Student Marshals
Given to class leaders selected for their high scholastic achievements, exemplary character, and service to Pierson College.
Banner Bearer
Given to a student with a remarkable academic record who has shown exemplary dedication to Pierson College and the larger Yale community.
Athletic Cup
Established in 1948 by a group of fellows, to be awarded “to that member of the college who has contributed the most to the intramural athletic life of the college with respect not only to the extent of participation but also to the qualities of leadership and sportsmanship displayed.” This award may also honor students’ dedicated service to Pierson intramural sports through their work as intramural athletic secretaries for the college.
The Polunin Cup
The Polunin Cup was established by Dr. Nicholas Polunin, a visiting Henry Fellow from Oxford University, who lived in Pierson College in 1933-34 and again, twenty years later, in 1955. D. Polunin died in Geneva, Switzerland on December 8, 1997. The award is given to a graduating senior(s) “for personal quality and scholastic achievement.” The tradition is to award the cup to an outstanding Pierson student(s) whose academic record stands among the highest in the graduating class.
The Dirk Gleysteen Cup
Dirk Gleysteen was a Pierson College graduate (class of 1951) who enjoyed a distinguished career in the foreign service, a career cut short by his untimely death in 1986. The cup is awarded to a Pierson Senior whose actions in and out of the classroom have not only demonstrated excellence in but also done the most to promote and further the discussion of international relations at Yale.
The Anthony M. Schulte Prize
The prize is named after Tony Schulte, class of ’51 and established by his children, Lucy Danziger and Peter Schulte. Mr. Schulte passed away on June 17, 2012. Awarded to a Pierson senior who over four years demonstrated a significant commitment to community service in ways that strengthened the ties between Yale and the community at large.
The Lawton Calhoun Cup
The Lawton Calhoun Cup was established in memory of the late Lawton M. Calhoun, Jr., of the Class of 1963. The award is given “to that member of the College who has done the most to make Pierson a happier or better place.”
The Joseph W. Gordon Cup
Given annually “to the Pierson Senior who best demonstrated the conspicuous service to Pierson College exemplified by Joseph W. Gordon,” who served as acting head of college in 1987–1988.
The Ralph Dawson PC ’71 and Don M. Roman, Sr. PC ’71 Prize
The Ralph Dawson and Don Roman Prize was established in 2021–22 by Head of College Stephen J. Davis, in partnership with Dean Risë Nelson and the Afro‐American Cultural Center at Yale, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Members of the Pierson Class of 1971, Ralph Dawson and Don Roman were pioneers at Yale and in Pierson during the evolution of the civil rights movement. They showed a high measure of moral courage and were instrumental in the establishment of both the African American Studies major at Yale and the Afro‐ American Cultural Center. In support of Yale University’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, this prize recognizes the graduating Pierson senior who has had the most profound impact on racial justice in Pierson, at Yale, in the City of New Haven, and beyond.
The Miraj Desai Prize
This prize honors the memory of Dr. Miraj Desai (1982– 2023), a beloved scholar, mentor, and Pierson College Resident Fellow (2016‐2022) whose life and work were devoted to justice, healing, and community. The Miraj Desai Prize is awarded to a Pierson student who reflects these values through their dedication to socially engaged research, public service, and a vision of justice that centers the dignity and well‐being of all communities.