Prizes & Honors 2023

A red-and-white logo for Prizes and Honors

Each year at commencement, the Harvard Graduate School of Design confers awards on graduating students who demonstrate exceptional scholarly achievement, leadership, and service. Congratulations to the student award recipients, and to all of the 2023 graduates for your tremendous accomplishments.

School-wide Awards

Gerald M. McCue Medal

The Gerald M. McCue Medal is awarded each year to the student graduating from one of the school’s post-professional degree programs who has achieved the highest overall academic record.

  • Oonagh Saskia Binnie Davis (MArch II ’23)

Digital Design Prize

The Digital Design Prize is presented by the Graduate School of Design to the students who have demonstrated the most imaginative and creative use of computer graphics in relation to the design professions.

  • Amelia Wen Jiun Gan (MDes ’23, Mediums Domain)
  • Sonia Sobrino Ralston (MLA I AP ’23)

Peter Rice Prize

The Peter Rice Prize honors students of exceptional promise in the school’s architecture and advanced degree programs who have proven their competence and innovation in advancing architecture and structural engineering.

  • Sujie Park (MArch I ’23)

 Plimpton-Poorvu Design Prize

The Plimpton-Poorvu Design Prize recognizes the top team or individual for a viable real estate project completed as part of the GSD curriculum that best demonstrates feasibility in design, construction, economics, and in fulfillment of market and user needs.

  • 1st Prize: Pinyang Chen (MLAUD ’23)
  • 1st Prize: Vivian Cheng (MAUD ’23)
  • 1st Prize: Cheryl Lin (MArch II ’24)

for their submission, The Gansevorrt: Design for Longevity

  • 2nd Prize: Madeleine Jade Levin (MUP ’23)
  • 2nd Prize: Arielle Raine Rawlings (MUP ’23)
  • 2nd Prize: Maddie Farrer (MArch I ’25)

for their proposal, Boyd Street Gateway

  • Honorable Mention: Taerie Kim (MUP ’23)
  • Honorable Mention: Claire Jing Hui Tham (MUP ’23)
  • Honorable Mention: Heejin Park (MAUD ’23)
  • Honorable Mention: Lai Zhou (MDes ’23, Publics Domain)
  • Honorable Mention: Aelin Li (MDes ’24, Narratives Domain)

for their submission, Truly, Oregon! Empower Lloyd Center, Portland, OR

Clifford Wong Prize in Housing Design

The Clifford Wong Prize in Housing Design aims to help re-establish the essential role of architects in society to provide not only the fundamental needs of human shelter but to meet the challenge of designing creative solutions for improving living environments. The Prize is awarded for the multi-family housing design that incorporates the most interesting ideas and/or innovations that may lead to socially-oriented, improved living conditions.

  • Randy Crandon (MArch I ’25)
  • Maddie Farer (MArch I ’25)

Alumni Award

The Alumni Award recognizes and celebrates the diversity, range, and impact of outstanding GSD alumni leaders within their communities and across their areas of practice. It underscores the essential role GSD graduates play in leading change around the world.

  • Edwin Cruz (MDes ’97)
  • Shaun Donovan (BA ’87, MPA ’71, MArch ’95)
  • William Johnson (MLA ’57)
  • Frank Christopher Lee (MAUD ’79)
  • Cathy Simon (MArch ’69)

Irving Innovation Fellowship

The Irving Innovation Fellowship offers a graduating student the opportunity to extend their research and discovery beyond their time as a student and work with a group of mentors and colleagues to contribute to the school’s pedagogy and dialogue on an annually changing topic.

  • Amelia Wen Jiun Gan (MDes ’23, Mediums Domain)

Sinclair Kennedy Traveling Fellowship

The Sinclair Kennedy Traveling Fellowships support a full academic year of research at destinations outside of the United States.

  • Sharon Michelle Welch (MDes ’23, Publics Domain)

Fulbright Grants

The Fulbright US Student Program is an international exchange program in the fields of education, culture, and science, offering advanced research, study, and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries.

  • Tomi Seyi Laja (MArch II ’23)
  • Julia Cheryl Meinhardt (MUP ’23)

Architecture Awards

American Institute of Architects Medal

The American Institute of Architects Medal is awarded to a professional degree student in the Master in Architecture graduating class who has achieved the highest level of excellence in overall scholarship throughout the course of their studies.

