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Sandra Day O'Connor: Her Life and Legacy: Awards & Honorary Degrees

On April 5, 2006, ASU Law was officially renamed the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. It was the first law school to be named after a woman.

Awards

Awards: 1980-1989

  • Gimble National Award presented by Gimble Philadelphia Awards Committee, May 5, 1982
     
  • 1981 National Service Medal presented by Freedoms Foundation, June 10, 1982
     
  • Service to Democracy Award presented by American Assembly, November 23, 1982
     
  • President's Special Award presented by New York Women's Bar Association, May 9, 1984
     
  • Elizabeth Blackwell Award presented by Hobart and William Smith Colleges, March 8, 1985
     
  • 1985 Mortar Board National Citation Award presented by Mortar Board, Inc., July 25, 1985
     
  • Marshall Visitor Award presented by International House, March 19, 1986
     
  • Thomas Jefferson Award in Law presented by University of Virginia, April 13, 1987
     
  • Jane Addams Award presented by Rockford College, Washington, D.C., May 8, 1987
     
  • Distinguished Public Service Award presented by Maricopa County Bar Association, May 25, 1987
     
  • Golden Plate Award presented by American Academy of Achievement, June 27, 1987
     
  • Achievement Award presented by American Association of University Women's Educational Foundation, June 25, 1988
     

Awards: 1990-1999

  • Bess Wallace Truman Award presented by Junior Service League of Independence, Missouri, May 3, 1990
     
  • Award of Merit presented by Stanford Law School, September 22, 1990
     
  • Judge William Green Award for Professional Excellence presented by the University of Richmond, October 10, 1990
     
  • Centennial Medal presented by Daughters of the American Revolution, April 15, 1991
     
  • Ohio State Law Award presented by Ohio State University, May 12, 1992
     
  • Brandeis Medal Award presented by the University of Louisville School of Law, May 4, 1992
     
  • Gold Good Citizenship Medal presented by Sons of the American Revolution, October 23, 1992
     
  • Fordham-Stein Prize presented by Fordham University, October 27, 1992
     
  • Learned Hand Medal presented by the Federal Bar Council Law Day Dinner, May 4, 1993
     
  • Distinguished Citizen Award presented by the University of Arizona College of Law, May 22, 1993
     
  • General Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award presented by the Sports Foundation December 30, 1993
     
  • Government Communicator Award in public service presented by The Advertising Council Inc., Library of Congress Great Hall, May 8, 1995
     
  • Distinguished Achievement Award presented by Arizona State University, September 22, 1995
     
  • Frances Willard Munds Award presented at the Arizona 75th Anniversary of Woman Suffrage Task Force, September 23, 1995
     
  • National Women's Hall of Fame Award presented by the Board of Directors of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, October 14, 1995 (Chief Judge Michael A. Telesca accepted the award on behalf of Justice O’Connor).
     
  • Brien McMahon Memorial Award presented by Fordham University Club, October 25, 1995
     
  • Congressional Families Action for Cancer Awareness award presented by the Congressional Families Advisory Board, September 28, 1995
     
  • The Henry Clay Medallion presented by the Henry Clay Society October 1, 1996
     
  • Sandra Day O'Connor Medal of Honor presented by Seton Hall University School of Law, November 26, 1996
     
  • Sandra Day O’Connor Award presented by Arizona Womens’ Foundation, April 5, 1997
     
  • Janet Reno Torchbearer Award presented by the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia, May 14, 1997
     
  • American Bar Association Medal presented by The American Bar Association, August 2, 1997
     
  • Maggie Sloan Crawford Award presented by the Olivet Nazarene University, October 29, 1997
     
  • Sara Lee Frontrunner Award presented by the Sara Lee Foundation, November 6, 1997.
     
