Princeton Prize in Race Relations

 

A great challenge facing our country is to increase understanding and cooperation among people of different racial backgrounds. Princeton believes that the younger generation has a particularly important role to play, and seeks, through an annual award of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, to identify, honor and encourage young people whose efforts have had a significant, positive effect on race relations  in their schools and communities. This program is sponsored by the University and carried out by alumni in  27 regions nationwide drawing on the support of more than 300 Princeton alumni.

Prize winners receive a $1000 scholarship and their expenses are paid to attend a two-day symposium on the Princeton campus where they attend a series of workshops on race-related social issues and interact with their peers from across the country.  Several  other worthy applicants are honored with "Certificates of Accomplishment." Honorees are recognized at their schools' awards assemblies and at area-wide recognition events.

Additional information on the PPRR can be found at http://www.princeton.edu/pprize.

Each year in Boston, our committee of local alumni awards one $1000 first prize and several Certificates of Accomplishment to a competitive pool of high school-age students.
 
The Boston Princeton Prize Committee is co-chaired by Fred Dashiell '76, Melissa Rubin '95, and Murph Shapiro '64.

Fred Dashiell '76:        fdashiell@hmbiweb.com
Melissa Rubin '95:      melissa_rubin@alumni.princeton.edu
Murph Shapiro '64:      murshap@comcast.net, 617-926-2115

Please consider joining the Local Boston Princeton Prize Committee!  Reaching out to students, teachers, mentors and schools to publicize the Prize, joining our committee to judge the applications, and helping to plan our annual award program are just three ways to volunteer. Contact Fred, Melissa, or Murph to learn more.

Alumni, high school faculty and administrators interested in more information about the Princeton Prize program may find it at http://pprize.princeton.edu/.

Community and religious leaders interested in more information about the program are invited to contact Fred at fdashiell@hmbiweb.com.

High school students interested in applying to the program are invited to contact the Princeton Prize website at http://pprize.princeton.edu/.

Some examples of award-winning student projects are founding a 500-member youth organization to reduce gang activity; forming a diversity campaign during a past presidential campaign to stress community rather than division, and making a documentary of interviews about personal views on race. 

The Princeton Prize was initiated in 2003 with pilot programs in the Boston and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas. Over time, the program has grown to include Alabama, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Connecticut, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New Jersey (Central/Southern), New Jersey (Northern), New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rochester, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and St. Louis.