The Stanford Alumni Association has announced the recipients of its 2025 awards honoring 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
Peyton Klein | Kailani Webb
Peyton Klein is this year’s recipient of the J.E. Wallace Sterling Award. Faculty and staff nominate students for the award, which recognizes a graduating senior whose undergraduate leadership and volunteer activities have had a strong 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.
Klein is graduating in June with a bachelor’s degree in human biology. She is the co-founder of On Call Café (aka “Stanford’s living room”), an entirely student-run establishment that she envisioned as a place for campus communion and conversation post-COVID-19.
Klein, whose nominators described her as a “phenom” and “force of nature,” advocated for the café to student organizations and the Undergraduate Cabinet and hosted pop-up events and open houses. Her fundraising efforts won over donors and secured $1 million in endowment funding to sustain On Call as a permanent Stanford institution.
Mayfield Fellow, Schultz Fellow, and organizer for Stanford Hillel’s mental health programming are just a few of the other roles Klein held as a student. In her time at Stanford, Klein has been laser-focused on bettering the Stanford community, prioritizing the well-being of her fellow students, and approaching everything she does with empathy, care, and a flair for organizing and logistics.
“If you have the chance to hire, work with, or create with Peyton, don’t hesitate for a second,” wrote one nominator. “She is the Swiss army knife of awesomeness.”
Outstanding Achievement Award
The Outstanding Achievement Award is granted to J.E. Wallace Sterling Award finalists – seniors whose actions and service demonstrate a strong commitment to the university community.
Diego Kagurabadza | Aden Beyene
Diego Kagurabadza, who graduates in June with bachelor’s degrees in American studies and political science, is always ready to step in and fill any role necessary to make a student event more exciting and valuable, according to one nominator. From spreading positivity and cheer on Flower Fridays to his integral involvement in Cardinal Nights organizing substance-free programming for students, Kagurabadza is a committed and thoughtful student leader. He has served for three years in the ASSU, as undergraduate senator, undergraduate senate chair, and this year as president. In September, he welcomed new students with a speech at Stanford’s 134th Convocation and served as host of the Parents Weekend Panel and Admit Weekend Panel with President Jonathan Levin, ’94, and Provost Jenny Martinez.
Helena Vasconcelos | Hanan Al-Surmi
Helena Vasconcelos, who graduates in June with a bachelor’s degree in symbolic systems, “creates communities at the same time she creates knowledge,” according to her mentor and research advisor. According to another nominator, Vasconcelos is a powerhouse who sometimes has to be pulled back from volunteering so much of her time to the student community. She was honored for her undergraduate research with a 2025 Computing Research Association Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award, which recognizes outstanding research potential. Vasconcelos held many leadership roles in her time at Stanford, including with Ram’s Head Theatrical Society and Gaieties. In 2023, she served as a producer, writer, and lyricist for Gaieties, and the following year, she was executive producer of Ram’s Head, Gaieties, and Legally Blonde.
2025 Award of Excellence
Award of Excellence honorees | Erin Atkinsson
The Award of Excellence recognizes the top 10% of the graduating class. These graduating seniors demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the university through their involvement, leadership, and Stanford spirit. Faculty and staff nominate students for this honor. This year, 334 undergraduate students were named Award of Excellence recipients. See a full list of this year’s honorees.
2025 Community Impact Awards
Community Impact Awards honorees | Erin Atkinsson
The Community Impact Award recognizes outstanding graduate students who have enhanced the graduate student community. Throughout the past academic year, the 151 students awarded this honor fostered belonging and inspired enthusiasm 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 awardees include students from all of Stanford’s seven schools. See a full list of this year’s honorees.
“Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies 8,180 acres, among the largest in the United States, and enrols over 17,000 students.”
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