HGSE Honors Eight Graduates with Inaugural Appian Award

Harvard Graduate School of Education will honor eight graduates with a new award as it celebrates the class of 2026 during Commencement week. The Appian Award will be presented to graduating students who embody HGSE’s institutional values of academic excellence, inclusive engagement, and collective impact.

“The Appian Award is a new HGSE honor recognizing students who foster shared learning, create spaces where all voices are valued, inspire empathetic and rigorous engagement across perspectives, and advance positive social impact for learners everywhere,” says Maritza Hernandez, senior associate dean for academic programs and student services. “We are thrilled that these inaugural eight HGSE student recipients so fully embody the spirit of this award.”

Students from the class of 2026 were asked to nominate peers who embody the spirit of HGSE’s community and classroom vision: fostering a climate of shared learning and intellectual growth in and outside of the classroom, creating new spaces where all voices can be heard and valued, demonstrating a commitment to positive social impact, and inspiring others through words and actions to engage in dialogues with empathy, intellectual rigor, and mutual respect.

“The new Appian Awards are designed to recognize those students who have made a difference at HGSE by fostering the values of academic excellence, inclusive engagement, and collective impact toward better educational opportunities and outcomes for all learners,” says Dean Nonie Lesaux. “Nominations came from faculty, staff, and students, and the number of students nominated — 99 — speaks volumes about the overall passion and commitment of our student body. I can’t wait to congratulate the eight winners in person at Convocation, as they have my deepest admiration for all they have done inside and outside the classroom during their time here.”

The 2026 Appian Award winners include graduates from the Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) Program and four master’s programs:  

• Kelly Cray, Education Leadership
• Derrick Holifield, Doctor of Education Leadership
• Giang Le, Teaching and Teacher Leadership
• Stephanie Li, Human Development and Education
• Melvin Loh, Education Leadership
• Ignacio Rodriguez Artunduaga, Education Policy and Analysis
• Amy White, Education Leadership
• Arden Woodall, Human Development and Education

The Appian Award recipients will be honored at HGSE’s Convocation ceremony on Wednesday, May 27. Other honors presented will be the Phyllis Strimling Award, given each year to an outstanding student who works to advance society by advancing women, as well as commencement marshal awards, nominated by students to highlight a classmate’s leadership, involvement at HGSE, and service to the community.