Congratulations to the Class of 2025! Here are the major award winners recognized at Baccalaureate and Commencement:
Valedictorian: To the student with the highest academic achievements in the class, who delivers a speech at Commencement.
Eli Smink
Headmaster’s Award: To the student who has demonstrated general excellence, citizenship and participation.
Tiller Smith
Hanks Citizenship Award: Named in honor of Tom Hanks ’62 and John Hanks ’65, the Hanks Citizenship Award recognizes a Landon graduating senior who has exemplified an ethical framework by setting aside self-interest in service to others, the community, and the greater good.
Eli Smink
Carroll Mercer Marbury Award: To the student who has a spirit of fearlessness, tenacity of purpose.
DP Pope
Alexander Aikens ’67 Award: To the student who has exemplary leadership in the areas of diversity and multiculturalism.
Thavisha Ponnamperuma
William Harrison Triplett Award: To the senior who not only has made significant contributions to the sports program, but who also has distinguished himself by displaying superior qualities of team dedication, respect for opponents, and regard for the spirit of the game.
Sean Murray
Malcolm Coates Student Activities Award: To the student with constructive participation in non-athletic activities.
Noah Forrest
Ellie Johnson Award: To the student who has demonstrated creativity, innovation, ingenuity, or artistic merit.
Jack Sadow
Patrick Tanner ’96 Community Service Award: To the student who has demonstrated outstanding commitment, personal involvement, and leadership in community service.
Mac Marshall
ROTC Scholarship Award: To the students who have demonstrated a love for service in many areas, including to our country. One senior will join Air Force ROTC, and another will join Army ROTC. The two students have each earned a scholarship and will be commissioned by the ROTC chapter at their colleges in the fall.
Carter Allen and AJ Best
Cary Maguire ’46 Ethics Scholar Award: To the students who have demonstrated the highest standards of ethical integrity through his expressions of honesty and respect, and his active cultivation of the virtues of perseverance, teamwork, honor, and fair play.
Simon Schwartz
Stephen J. Smith ’01 Spirit Award: To the student who, through his devotion to his fellow students, his unselfish behavior, his self-effacing sense of humor, his enthusiasm for Landon, and his ability to build bridges between differing viewpoints and perspectives, best personifies the unique bond that unites all Landon students and alumni.
Riley Lugar
National Merit Scholarship Award: To the student named a National Merit scholarship winner. This senior was chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
Matthew Guo
Mary Lee and Paul Banfield Award: To a member of the Landon faculty who has made a significant contribution to the life of the School.
Bill Zaiser
Alice F. Cosimano Award: To a member of the Landon administration or staff who has made a significant contribution to the life of the School.
Saima Ahmad
