This award, established in 2011, is given to an individual who has worked to bring diverse alumni together to make a positive contribution to the University community. The award is named in memory of late Brown Alumni Association President Joe Fernandez ’85, whose leadership was characterized by integrity, selfless dedication, optimism for the future, and a commitment to diversity.
2022 Recipient
Eldridge H. Gilbert III ’05
A longtime volunteer for Brown, El Gilbert ’05 has been a leader for the Inman Page Black Alumni Council (IPC) since he graduated. Most recently having served as IPC president-elect and president, Gilbert has been a driving force behind the Council’s successful Black Matriculation Campaign, a volunteer-driven effort through which participating alumni have impacted the decisions of hundreds of accepted Black students and increased the number of Black matriculants to Brown. The campaign has given alumni a meaningful opportunity to connect with future students and build strong connections between IPC and students who are already on campus. Additionally, this work has influenced the efforts of other identity-based affinity groups that aim to increase the number of matriculants within their communities.
Previous Award Recipients
- Anthony S.W. Cheng ’95
- Karen McLaurin Chesson ’74
- Felipe M. Floresca '73
- Javette Pinkney Laremont '80
- Kenneth H. McDaniel ’69, P’13
- Hannelore B. Rodriguez-Farrar '87 AM'90 PhD'09
- Sean J. Siperstein ‘05
- Preston Tisdale ’73, P’10, P’10 MPH’16 MD’16, P’12
- Augustus A. White III '57 DMS'97 hon., P'98