Penn GSE Alumni Awards

Each year, the Penn GSE Education Alumni Association honors the accomplishments of GSE alumni and other education professionals by awarding the Education Alumni Association Alumni Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to Penn GSE and the field of education.

To nominate a candidate for an Education Alumni Association award, please complete the 2013 nomination form.

To view a list of our previous honorees, please click here. 

Penn GSE Educator of the Year Award

This award recognizes an outstanding graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, preferably of the Graduate School of Education, who demonstrates unusual involvement in and commitment to identifying and helping to resolve school problems and current issues in education. The recipient of this award must be a dedicated educator who is an inspiration, risk-taker, innovator, and role model and who demonstrates a commitment to the betterment of the Graduate School of Education.

Helen C. Bailey Award

This award recognizes an outstanding education alumnus or alumna of the University of Pennsylvania who has brought recognition and status to the Graduate School of Education or the University of Pennsylvania and who has made a distinctive contribution to the field of education and to the Graduate School of Education, including contributions made through research, expceptional professional involvement, or publications. 

William B. Castetter Alumni Award of Merit

This award recognizes an alumnus or alumna of the Graduate School of Education for significant service to the School. Service to the school may include serving on the Alumni Advisory Board, the Penn Alumni Board, or the Penn GSE Mentoring program. The recipient should have graduated from Penn GSE prior to 2010. 

Ethel and Allen “Buddy” Carruth Sustained Leadership in Education Award

Established in 2004, this award recognizes significant service to the education community by an esteemed alumnus/a or friend of the Penn Graduate School of Education. The award honors the memory of Ethel Carruth, ED'43, a distinguished alumna, benefactor, and friend of the Penn Graduate School of Education. Mrs. Carruth and her late husband, Allen Carruth, led an extraordinary legacy, fostering enthusiastic dedication and support of numerous causes, inspiring benevolence and a lifetime of involvement. Their support of education impacted many in the field and motivated unprecedented achievement and guidance throughout the community. The recipient of this award will serve as an inspiration to others, transcending expectations and providing opportunities in service. 

The Penn GSE Alumni Recent Alumni/Early Career Award of Merit

This award recognizes a Penn GSE alumnus or alumna who has shown outstanding service to the University of Pennsylvania and Graduate School of Education prior to their 10th reunion year and is setting an inspirational example for future alumni of Penn GSE. This includes significant contributions by an individual in their field of endeavor, whether through professional achievement or community service, and the devotion of significant time, energy, and enthusiasm to volunteerism and cultivation. 

Robert Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Education

This award recognizes individuals whose leadership in higher education has resulted in transformational change in colleges and universities in the context of their missions and their global markets. The award is named for Robert Zemsky, who has made extraordinary contributions in advancing innovative strategies to improve excellence in higher education policy and leadership throughout his career, as educator, senior administrator, and public policy scholar. Award recipients should have demonstrated innovative leadership qualities that have had an impact on improving higher education. The award is meant to encourage and support those seeking sustained change at colleges and universities. Recipients should demonstrate new means of achieving academic of administrative excellence, articulated a better understanding of the environment of higher education, improved teaching or research, or implemented other distinctive intellectual or administrative contributions to higher education policy, administration, leadership, or outcomes. The next award will be given in January, 2014. For more information on the nominations form, please contact: Ginger O'Neill.