkley (STERN ’66) [he/him] founded W. R. Berkley Corporation, a Fortune 500 property-casualty insurance holding company, in 1967. During his career, he has also founded a number of other public and private companies. He has been a member of the NYU Board of Trustees since 1995 and served as chair from 2015–2023. He also serves as a member of the NYU Langone Health Board of Trustees, NYU Stern School of Business Executive Board (former chairman), and NYU President’s Global Council. He has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Georgetown University, where he helped create the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, which is devoted to fostering interreligious dialogue with a goal of improving global cultural understanding. Berkley served as Chairman of Achievement First, a group of charter schools operating in the New York metropolitan area, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. He is also a former Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of Connecticut.
  • Don Katz
    Meet Don

    Distinguished Alumni Award

    Don Katz

    WSC ’74

    Founder, Audible, Inc.

    Don Katz [he/him] is the founder of Audible, Inc., the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Newark, NJ, since 2007, Audible serves millions of listeners and offers 800,000 downloadable Audible Originals, audiobooks, and other programs. Katz served as CEO of Audible from the company’s founding until 2020, when he moved into an executive chairman and then an advisory role. Prior to founding Audible, Katz was an award-winning journalist and author for twenty years.
  • Keia Clarke
    Meet Keia

    Distinguished Alumni Award

    Keia Clarke

    SPS ’06

    CEO, New York Liberty

    Keia Clarke, CEO [she/her] of the New York Liberty, spearheads all aspects of the organization’s business, overseeing P&L, operations, and strategic planning. With a pivotal role in the team’s successful transition to Barclays Center in 2021, she brings 14 years of experience with the Liberty, previously serving as COO and in various positions within the organization. Recognized for her achievements, Clarke has received numerous accolades from prominent publications including Crain's New York Business, Adweek, Sports Business Journal, and CNBC and received the NYU SPS Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020, solidifying her standing among distinguished women in sports business.
  • Melissa T. Ojemeni
    Meet Melissa

    Distinguished Young Alumni Award

    Melissa T. Ojemeni

    MEYERS ’18

    Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Partners In Health

    Melissa T. Ojemeni RN, PhD, [she/her] serves as the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at Partners In Health, providing strategic oversight to strengthen nursing and midwifery practice in eight countries. With over 15 years of experience in bedside nursing and teaching, Melissa strongly advocates for frontline worker participation in decision-making. Dr. Ojemeni has collaborated with both non-profit and educational institutions to advance the nursing profession through health services research, leadership capacity building, and workforce development.
  • NYU Korean Alumni Association
    Meet the NYU Korean Alumni Association

    Event of the Year

    NYU Korean Alumni Association

    Reunion Day

    The Korean Alumni Association’s (KAA) annual, alumni-led NYU Reunion Day drew in over 200 alumni for a fun-filled night of mingling, drinks, and music.
  • NYU Latinx Alumni Network
    Meet the NYU Latinx Alumni Network

    Innovation of the Year

    NYU Latinx Alumni Network

    Breathe, Restore, Explore Series

    In 2023, the NYU Latinx Alumni Network launched Breathe, Explore, Restore, a series of six programs centered in culturally relevant knowledge sharing, restorative grounding practices, and accessible wellness tools to care for Latinx alumni and their circles.
  • Leighton Gordon
    Meet Leighton Gordon

    Volunteer of the Year

    Leighton Gordon

    CAS ’06

    NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area

    Co-Presidents of the NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area Leighton [he/him] and Tammy [she/her] have gone above and beyond, hosting 30 events engaging over 300 local alumni in 2023.
  • Tammy Dang
    Meet Tammy Dang

    Volunteer of the Year

    Tammy Dang

    CAS ’00

    NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area

    Co-Presidents of the NYU Alumni Club in the Bay Area Leighton [he/him] and Tammy [she/her] have gone above and beyond, hosting 30 events engaging over 300 local alumni in 2023.
  • Barb Hickey
    Meet Barb Hickey

    New Volunteer of the Year

    Barb Hickey

    TSOA ’15

    NYU Alumni in Portland

    Barb Hickey [she/her] became an official NYU regional ambassador in late 2022 and has single-handedly organized and hosted six events for her small but mighty local alumni community.
  • Kelly Kennedy Mack
    Meet Kelly Kennedy Mack

    Meritorious Service Award

    Kelly Kennedy Mack

    STERN ’02

    A longstanding alumni volunteer, Kelly [she/her] is a proud member of the NYU Board of Trustees and committee member for the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Health.
Group of nicely dress people posing with an award

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.

Learn more about Distinguished Alumni awards

Woman on stage accepting an NYU Alumni Award

Alumni Volunteer
Awards

When alumni volunteers give of their time and their talent, they demonstrate what it means to have Violet Pride! As a way to celebrate our alumni volunteer community, the NYU Alumni Association celebrates and recognizes the exemplary commitment of officially-recognized clubs, groups and individuals through seven distinct award categories.

These awards are given to officially-recognized clubs, groups, and volunteers who have effectively engaged their alumni constituency and fulfilled or furthered the mission of the NYU Alumni Association through innovative events and community-building strategies, sustained leadership in engaging alumni, and cultivating the spirit of NYU pride.

Honorees are selected by fellow alumni volunteers and celebrated at the NYU Alumni Association's annual volunteer recognition event.

Learn more about Alumni Volunteer awards

Nominations

Nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis. Submit your nominations today!

Nominate

Past Honorees

View past NYUAA award honorees from 2014 to today. 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.)

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