Jane Addams Medal

Jane Addams Medal

Rockford University honors the tradition of Jane Addams by awarding the Jane Addams Medal to extraordinary women who, like our most distinguished graduate, have taken a stand in their life that required critical thinking and courageous action.

Medal recipients, in the tradition of Jane Addams, are pioneers in their professions, outstanding in character, and recognized for their contributions to the arts, sciences, and society. 

The award was established in 1944 by a Rockford College trustee, Mr. George Frazer, and the medal was designed by Chicago artist Andrene Kauffman. Each bronze-cast medal is separately inscribed with the name of the recipient and presented at a special ceremony. The medal was first awarded to Dr. Florence Rena Sabin during the college’s Centennial Celebration in 1947. Since then, the Jane Addams Medal has been awarded to more than 35 of the world’s most outstanding women in science, education, humanities, arts, law, literature, and other fields of endeavor.