Each spring, the Stanford Alumni Association invites faculty and staff to nominate a graduating senior for the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award. It is named for J.E. Wallace Sterling, who served as Stanford's president from 1949 to 1968 and as chancellor until 1985.

The award recognizes a senior whose undergraduate leadership and volunteer activities have made the largest impact on the Stanford Community. Service might include involvement in athletics, clubs, drama and musical productions, fundraising, journalism, public service, religious organizations, residential education, social and political organizations, student government, or University committees.

• Criteria for Selection

  The selection committee for the Sterling Award considers the following criteria in evaluating each candidate:

  • Leadership and depth of the candidate's chosen activities
  • Commitment and goodwill demonstrated toward the university
  • Degree of sustained dedication to volunteerism
  • Impact and legacy resulting from the candidate's involvements
  • Potential for a candidate's future role as a Stanford volunteer and advocate

  
  The recipient will be selected from nominations sent in by faculty, resident fellows and resident assistants, deans and department heads and other University administrators. The final selection will be made by a committee appointed by the Stanford Alumni Association.

• Past Winners
  2015 Daniel Levy Knapp
  2014 Hunter Kodama &
  Chiney Ogwumike
  2013 Morgan Duffy
  2012 Jack Trotter
  2011 Angelina Cardona
  2010 Christopher Khavarian
  2009 Patrick Cordova
  2008 Jonathan Jourdane
  2007 Feranmi Okanlami
  2006 Krista Rappahahn
  2005 JT Batson
  2004 Nadiya Figueroa
  2003 Scott Cannon
  2002 Sohini Ramachandran
  2001 Melia Villegas
  2000 Megan Tompkins
  1999 Mike Martinez & Maren Norton
  1998 Bill Shen

  1997 Paul Joseph Kim
  1996 Lan Thanh Phan
  1995 Marianna "Muffy" Davis
  1994 Roopal Anil Mehta
  1993 Julius R. Paras
  1992 Monica Moran Gonzalez
  1991 Cory Anthony Booker & Steven James Kafka
  1990 Suzanna Mak
  1989 Amira Karin Leifer
  1988 Fidelia Yuan-Shin Butt
  1987 Monica Marie Lytle & Pedro Pablo Morales
  1986 Elizabeth Marie Butler
  1985 Sarah von der Lippe
  1984 Peter George Spivack
  1983 Megan Ann Chesnut
  1982 Mariann Byerwalter
  1981 Mark Lee Breier
  1980 Peter Stamos
  1979 Vincent Mulroy

The Stanford Alumni Association recognizes the top 2-3 seniors who have made a significant impact on the campus community and whose undergraduate activities demonstrate the strong potential for continued service to the University and the alumni community. The award recipients were finalists for the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award. Service might include involvement in athletics, clubs, drama and musical productions, fundraising, journalism, public service, religious organizations, residential education, social and political organizations, student government, or University committees. The Outstanding Achievement Award was started in 2011.

• Criteria for Selection

  The selection committee for the Outstanding Achievement Award considers the following criteria in evaluating each candidate:

  • Leadership and depth of the candidate's chosen activities
  • Commitment and goodwill demonstrated toward the university
  • Degree of sustained dedication to volunteerism
  • Impact and legacy resulting from the candidate's involvements
  • Potential for a candidate's future role as a Stanford volunteer and advocate

  
  The final selection will be made by a committee appointed by the Stanford Alumni Association.

• Past Winners
  
  2015 – Zachary Ellison, Jordan Richards
  2014 – Kaela Farrise
  2013 – Ashley Lyle, Aracely Mondragon & Stephen Trusheim
  2012 – Michael Tubbs & Tenzin Seldonm
  2011 – Sarah Flynn & Pamon Forouhar

Award of Excellence

The Stanford Alumni Association honors graduating seniors who have demonstrated a sincere commitment to the university through involvement, leadership, and extraordinary Stanford spirit with the Stanford Award of Excellence.

This award is designed to recognize the top 10% of the class with this honor. Service might include involvement in athletics, clubs, drama and musical productions, fundraising, journalism, public service, religious organizations, residential education, social and political organizations, student government, or University committees.

• Criteria for Selection

  • All members of the senior graduating class are eligible.
  • Nominations will be accepted from faculty and staff.
  • A maximum of 10% of the graduating class will be recognized for this award.