The Stanford Alumni Association has announced the recipients of its 2026 awards recognizing outstanding Stanford seniors and graduate students who have contributed significantly to the Stanford community. These awards include the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award, the Outstanding Achievement Award, the Award of Excellence, and the Community Impact Award.

J.E. Wallace Sterling Award

Ava Brown is this year’s recipient of the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award. Faculty and staff nominate students for this award, which recognizes a graduating senior whose undergraduate leadership and volunteer activities have made the largest impact on the Stanford community. The award is named for J.E. Wallace Sterling, who served as Stanford’s president from 1949 to 1968 and as chancellor until 1985.

Brown is graduating in June with a bachelor’s degree in data science. Nominators praised her commitment to strengthening student life and amplifying student voices through her creative event planning and peer mentoring. She is the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) executive president as well as a member of the Stanford Equestrian Team and the Xi Beta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

As ASSU president, Brown worked with Athletics to secure funds for and launch a series of all-campus tailgates. This initiative culminated in a historic Big Game tailgate that led to the largest Stanford student section in history. She replicated this model during basketball season, increasing student attendance and energy at both football and basketball games.

As president of Ideas Out Loud, Brown led a team of directors and mentored student speakers for TEDxStanford. She also founded Black Voices, a student speaker series highlighting the breadth and depth of the Black community at Stanford. These efforts created platforms where student voices could reach and inspire hundreds.

“Ava’s leadership is rooted in service. She has consistently volunteered her time to create spaces that elevate others and strengthen community and model stewardship,” a nominator wrote. “Her impact on student life has been both measurable and lasting.”

Outstanding Achievement Award

The Outstanding Achievement Award is granted to a student who has made a significant impact on the campus community with undergraduate activities and demonstrates the strong potential for continued service to the university and the alumni community.

Georgia Walker-Keleher, who graduates in June with a bachelor’s degree in environmental systems engineering and a minor in human rights, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public policy. Her volunteerism at Stanford has centered around her passion for equity, inclusion, and safety, nominators said, commenting that she “makes an impact in the Stanford community by modeling what genuine and personal community engagement can look like.” Walker-Keleher volunteers on the Community & Culture team for On Call Café, a student-run, late-night campus café that serves as a welcoming third space for the Stanford community. Walker-Keleher served as a peer facilitator for the Office for Inclusion, Belonging, and Intergroup Communication and co-led a research project as a member of the Stanford Social Media Lab. The study examined smartphone usage among students and its effects on mental health. As a co-lead, Walker-Keleher spearheaded the procurement of test Light Phones, helped manage 80 participants, and presented findings to various stakeholders and community partners. Her human rights capstone project was a tech career fair, “Do Good Now,” which convened representatives from nonprofits, local governments, and mission-driven companies actively recruiting for internships and full-time opportunities. The tagline for her project? “Use your degree for something you believe in.”

2026 Award of Excellence

The Award of Excellence recognizes approximately 10% of the graduating undergraduate class for demonstrating extraordinary commitment to the university through involvement, leadership, and Stanford spirit. Faculty and staff nominate students for this honor. This year, 265 undergraduate students were named Award of Excellence recipients. See a full list of this year’s honorees.

2026 Community Impact Awards

The Community Impact Award recognizes outstanding graduate students who have fostered belonging and inspired enthusiasm among fellow grad students through exemplary leadership of a student organization, creation of an event or program, and other unique campus contributions. Faculty and staff nominate students for this honor. This year’s 195 awardees include students from all of Stanford’s seven schools. See a full list of this year’s honorees.

The Award of Excellence and Community Impact Award recipients were celebrated at the Student and Alumni Awards Reception on Saturday, April 18, 2026.