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Apply for 2026 Presidential Medal Awards

President Neville Pinto invites graduating students to apply for top awards

headshot of John Bach By John Bach 513-556-2019
2 minute read September 4, 2025

UC President Neville Pinto invites eligible students to apply for two of our university’s top awards — the Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence (for undergraduate students) and the Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence (for graduate and professional students).

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UC President Neville Pinto

These awards are bestowed upon those students who best exemplify scholarship, leadership, character, service and the ideals of the University of Cincinnati. Awardees are invited to a special Spring dinner and recognition ceremony hosted by President Pinto. Winners will also be recognized during Spring or Summer 2026 Commencement ceremonies.

Recent or soon-to-graduate UC students, are encouraged to review the detailed qualifications and consider applying for this prestigious honor.

Application Details

Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence (undergraduate)

Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence 

The application period is now through November 3 for the undergraduate award. The applicatoin period for the graduate and professional students award opens in November.

Featured image at top: President Pinto stands with the 2024 awardees of the Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence and the Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence.

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