  • Kaitlynn Ann Long (MArch I ’23)

Alpha Rho Chi Medal

The Alpha Rho Chi Medal is awarded to the graduating student who has achieved the best general record of leadership and service to the department and who gives promise of professional merit through their character.

  • Daniel Haidermota (MArch I ’23)
  • Leonard E. Palmer (MArch I ’23)

James Templeton Kelley Prize

The James Templeton Kelley Prize recognizes the best final design project submitted by a graduating student in the architecture degree programs.

  • MArch I: Jacqueline Wong Huey Yean (MArch I ’23)
  • MArch II: Deok Kyu Chung (MArch II ’23)

Julia Amory Appleton Traveling Fellowship in Architecture

The Julia Amory Appleton Traveling Fellowship is given to a student in the Department of Architecture on the basis of academic achievement as well as the worthiness of the project to be undertaken.

  • Yijia Tang (MArch I ’23)

Kevin V. Kieran Prize

The Kevin V. Kieran Prize recognizes the highest level of academic achievement among students graduating from the post-professional Master in Architecture program.

  • Oonagh Saskia Binnie Davis (MArch II ’23)

Dept. of Architecture Faculty Design Award

The Department of Architecture Faculty Design Award was established by the faculty of the Department of Architecture with the aim of recognizing significant achievement within a body of design work completed by a student at the GSD. This award is given to graduating students from each of the department’s two program.

  • Ashleigh-Paige Fielding (MArch I ’23)
  • Pablo Castillo Luna (MArch II ’23)

Dept. of Architecture Certificate of Academic Excellence

The Department of Architecture Certificate of Academic Excellence is awarded by the faculty of the Department of Architecture to a graduate of the professional degree program in architecture (MArch I) in recognition of their academic achievement throughout their course of study in the program.

  • Ashleigh-Paige Fielding (MArch I ’23)

Landscape Architecture Awards

Thesis Prize in Landscape Architecture

The Landscape Architecture Thesis Prize is given to the graduating student who has prepared the best independent thesis during the past academic year.

  • Sonia Sobrino Ralston (MLA I AP ’23)
  • Kevin Thomas Robishaw (MLA I ’23)
  • Celina Chinyere Abba (MLA I AP ’23)
  • Enrique Cavelier (MLA I AP ’23)

American Society of Landscape Architects Certificates

Nominated by the faculty in the GSD’s Department of Landscape Architecture, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) awards a certificate of Honor and a Certificate of Merit to students enrolled in the Master in Landscape Architecture program who have “demonstrated a high degree of academic scholarship and of accomplishment in skills related to the art and technology of landscape architecture.”

  • Tian Wei Li (MLA I and MDes ’23), Certificate of Merit
  • Riley Warren Nystrom (MLA II ’23), Certificate of Merit
  • Pitchapa Setpakdee (MLA II ’23), Certificate of Merit
  • Enrique Cavelier (MLA I AP ’23), Certificate of Honor
  • Dian Xi Diana Guo (MLA I and MDes ’23), Certificate of Honor
  • Justin Patrick Hailey (MLA II ’23), Certificate of Honor

Landscape Architecture Foundation Olmsted Scholar

Each year the faculty in the Department of Landscape Architecture nominates a student for the Landscape Architecture Foundation Olmsted Scholars Program. The program recognizes and supports students with exceptional leadership potential.

  • Celina Chinyere Abba (MLA I AP ’23)

Norman T. Newton Prize

The Norman T. Newton Prize is given to a graduating landscape architecture student whose work best exemplifies achievement in design expression as realized in any medium.

  • Sonia Sobrino Ralston (MLA I AP ’23)

Peter Walker & Partners Fellowship for Landscape Architecture:

The Peter Walker and Partners Fellowship for Landscape Architecture is awarded to support travel and study for a graduating GSD student to advance their understanding of the body of scholarship and practices related to landscape design.

  • Pavin Banternghansa (MLA I AP ’23)
  • Lara Trimarco Prebble (MLA I ’23)

Jacob Weidenmann Prize:

The Jacob Weidenmann Prize is awarded to the student of the most distinguished design achievement graduating from the Department of Landscape Architecture.

  • Kevin Thomas Robishaw (MLA I ’23)

Charles Eliot Traveling Fellowship in Landscape Architecture

The Charles Eliot Traveling Fellowship is awarded annually as the highest honor by the Department of Landscape Architecture to one of its graduates.