  • Ellen Browning Scripps Medal presented by Scripps College for Women, March 10, 1998
     
  • Mary Harriman Award presented by the Association of Junior Leagues International, May 2, 1998
     
  • Cosmos Club Award presented by the Cosmos Club, May 7, 1998
     
  • Baldwin Public Service Award presented by Quinnipiac College Law School, October 19, 1998
     
  • First Ladies Salute First Women Award presented by the National First Ladies’ Library, March 16, 1999
     

Awards: 2000-2009

  • Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award presented by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, July 9, 2000
     
  • Western Heritage Award presented by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, April 21, 2001
     
  • Carol Los Mansmann Award for Distinguished Public Service presented by Duquesne University School of Law, September 21, 2001
     
  • Will Rogers Memorial Award presented by the New Mexico Military Institute, January 19, 2002
     
  • Induction in the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame Medal, presented by the National Cowgirl Museum, June 7, 2002
  • Benjamin Franklin Award for Distinguished Public Service presented by The American Philosophical Society, April 25, 2003
     
  • Theodore Roosevelt American Experience Award presented by Union League Club, May 5, 2003
     
  • Philadelphia Liberty Medal presented by the National Constitution Center, July 4, 2003
     
  • Award for World Justice presented by Southern Center for International Studies, October 28, 2003
     
  • The Ruth Batner Miller Memorial Award for Excellence in American History presented by Friends of the Concord Free Public Library, November 8, 2003
     
  • Role Model of the Year Award presented by Jobs for America’s Graduates, Inc., December 4, 2003
     
  • Judicial Honoree of the Year award presented by The Bar Association of the District of Columbia, December 6, 2003
     
  • The Elliot L. Richardson Prize for Excellence in Public Service presented by Council for Court Excellence, March 8, 2004
     
  • Publius Award presented by Center for the Study of the Presidency, April 23, 2004
     
  • 2004 Women’s Leadership Award presented by The Women’s Leadership Forum, May 25, 2004
     
  • Distinguished Career Award presented by the Arizona Bar Association, June 11, 2004
     
  • 2004 National Jefferson Award in the Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official category presented by American Institute for Public Service, June 22, 2004
     
  • US. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official presented by the American Institute for Public Service and the Jefferson Awards, June 22, 2004
     
  • Aspen Institute Public Service Award presented by The Aspen Institute, August 7, 2004
     
  • The Gold Medal Award presented by Union League of Philadelphia, November 18, 2004
     
  • Chesterfield Smith Award presented by Street Law, Inc., April 5, 2005
     
  • Frederick A.P. Barnard Award presented by Barnard College - Columbia University, April 12, 2005
     
  • Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award presented by The Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award Foundation, May 6, 2005
     
  • Benjamin Franklin Creativity Laureate Prize presented by The Creativity Foundation, May 20, 2005
     
  • West Point Sylvanus Thayer Award presented by The Association of Graduates United States Military Academy, October 20, 2005.
     
  • Joan and David Lincoln Award for Public Virtue presented by The Joan and David Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, October 22, 2005
     
  • The Compass Award presented by the National Constitution Center, November 15, 2005
     
  • Rita C. Davidson Award presented by the Women’s Bar Association of Maryland, November 17, 2005
     
  • Life Time Achievement Award presented by the National Association of Women Judges Association, March 6, 2006
     
  • Lincoln Leadership Prize presented by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, October 28, 2006
     
  • Silver Anniversary Leadership Award presented by the YWCA of Tucson, February 9, 2007
     
  • George P. Shultz Distinguished Public Service Award presented by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, March 2, 2007
     
  • Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award presented by Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, November 13, 2007
     
  • 2007 Gold Medal Award presented by The National Institute of Social Sciences, November 13, 2007
     
  • 2008 Gold Medal Award presented by the New York State Bar Association, February 2, 2008
     
  • Ford’s Theatre Lincoln Medal presented by Ford’s Theatre Society, February 10, 2008
     
  • 2008 Reagan Distinguished American Award presented by Jonathan Club, February 27, 2008
     
  • Harry F. Byrd Class of 1935 Public Service Award presented by the Virginia Military Institute, March 26, 2008
     
  • 2008 Trustees Council of Penn Women Beacon Award presented by Trustees Council of Penn Women, April 10, 2008
     
  • Wallace Stegner Award presented by the Center of the American West, University of Colorado, April 17, 2008
     
