Applications are being accepted through March 7 for the 22nd Anniversary James A. Perkins Prize for Interracial and Intercultural Understanding and Harmony, established by Cornell trustee Thomas W. Jones ’69 in 1995.

The annual prize recognizes the Cornell student, professor, staff or program making the most significant contribution to furthering the ideal of university community while respecting the values of racial diversity. The name of the award was changed this year to add “intercultural” to demonstrate that diversity and inclusion efforts go beyond race and include a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs, identities and cultural perspectives.

The 2016 Perkins Prize will be presented March 16. The winner receives a $5,000 award.

Three criteria are used to select the professor, student, staff member or program that will receive the prize:

• the number and diverse identities of students participating in a sustained level of involvement, which leads to a set of accomplishments;
• the extent to which these accomplishments promote common values and shared community standards among diverse students; and
• the extent to which these accomplishments enhance the abilities of students to work with, live with and learn from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs, identities and cultural perspectives.

All Cornell students, faculty and staff members are invited to apply for the award.

Application forms are available online. Questions can be directed to Perkins_Prize@cornell.edu.