The 38th Annual Ellis Island Medals of Honor
May 10 2025
Ellis Island, NYC

https://www.eihonors.org/

The Ellis Island Honors Society honors the importance of immigration to America’s prosperity and celebrates the contributions immigrants and their progeny have made to our nation.

In 1986, Ellis Island Honors Society founded the Ellis Island Medals of Honor to commemorate the indefatigable spirit of those who immigrated to the United States during the Ellis Island era.

The Medal is presented annually to those who have shown an outstanding commitment to serving our nation either professionally, culturally or civically, among other criteria.

 

2025 Ellis Island Medalists

Dr. Manmeet Ahluwalia

Dr. James Patrick Allison

Christiane Amanpour

Mr. John Anderson, OBC

Dr. Albert Bourla

Adrien Brody

Deputy Chief James Brosi

Richard T. Burke

Gerry Byrne

Lieutenant General Jerry Carter

Professor Steven Chu

Liz Claman

Senator Norm Coleman

Nilda Comas

President Patrick Cramer

Lieutenant General Johnny Davis

Dr. Theodore DeWeese

Bob Dickinson

Dr. Shai Efrati

Dr. Eric Esrailian

Frank Ettawageshik

Chief Chris Ferro

Rep. Virginia Fox

Robert Garrett

Joseph Geagea

Adam Gewanter

Dr Mohsen Gharib

Dr. Mehra Golshan

Richard Green

Charlie Hanna

Doug Hertz

Robert Heyat

Sky Hopinka

Mehraban Khajehnouri

Nichol King

Dr. Robert Langer

Boon Ja Yoo Lee

Miky Lee

Dr. Marta Lopatynsky

Dr. Frank Luntz

Steve MacMillan

Maria Manetti Shrem

Dr. Joseph Maroon

Frank McCourt Jr.

Lavita McMath Turner, PhD

Ambassador Connie Milstein

Carlos Naudon

Amna Nawaz

Dr. Narasimhulu Neelagaru

Anastasia Nyrkovskaya

Steve Pagliuca

Dr. Eduardo Parra-Davila

Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa

Marta Ramirez

Dr. Ali Rezai

Rosie Rios

Dr. Mark Rosenberg

Lily Sarafan

Salim Sessine

Dr. Padmanee Sharma

LTG Rebecca Sonkiss

Brian Taylor

Tina Tchen

Glover Teixeira

Kristine McDivitt Tompkins

Adriana Trigiani

Janine Turner

Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Ulam Weiner

Leo Vecellio

Rear Admiral Dennis Velez

Dr. Selwyn Vickers

Darren Walker

Jack Wyant

Peggy Wyant

Dr. Daniel Yadegar

Emun Zabihi

Dr. George Heekyung Hong

Global Humanitarian Ellis Island Medals of Honor
Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden
 

2026 Nomination Criteria
Nominations for 2026 are open.
Click here to nominate a worthy individual
 

INTEGRITY
The nominee should be a person of integrity who has done, or been the impetus for, an honorable act that exemplifies their character
 and reputation

PASSION
Discuss how passion has led the nominee to focus their lives on a social cause, an ideological concept, a humanitarian philosophy, etc.

GRAVITAS
Consider if the nominee received any academic, professional and humanitarian accolades. Please mention any objective peer-reviewed awards or citations, innovations, inventions or humanitarian recognition’s

HUMANITARIAN
Detail the nominee’s commitment and efforts on behalf of humanitarian causes. Humanitarian efforts should be considered beyond financial contributions. Please describe how their personal time and passion have helped move their cause forward

ETHNIC HERITAGE
Describe how the individual honors their ethnic heritage, how they promote it and/or what have they contributed to

+ For naturalized Americans, consider how they have integrated themselves into our national identity

+ For native-born Americans, please consider the individual’s contributions to their self-identified ethnic homeland, as well as their professional and personal achievements

Please note that the Medal is not awarded posthumously
 

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