The Center for the Study of American Democracy invites nominations for the 2019 Leopoldo López Student Award.
The award will be presented to a current Kenyon College student who has demonstrated:
The winner of the award, which carries an honorarium of $1,000, will be announced at Kenyon’s 2019 Honors Day Convocation in April.
Any member of the Kenyon community may nominate a current student for this award. Please submit a letter of nomination directly to the Center for the Study of American Democracy at americandemocracy@kenyon.edu by Feb. 20, 2019. Letters of nomination need not be lengthy, but should provide sufficient detail to demonstrate the qualifications and strengths of the nominee relative to the terms of the award. Letters will be reviewed by a selection committee assembled by the Center for the Study of American Democracy and the Office of the President.
Leopoldo López '93 H'07 is the most prominent leader of the Venezuelan opposition movement. In early 2014, López, along with more than 500,000 supporters, peacefully protested the Venezuelan regime’s human rights abuses and dismantling of fair democratic processes. López was unjustly detained on charges of murder, terrorism and conspiracy, and after a trial that the Venezuelan prosecutor has since conceded was a “farce,” was sentenced to nearly fourteen years in Venezuela’s Ramo Verde military prison. He was released under house arrest in 2017. Amnesty International called Lopez’ treatment a “politically motivated attempt to silence dissent.” The New York Times Editorial Board described his trial as a “travesty.” The list of world leaders that have called for his freedom includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Through this award, López’s classmates, family and the Kenyon community acknowledge López’s bravery, conviction and compassion, which stands as an inspiration to all citizens of the world working for peaceful, democratic change. We look forward to the time when López no longer remains a prisoner of conscience — a time when he can present the award in person.