Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award

The Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award honors an alum who is a native, citizen, and resident of another country and who has a distinguished record of service to that country in the arts, science and engineering, education, business, environmental protection, government, or any other field. We are particularly focused on welcoming nominations that represent the full diversity of our wonderful international alumni — including race, ethnicity, gender, and age — whose service to their country and community has been extraordinary. The award includes a cash prize of at least US $35,000, an engraved medallion, and travel expenses for the recipient to attend the award presentation at Berkeley’s winter commencement (travel may be restricted based on local, national, and international health restrictions). Please review the past recipients for examples of successful nominations.

The Haas International Award was established in 1964 by Mr. and Mrs. Walter A. Haas, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Peter E. Haas, and Mr. and Mrs. Richard N. Goldman. Created to mark the 50th wedding anniversary of Walter, longtime head of Levi Strauss, and his wife, arts patron Elise, the award acknowledges their devotion to UC Berkeley and interest in international affairs. Its presentation at commencement echoes both the global character of Berkeley’s faculty, students, and curricula and the university’s long-standing commitment to improving the human condition around the world.

Chancellor Lyons presenting Khadija Bakhtiar with the 2024 Haas International Award

2024 Recipient

Chancellor Rich Lyons presenting Khadija Bakhtiar with the 2024 Haas International Award Medal

Khadija Bakhtiar

The 2024 recipient, Khadija Bakhtiar, is a passionate advocate for educational equity and excellence in Pakistan — and the perfect embodiment of all that the Haas International Award seeks to celebrate and support. In 2008, Khadjia was awarded the Fulbright Graduate Scholarship to attend UC Berkeley, where she earned a Master of Public Policy degree. She previously completed her B.S. in Social Sciences from the Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan. After receiving her master's at Cal, Khadija returned to her home country of Pakistan to work with Teach for All Global Network across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. As the founder and CEO of Teach for Pakistan, she now recruits Pakistan’s top graduates and young professionals to teach for two years in historically underserved communities. Khadjia’s efforts and accomplishments have helped to catalyze a shift in the national conversation around education in Pakistan, with a new emphasis on equality and the need to increase government investment in teacher-leadership models. Her work has influenced policy changes at both federal and provincial levels, impacting teacher recruitment and training nationwide.

Nomination Process

Deadline:

July 1, 2025

Eligibility requirements: Alumni who were enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at Berkeley for at least one full year and who are a native, citizen, and resident of another country are eligible for the Haas International Award. (A Berkeley degree is not required.)

Nomination Form

Explain how your nominee’s values and achievements reflect our university or the excellence of a Berkeley education.
Maximum word count 500.
Maximum word count 500.

* required