Wilbur Cross Medal for Alumni Achievement
The Wilbur Cross Medal, named in honor of former Graduate School Dean and Governor of Connecticut Wilbur Lucius Cross, was established in 1966 to honor alumni of Yale Graduate School for outstanding achievements like those of Dean Cross during his multifaceted career. It is the highest honor that the Graduate School bestows on its alumni. Recipients of the medal return to campus to receive the award and spend time with their departments.
Medalists are nominated by their peers in recognition of their achievements as leaders in their respective fields, true innovators, and world-changing thinkers. They are among the best examples of what can be accomplished with a doctoral degree after leaving Yale.
Wilbur Lucius Cross Honorees
Honoring the 2025 Wilbur Cross Medalists
On October 20, 2025, four alumni of the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences were awarded Wilbur Lucius Cross Medals. The day included lectures and celebrations on campus.
Philip J. Deloria '94 PhD, American Studies
Samuel J. Keyser '62 PhD, Linguistics
Andrew J. Lankford ’72, ’78 PhD, Physics
Jeffrey E. Settleman ‘89 PhD, Genetics
Honoring the 2024 Wilbur Cross Medalists
On October 7, 2024, four alumni of the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences were awarded Wilbur Lucius Cross Medals. The day included lectures and celebrations on campus.
Anne C. Ferguson-Smith ’89 PhD, Biology
John D. Guillory ’79 PhD, English Language & Literature
Kai Li ’86 PhD, Computer Science
James C. Scott ’67 PhD, Political Science (awarded posthumously)
