Student Awards

At the end of each year, students are recognized for their achievements and/or contributions to their peers and to the GPS community. After weeks of voting and assessment, we are happy to announce the recipients of this year’s awards:

Gozde Acikgoz, MPP '25

BA-MPP/MPP – Academic Achievement Award
Highest grade point average in the BA-MPP/MPP graduating class
Manuel Aguilera-Prieto, MIA '25

Joseph Grunwald Award
For significant contribution to the promotion of Inter-American understandings
Sinceré Blackmon, MPP '25

Commencement Speaker Award
Chosen by the Class of 2025 to deliver the Commencement address
Keikilani Cabus, MIA '25
Ayal Margalith Memorial Award
In memory of Ayal Margalith to a graduating student who has shown leadership, excellence, and devotion to the GPS student body and community within their time at GPS as voted by the Class of 2025
Skyler Fesagaiga, MPP '25

Dean’s Teaching Award
In memory of Ayal Margalith, awarded to best core curriculum teaching assistant or tutor as voted by the Class of 2026
Tiffany Liu, MIA '26

Doming Liu Award
For a first year student who has shown leadership and significant contribution to student life as voted by the Class of 2026
Eric Martorano, MAS-IA '25

MAS-IA Peer Award
For professionalism, scholarship, collegiality, integrity, and service as voted by the Class of 2025
Eugene Parrish, MPP '25

EDI Award
Given based on student-initiated Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) activities that have had a meaningful impact on student life and well-being
Sarah Pouladdej, MIA '25
BA-MIA/MIA – Academic Achievement Award
Highest grade point average in the BA-MIA/MIA graduating class
Breana Sigchos Bósquez, MIA '25
Joseph Grunwald Award
For significant contribution to the promotion of Inter-American understandings
Ashley Singh, MIA '25
Language Achievement Award
For outstanding achievement in language study at GPS
Matthew Tillyer, MIA '25

Commencement Speaker Award
Chosen by the Class of 2025 to deliver the Commencement address
Julia Torokhova, MIA '25

Ruth Adams Award
Recognizes the best analytical paper (qualitative)

Read Paper [PDF]
^{Please do not disseminate, cite, or use this paper without express permission of the author}
Jessica Villatoro, MPP '25

EDI Award
Given based on student-initiated Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) activities that have had a meaningful impact on student life and well-being
Abraham Wu, MIA '26

Policy Memo Award
First year GPS student who wrote the best policy memo paper for a course

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^{Please do not disseminate, cite, or use this paper without express permission of the author}
Yutong Wu, MCEPA '25

MCEPA – Academic Achievement Award
Highest grade point average in the MCEPA graduating class
Chisako Yoshigae, MPP '25

Econometrics Award
Recognizes the best empirical paper (quantitative)

Read Paper [PDF]
^{Please do not disseminate, cite, or use this paper without express permission of the author}
Hyewon Yu, MAS-IA '25
MAS-IA – Academic Achievement Award
Highest grade point average in the MAS-IA graduating class
Lingzhi Zhou

Dean’s Teaching Award
In memory of Ayal Margalith, awarded to best core curriculum teaching assistant or tutor as voted by the Class of 2026

Student Awards

2024-25

Student Life