High School Awards Program

The University of Rochester is pleased to sponsor four prestigious award programs which recognize high school students' outstanding achievements in leadership and academics.

Nomination Information

Each year, participating high schools may nominate up to four qualified students, one for each of these four awards. All nominees will have their application fee waived and will be eligible for merit scholarships worth at least $7,500 per year.

Participation in these programs is open to all secondary schools. In order to participate, school officials are encouraged to complete and submit nomination forms for the students they would like to recognize by March 15, 2009. If we receive your nomination by this deadline, you'll receive a certificate in April which you can present at your school's awards ceremony. However, we will continue to accept nominations through the end of June.

For more information on the High School Awards Program, click here for a PDF of the High School Awards Program brochure.

If you have any questions, please contact Patrick O'Neill, High School Awards Coordinator, at (585) 275-3221, toll free at (888) 822-2256, or by email at patrick.oneill@rochester.edu.

Awards Descriptions and Qualifications

Note: The relative weighting of award criteria is left to the discretion of the faculty at the individual high school, but all criteria should be taken into consideration.

Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award
One qualified junior may be chosen each year. Nominations for the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award should be based on the following criteria:
  • High achievement and rigor in science classes
  • High PSAT Math and/or SAT Math scores
Nominate one junior online... Or If you prefer to nominate a student using a paper application, click here to download the PDF version.
Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award
One qualified junior may be chosen each year. Nominations for the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences should be based on the following criteria:
  • A demonstrated commitment to understanding and addressing difficult social issues
  • Leadership and dedication to community action
  • Strong grades and rigorous courses taken in the humanities and social sciences
Nominate one junior online... Or If you prefer to nominate a student using a paper application, click here to download the PDF version.
George Eastman Young Leaders Award and Scholarship
One qualified junior may be chosen each year. Nominations for the George Eastman Young Leaders Award should be based on the following criteria:
  • Strong leadership experience at school and in the community
  • High grades and challenging courses
  • Extensive involvement in extracurricular activities
Nominate one junior online... Or If you prefer to nominate a student using a paper application, click here to download the PDF version.
Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology
One qualified junior may be chosen each year. Nominations for the Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology should be based on the following criteria:
  • A strong interest in innovation and/or information technology and a high level of achievement in this area
  • Exposure to new technologies outside of school, such as pursuing serious work opportunities in local laboratories or industry
  • Leading other students to new approaches to old problems, e.g. business plans for fundraising; innovative community service; after-school activities; and best uses of internal communications tools such as chat and blogs
Nominate one junior online... Or If you prefer to nominate a student using a paper application, click here to download the PDF version.