  • Celina Chinyere Abba (MLA I AP ’23)

Urban Planning and Design Awards

The Award for Academic Excellence in Urban Planning and Urban Design honors graduating students from each of the programs who have achieved the highest academic record.

Academic Excellence in Urban Planning

  • Elizabeth Houston Sheild (MUP ’23)

Academic Excellence in Urban Design

  • Sarah Elizabeth Page (MAUD ’23)

Award for Outstanding Leadership in Urban Planning and Urban Design

The Award for Outstanding Leadership in Urban Planning and Urban Design honors graduating students from each of the programs who have demonstrated outstanding leadership during their time at the Graduate School of Design.

  •  Abdul-Razak Mohammed Zachariah (MUP ’23)
  •  Sikun Lamei Zhang (MUP ’23)
  • Rolando Girodengo Lobo (MAUD ’23)

Thesis Prizes in Urban Planning and Urban Design

Planning and Design Thesis Prize is given to the graduating students in each of the programs who have prepared the best independent theses during the past academic year.

  • Michael Patrick Zajakowski Uhll (MUP ’23)
  • Saad Boujane (MAUD ’23)

The Award for Excellence in Project-Based Urban Planning

The Award for Excellence in Project-Based Urban Planning is given to students who have demonstrated exceptional ability in urban planning projects including research and design studios throughout their course of study.

  • Jonathan Yedahm Lee (MUP ’23)

The Award for Excellence in Urban Design

The Award for Excellence in Urban Design is given to students who have demonstrated exceptional design ability throughout their course of study in the Urban Design program.

  • Sarahdjane Mortimer (MAUD ’23)

American Institute of Certified Planners Outstanding Student Award

The American Institute of Certified Planners Outstanding Student Award recognizes outstanding attainment in the study of planning by students graduating from accredited planning programs. The recipient of the award is chosen by a jury of planning faculty at each school.

  • Mary Claire Abbott (MUP ’23)

Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld Prize for Superior Achievement in Real Estate Studies

The Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld Prize for Superior Achievement in Real Estate Studies is awarded annually to a graduating student from any program who has exhibited superior academic accomplishment and leadership in real estate studies.

  • Pinyang Chen (MLAUD ’23)
  • Elizabeth Houston Sheild (MUP ’23)

Druker Traveling Fellowship

Established in 1986, The Druker Traveling Fellowship is open to all students at the GSD who demonstrate excellence in the design of urban environments. It offers students the opportunity to travel in the United States or abroad to pursue study that advances understanding of urban design.

  • Sarah Elizabeth Page (MAUD ’22)

Design Studies Awards

Dimitris Pikionis Award

The Dimitris Pikionis Award recognizes a student for outstanding academic performance in the Master in Design Studies degree program.

  • Pedro Onofre Rodríguez-Parets Maleras (MDes ’23)

The Daniel L. Schodek Award for Technology and Sustainability

The Daniel L. Schodek Award for Technology and Sustainability honors the memory and legacy of Professor Daniel Schodek and the standards of excellence he established during his 40 years of teaching and mentoring at the GSD. The award is given annually in recognition of the best Master in Design Studies thesis in the area of technology and sustainable design.

  • Kritika Kharbanda (MDes ’23)

The Design Studies Thesis Prize

  • Alaa Suliman Eltayeb Mohamed Hamid (MDes ’23)

The Design Studies Domain Awards

  • Dian Xi Diana Guo (MDes, Ecologies Domain, and MLA I ’23)
  • Nix Liu Xin (MDes ’23, Mediums Domain)
  • Chi Ting Coco Tin (MDes ’23, Narratives Domain)
  • Kendall Antonio Nicholson (MDes ’23, Publics Domain)

Design Engineering Awards

Overall Academic Performance

The Overall Academic Performance award recognizes a graduating MDE student for outstanding academic performance in the Master in Design Engineering degree program.

  • Caroline Olivia Ty Fong (MDE ’22)

Leadership and Community Prize:

The Leadership and Community award recognizes one or more graduating students who have displayed outstanding leadership and community building within the Design Engineering cohort and who have represented MDE values to the larger world.

  • Yoolim Jenn Kim (MDE ’23)

Outstanding Design Engineering Project

  • Rebecca Brand (MDE ’23)
  • Caroline Olivia Ty Fong (MDE ’23)

Award-winning Thesis Projects