The Spirit of Steinhardt Alumni Awards

Susan Aryan Antolin stands at a podium with her award

The annual Spirit of Steinhardt Alumni Awards are built upon the five mission pillars of the school: social impact, values-driven leadership, innovation, striving for excellence, and global engagement.

We celebrate alumni whose impact and contributions are shining the brightest light possible on the vital ecosystems of our society. The three award categories are Ascending Champion, Disruptor of the Year, and Steinhardt Visionary.

For a quick summary, check out our Spirit of Steinhardt FAQs. Nominations are due by Monday, May 11, 2026.

Nominations are due Monday, May 11, 2026.

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Details and Criteria

Award Categories

Ascending Champion: The ascending champion whose achievements are already noteworthy in a career trajectory in its earliest stages. The recent alum is an emerging leader whose future path will continue to reflect the fundamentals of the Steinhardt mission pillars and bring their voices and talents to bear on whatever they have set their sights upon. 

  • The rising star who has found their calling and is dedicating their life’s mission to following their true path
  • The placeholder for inclusion in the history books of the future
  • An alum who has embarked on their career path within the past ten years

Disruptor of the Year: The entrepreneur, the innovator, the graduate whose experience at the School has led them to instigate unexpected and groundbreaking change. Our alumni carry this unique code inherently because transformation and discovery are the backbone of every program and major at Steinhardt.  

  • The one who is constantly pushing the envelope to do things better, without worrying about how things have always been done
  • A firebrand who is passionate about standing out and making their voice heard
  • Can find their voice at any point in their career; an alum from any graduation year

Steinhardt Visionary: The influencer whose life and career path bear witness to a steadfast commitment to building a better world and being a champion for the causes of social change and impact. The alum's career trajectory is built in the halls of those organizations and entities dedicated to advancing society. Our alumni are values-driven leaders whose work is informed by improving the human condition.

  • Someone with original ideas about what the future will or could be like and puts dreams into action
  • Someone who possesses the mindset to recognize revolutionary opportunities and follows a path to connect them into a new enlightened reality
  • Someone who has already carved out a distinct objective for their life’s work; an alum who has been committed to their calling and mission-driven work for a minimum of fifteen years

"Can I self-nominate?" 
No self-nominations will be accepted.

"Are faculty and staff eligible for the Spirit of Steinhardt awards?" 
Faculty and staff of NYU Steinhardt are not considered eligible for the Spirit of Steinhardt awards.

"How will I know if my nominee has been selected?" 
Submitters will be notified when the process has been completed prior to the public announcement of award recipients.

"When and how will awards be presented?" 
The Spirit of Steinhardt awards will be presented annually at the Alumni Luncheon during NYU Alumni and Families Weekend held in October. 

"Can I submit more than one nomination in a category?"  
Each alum may only submit one nomination in each category on an annual basis. 

"Are multiple submissions for the same candidate allowed?"
Multiple submissions will not be weighted more favorably; the nomination will be assessed solely on the strength of its content.

"What if I'm not sure which category of award to nominate someone in?" 
Here are the award category descriptions. 

  • Nominees must be alumni of NYU Steinhardt who have distinguished themselves through their professional and personal accomplishments in the categories designated.
  • Nominees' accomplishments are recognized by their peers and/or professional organizations in some capacity.
  • Nominees' achievements in any award category will also reflect in some capacity aspects of the five mission pillars of NYU Steinhardt: Social Impact, Values-Driven Leadership, Innovation, Striving for Excellence, and Global Engagement.
  • Consideration will be given to reasonable distribution from among alumni of each of NYU Steinhardt's eleven departments annually and in future years on an ongoing basis.
  • No self-nominations will be accepted.
  • Faculty and staff of NYU Steinhardt are not considered eligible for the Spirit of Steinhardt awards. (There are multiple awards for each of these cohorts already awarded by NYU and the School.)
  • Members of the Dean's Alumni Advisory Board and Dean's Advisory Council are not eligible for the awards.
  • Nominees/candidates for the awards should be prepared to receive their awards in person at NYU Alumni and Families Weekend.
  • Finalists should be prepared to meet with the subcommittee via Zoom.
  • Nominations will be sought from the entire Steinhardt Community via:
    • A call to Steinhardt alumni worldwide via email 
    • Request for nominations from members of Steinhardt's departments and research centers
  • Deadlines for nominations will be set out in all communications.
    • Nominators will be asked to complete an electronic form submitting all relevant details for their nominee including demographic information, criteria eligibility for respective award, and an optional letter of recommendation.  
    • Submission forms may be viewed here. Only completed forms will be considered for review.
    • Nominators will only be allowed to submit one name for each category. 
    • A sub-committee of the Dean's Alumni Advisory Board, in conjunction with the Dean's Office and the Office of Alumni Relations, will review all submissions. Final selection of the award recipients will be made by the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board.
  • The Spirit of Steinhardt Alumni Awards will be presented annually at the Alumni Luncheon during NYU Alumni and Families Weekend. 

Send in your nomination by Monday, May 11, 2026.

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Past Recipients

2025

2024