Prizes and Awards

Craig Robinson '83 and undergraduate students

University Prizes

The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students assists in the presentation of several major University prizes.  Descriptions of these awards are below.  A complete list of past winners can be found here.

Nominations for the 2023 University prizes may be submitted until April 1, 2023.

  • The Moses Taylor Pyne Honor Prize, awarded annually to that member of the senior class who has most clearly manifested scholarship, strength of character, and effective leadership in support of Princeton University.
  • The Allen Macy Dulles Class of '51 Service Award, presented each year to the senior, whose activities while a Princeton student, best represent or exemplify Princeton in the nation's service and in the service of humanity.
  • The Frederick Douglass Service Award, established in 1969 by the Association of Black Collegians, is awarded annually to a senior who has exhibited courage, leadership, intellectual achievement, and a willingness to contribute unselfishly towards a deeper understanding of the experiences of racial minorities, and who, in so doing, reflects the tradition of service embodied in a Princeton education.
  • The Harold Willis Dodds Award, an annual award, established in 1957, to be given to the senior who best embodies the high example set by Harold Willis Dodds during his tenure as the fifteenth President of Princeton University; particularly in the qualities of clear thinking, moral courage, a patient and judicious regard for the opinion of others, and a thoroughgoing devotion to the welfare of the University and to the life of the mind.

ODUS Prizes

Spirit of Princeton Award​​​​​​

Since its inception in 1995, The Spirit of Princeton Award has recognized a select group of undergraduate students for their positive contributions to various facets of the University, including the arts, community service, student organizations, residential living, religious life and athletic endeavors. 

  • Eligibility All undergraduate students are eligible to receive a Spirit of Princeton award and any member of the Princeton community can nominate or contribute to a nomination.
  • Prizes Recipients receive a certificate, book prize, and are honored at a dinner at the end of the spring semester.
  • Selection Committee A committee comprised of administrators from departments throughout Campus Life review all nominations and select the recipients.
  • Nominations Deadline A call for nominations will be sent each February/March.

Santos-Dumont Prize for Innovation

The Alberto Santos-Dumont Prize for Innovation recognizes individuals and groups who have imagined and implemented unique and creative programs, events, initiatives, and projects that have had wide-reaching impact, visibility, and serve to strengthen the undergraduate student experience.

In the spirit of the award's namesake (an innovator who showed that flight was possible), nominations are encouraged to highlight the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit found on Princeton's campus within the past academic year.

  • Eligibility Any student, group of students, or student organization may be nominated to receive the award.
  • Selection Committee Each spring, a committee will convene to determine the recipients of that year's prize.

The Call for Nominations for the 2024 Spirit of Princeton Award will be announced in March.

Nominations serve as the primary criteria for evaluation. Particular emphasis is placed on the breadth and depth of the nominee's contributions to areas of campus life. 

  • Nomination letters serve as the committee's primary information source for evaluation. Please be as detailed as possible and use specific examples.
  • Highlighting the student’s involvement across multiple areas of campus life will help the review committee clearly understand the student’s impact on the University and in the surrounding community.
  • Recognize any student who informally makes a significant contribution (e.g., mentoring, bridging social connections, volunteering).
  • Feedback from other sources may also be included in your letter. This can include anecdotes from fellow students, administrators, department representatives, and/or other faculty members.

Click the corresponding links to view winners from 202320222021, 2020, and 2019.