Alumni Awards

The HKS Alumni Awards program consists of four awards honoring alumni for their work at different stages of their careers or for volunteer efforts on behalf of HKS.

Regional Network Engagement Award

HKS Alumni Network of the United Arab Emirates

The HKS Alumni Network of the United Arab Emirates, which was officially recognized as a regional alumni network by Harvard Kennedy School in 2015, has had a significant impact in a short timeframe. The network has developed a tradition of annual events where alumni and leaders from various sectors connect to discuss important issues and policies. In addition, the network holds an annual gala each spring to gather Kennedy School alumni and dignitaries from across the UAE and the Middle East.

HKS Fund Outstanding Alumni Award

Mary V. Kurkjian MPP 1978

Kurkjian has given to the HKS Fund for 27 consecutive years, demonstrating that, over time, gifts of all amounts can have a tremendous impact on thousands of students. She has worked in 44 states for motor vehicle, human services, criminal justice, and IT agencies as a consultant on information technology and operations. She is also the founding director of Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Executive Education Program.

Public Service Award

Bryan Stevenson MPP/JD 1985

Stevenson works to fight poverty and challenge racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. In 1994, when Congress eliminated funding for death-penalty defenses for indigent individuals, Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery, Alabama. EJI has gone on to win relief for 125 people in the United States who were wrongly condemned to death row. Last month, EJI opened an African-American history museum in Montgomery that explores the legacy of slavery, racial terrorism, segregation, and the contemporary issues of mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and violence by the police.

Emerging Global Leader Award

Dina Buchbinder MC/MPA 2016

Buchbinder co-founded Education for Sharing (E4S) a year after she graduated from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México in 2006. She came to Harvard Kennedy School as a Gleitsman Fellow for Leadership in Social Change in 2015 to learn the best methods to grow her organization. Today, E4S operates in seven (soon to be eight) nations on three continents. E4S uses a rigorously evaluated methodology to form better citizens during childhood using the power of play. Since the organization’s inception, more than 900,000 individuals have benefited from its programs.

Julius E. Babbitt Memorial Volunteer Award

Yasmin Padamsee MC/MPA 2008

Padamsee was recognized for her exemplary public service with Kennedy School alumni in Myanmar and beyond, and for her ability to help alumni forge professional and social connections. She served on the HKS Alumni Board of Directors, traveling more than 20 hours from Myanmar for board meetings to help connect HKS with alumni in Asia. In addition, she has worked on behalf of the University through the Harvard Alumni Association’s Asia Pacific Club Leaders group, which included country representatives and regional directors.