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Alumni Excellence in Education Award Anniversary

Logo of Alumni Excellence in Education Award, 10th anniversary

CELEBRATE A DECADE OF EXCELLENCE:
GSE’s 10th Anniversary Alumni Awards & Reception

This year marks a decade of recognizing outstanding GSE alumni who embody the values and spirit of leadership in our field.  We're excited to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the award, the highest honor conferred by Stanford GSE. Join us as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our alumni who are making a difference. If you are affiliated with the GSE and are interested in attending the event, please contact Tiffany Ah Tye at [email protected]. To learn more about the award criteria, visit the links below.

Nominate a PreK-12 educator, counselor, or resource teacher working with young people in a school setting.

Nominate

Nominate an education scholar, faculty member, policy leader, edtech innovator, school administrator or other education professional.

Nominate

2024 Recipients

Photo of Marisol Castillo, '03, MA '04
Marisol Castillo, '03, MA '04

Stanford Teacher Education Program
English Teacher at E.L. Haynes School in Washington, D.C.

Castillo is celebrated for her pioneering work in developing courses on ethical thinking at E.L. Haynes Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C. Her innovative curriculum explores topics such as the environmental impact of fashion and sustainable eating. Castillo's contributions have advanced the integration of ethics into high school education.

Photo of Matthew Kelly, MA ’15, PhD ’18
Matthew Kelly, MA ’15, PhD ’18

History of Education (Early Career)
Assistant Professor, University of Washington

Kelly is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, recognized nationally for his expertise in K-12 school funding systems. His research examines how funding policies impact racial, societal, and economic inequities. In 2023, he served as an expert witness in a landmark challenge to Pennsylvania’s school funding system and authored Dividing the Public: School Finance and the Creation of Structural Inequity.

Photo of Ana Miguel, MA '12
Ana Miguel, MA '12

Stanford Teacher Education Program
Teacher at Desert Mirage High School, Coachella Valley Unified School District

Miguel is acknowledged for leading innovative math instruction at Desert Mirage High School in Coachella Valley since 2016 and for mentoring early-career educators. As department head, she introduced the University of Irvine Math Project curriculum, significantly impacting the school's teaching practices.

Photo of Rachel Lotan, MA ’81, MA ’83 - Sociology, PhD ’85
Lifetime Achievement Award
Rachel Lotan, MA ’81, MA ’83 - Sociology, PhD ’85

Social Sciences in Education
Professor (teaching) and STEP Director Emerita, Stanford University

Lotan, Professor (Teaching) Emerita at Stanford University, directed the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) from 1999 to 2014 and now leads the Program for Complex Instruction. Her research focuses on equitable and democratic teaching in diverse classrooms and the Complex Instruction approach.

Dean Daniel Schwartz

“GSE alumni are leading the way in efforts to elevate the promise of education for children, families and nations. This award marks a critical step in our drive to highlight the transformative work of our alumni.”

Daniel L. Schwartz

I. James Quillen Dean
Nomellini & Olivier Professor of Educational Technology
The Halper Family Faculty Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning

10 YEARS
35 HONOREES
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