2025 Changemaker Awards Applications are now open!
Deadline: Sunday, April 6th, 2025
Follow the links below for award details and application instructions.
In previous years, these student awards were listed as Student Service Awards. In recognition that students identifying their values and passions who work in collaboration with communities to identify meaningful ways to address social issues are agents of social change, we have renamed the awards and have added categories for recognition.
You may apply to all awards for which you are eligible.
• The Caring Friends Inc Scholarship (up to $3,000) *Open to undergraduate & graduate students
The Caring Friends Inc. Scholarship supports hands on compassionate service from one neighbor to another inclusive of race, gender, and religion or humanitarian tradition. A successful applicant will write a two-page essay that explains how their philosophical understandings, faith tradition, or spiritual tradition provides the framework for their humanitarian service.
• The Alan Grob Prize (up to $5,000) *Open to all undergraduates, including seniors
The Alan Grob Prize is named in honor of Alan Grob, who for forty years taught literature at Rice University and was the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. The Alan Grob Prize is awarded to Rice Undergraduates who, through service to the larger community, have demonstrated the most devotion to the needs and interest of the economically and culturally disadvantaged.
• The Morty Rich Scholarship (minimum $5,000) *Open to returning undergraduates only (no seniors)
The Morty Rich Scholarship recognizes a continuing student who has distinguished himself/herself through commitment and service to Rice or to the greater community. The successful candidates will have recognized a need in the community, developed objectives and implemented or established programs that would benefit the community and will realize no personal gain for these efforts. Graduating seniors are not eligible for this award.
• The CCL Award for Community Impact ($250) *The award will be equally divided among team members, if applicable.
The CCL Award for Community Impact recognizes students who have collaborated with and implemented a civic project with a community partner -- local, national, or global -- that has substantial, documented positive impact on the communities served. The successful candidate will have demonstrated a commitment to community partnership and collaboration in designing a project, assessed and documented the impact, and will provide a letter of support from the community organization or leaders with whom they worked. Projects can have been completed by a single individual or by a small group (one individual should submit the application for the group).
• Changemaker Mentor Award Nominations
The Center for Civic Leadership recognizes and values the role of mentors in modeling and inspiring students to work for collective public interest. Faculty, peers, staff, alumni, and community partners all play pivotal roles in student’s developing as civic leaders, learning to apply their academic skills and mobilizing others to act on pressing social issues in their communities.
The Changemaker Mentor Awards are an opportunity for students to identify and celebrate those mentors. To nominate a mentor, please fill out the following application: Changemaker Mentor Award Nominations
A single nomination can be from multiple people. All nominees will be notified of their nomination, and awardees will be recognized in our Changemaker Awards program.
Changemaker Award recipients will be celebrated at the Changemaker Awards Reception on April 24, 3 PM - 6 pm. Mark your calendar when you apply!
Contact the CCL (ccl@rice.edu) with any questions or concerns regarding the application process.