Graduate School

Horace Mann Medal

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Horace Mann Medal

The Horace Mann Medal is given annually to a Brown Graduate School alumnus or alumna who has made significant contributions in his or her field, inside or outside of academia.

Any graduate of a Brown advanced-degree program is eligible for the Horace Mann Medal. The medal is awarded at Commencement exercises in May. 

Nominations

A nomination should, at a minimum, include a strong supporting rationale for the nomination, expressed in a letter of nomination. Up to two additional supporting letters may also accompany the nomination. Only one nomination package per nominee will be accepted. All nominations should be made through Brown UFunds.

Deadline

Extended to December 9, 2024.

Selection Process

The final selection process takes place in late fall, in conjunction with the University's selection of honorary-degree recipients. (Nominations received after the deadline will be considered in the next round of review.) Selection news is announced in May.

Note: Nominators/departments will be expected to assist the Graduate School in hosting the Medalist; guidelines will be provided if selected.

History

This award was created in 2003 and replaced the Distinguished Graduate School Alumni Award.  

Horace Mann, class of 1819
Father of American public school education

Horace MannBorn in 1796, Horace Mann spent his youth in poverty on his family's farm. Although his schooling was limited to about three months a year, he supplemented his learning through religious studies and tutoring. He entered Brown University as a sophomore, graduated in 1819, and went on to earn a law degree. 

Mann served as a state representative and, later, as a senator in the Massachusetts legislature. He helped pass legislation to create the nation's first state board of education, and from 1837 to 1848, served as the board's first secretary, creating a system of public schools in Massachusetts that would become a model for public education across the country. Mann's statue and that of Daniel Webster still flank the entrance to the Massachusetts State House.

In 1848, Mann was elected to Congress, where he fought vigorously against slavery. In 1854, he was named president of Antioch College in Ohio, where he remained until 1859. A few weeks before his death, he urged Antioch's graduating class, "Be ashamed to die before you have won some battle for humanity." Mann is buried at North Burial Ground in Providence.

2024-2025 Medal Recipient

William (Bill) J. Martin ’95 Ph.D.William Martin headshot

Graduate School Alum William J. Martin Named 2025 Horace Mann Medalist for Pioneering Neuroscience Work

From academic research to pharmaceutical leadership, Martin's precision medicine approach spans academia, industry, and advocacy for brain health.

William (Bill) J. Martin ’95 Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head of Neuroscience at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, will receive the distinguished Horace Mann Medal at the Brown University Doctoral Ceremony during Commencement weekend, recognizing his transformative contributions to neuroscience and pharmaceutical innovation.

In his current role, Martin sets the vision for Johnson & Johnson’s neuroscience work. He leads a team focused on the discovery and development of transformative treatments for individuals with serious neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative and ophthalmic disorders. 

“Bill Martin has used his talents to improve the world and to alleviate suffering caused by disorders and diseases of the brain. His contributions to science, drug development and the scientific community are a great testament to the impact that alumni of the Brown Graduate School can have on the world,” says nominator Diane Lipscombe, the Thomas J. Watson, Sr. Professor of Science, Professor of Neuroscience, and the Reliance Dhirubhai Ambani Director of the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science.

Read more about Dr. Martin.