  • 2008 Wickersham Award presented by the Friends of the Law Library of Congress, October 30, 2008
     
  • 2009 Hendrick Fellowship Award presented by the United States Coast Guard Academy, April 9, 2009
     
  • 2009 Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award presented by the University of Illinois, May 18, 2009
     
  • Person of the Century Award presented by the Los Angeles Rotary Club, May 22, 2009
     
  • Radcliffe Institute Medal presented by Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, June 5, 2009
     
  • Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Barack Obama, August 12, 2009
     
  • The Richard Nelson Current Award presented by the Lincoln Forum, November 18, 2009
     

Awards: 2010-2019

  • Rosalie Wynn Hearst Distinguished Public Service Award presented by the United States Senate Youth Alumni Association, March 5, 2010
     
  • The ABA Rule of Law Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, October 14,
    2010
     
  • Senator William Proxmire Award 2009 presented by The Cooper Ridge Institute, October 15, 2010
     
  • Annie Oakley Society Award presented by National Cowboy Museum, April 14, 2011
     
  • Colonial Williamsburg Churchill Bell Award presented by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, April 30, 2011
     
  • The John Marshall Award presented by the American Bar Association Justice Center, August 5, 2011
     
  • 2011 Brigham-Kanner Prize presented by William & Mary Law School at Tsinghua University Law School, October 14, 2011
     
  • The Henry J. Friendly Medal presented by the American Law Institute, October 20, 2011
     
  • Theodore Roosevelt-Woodrow Wilson Public Service Award presented by the American Historical Association, January 6, 2012
     
  • Sackler Center First Award presented by the Brooklyn Museum Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, April 18, 2012
     
  • Lee Integrity Award presented by the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association, October 18, 2012

Honorary Degrees

Honorary Degrees

  • Doctor of Laws, Columbia College, Columbia, South Carolina, May 1, 1982
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, May 25, 1982
     
  • Doctor of Laws, The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 31, 1982
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1982
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, May 29, 1983
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland, February 18, 1984
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, May 11, 1984
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Fordham University, New York, New York, October 24, 1984
     
  • Doctor of Laws, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, May 18, 1985
     
  • Doctorate of Laws, Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, May 25, 1985
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., May 26, 1986
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, October 28, 1986
     
  • Doctor of Laws, University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 20, 1987
     
  • Doctor of Humane Letters, Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois, May 14, 1989
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1989
     
  • Doctor of Laws, University of Delaware, Wilmington, Delaware, September 28, 1990
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, May 18, 1991
     
  • Doctor of Laws, New York Law School, New York, New York, June 10, 1992
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Willamette College of Law, Salem, Oregon, September 10, 1992
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, April 3, 1993
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 11, 1994
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Southwestern University, Los Angeles, California, May 21, 1995
     
  • Doctor of Civil Law, University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, May 12, 1996
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, May 25, 1996
     
  • Doctor of Laws, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, December 14, 1996
     
  • Doctor of Public Service, The South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, May 4, 1999
     
  • Doctor of Laws, American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C, May 23, 1999
     
  • Doctor of Laws, The Citadel Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, April 4, 2000
     
  • Doctor of Laws, The George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, May 20, 2000
     
  • Doctor of Laws, George Washington University Law School, Washington, D. C., May 25, 2003
     
  • Doctor of International Law, Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management, Washington, D. C., June 10, 2003
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 12, 2004
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, May 23, 2004
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Yeshiva University, Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York, June 1, 2004
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Yale University, Law School, New Haven, Connecticut, May 22, 2006
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Elon University School of Law, Greensboro, North Carolina, September 19, 2006
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, May 18, 2008
     
  • Doctor of Humane Letters, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, New Haven, Connecticut, October 15, 2008
     
  • Doctor of Media and Governance, honoris causa, Keio University at Tokyo, Japan, December 12, 2008
     
  • Doctor of Laws, Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia, September 17, 2009
     
  • Doctor of Laws, State University of New York at Binghamton, New York City, New York, November 4, 2009

Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Barack Obama places a 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.