On Thursday, May 15, the American University Alumni Association and community came together to celebrate the 2025 Alumni Award winners. Five outstanding AU alumni were honored for their accomplishments in education, the arts and activism, and international relations.

Gail Humphries, CAS/MA ’79, SOE/PhD ’02 , Sammie Paul, CAS/BA ’18, Khadijat Rashid, SIS/PhD ’04, Matthew Warshaw, SIS/BA ’94 and Tiffany Williams, SPA/MSOD ’07, accepted these prestigious awards and shared a night celebration with the AU community.

Alumni Board President Patty Caballero, SOC/BA ’91, Kogod/MBA ’00, presented this year’s awards. “Each of tonight’s recipients has proudly carried the name of AU proudly across the country and around the globe,” she said. “They–alongside our previous recipients–stand as pillars of our community.”

Tiffany Williams, SPA/MSOD ’07, took the stage first to accept the Alumni Recognition Award, honoring her service to the Washington, DC community. As President and CEO of Martha’s Table, Williams’ leadership helps provide quality education, family support, health and wellness, and community investments to more than 30,000 Washingtonians annually. She described her role as “deeply personal and fueled by a strong belief in the brilliance of our neighbors and the power of collective effort.”

Khadijat Rashid, SIS/PhD ’04, was presented with the Neil Kerwin Alumni Achievement Award, recognizing her professional accomplishments working to ensure deaf and hard-of-hearing students can access the educational opportunities they deserve.

“Being back here, when I look around, what I feel and remember is that this place provides such a warm and welcoming environment to everyone,” she said. “Now, as provost at Gallaudet University, I strive to replicate that feeling of belonging for our students.”

Leading the academic affairs division, Dr. Rashid advocates for an attainable education and world where deaf students are seen, belong, and have a chance to fulfill their dreams.

Gail Humphries, CAS/MA ’79, SOE/PhD ’02, took the stage next to accept the Global Alumni Leader Award, honoring alumni whose impacts on society exemplify AU’s tradition of service and leadership in the context of a global community.

“Indeed, through every chapter of my life, AU has been a catalyst—igniting ideas, supporting risk-taking, and nurturing the deep belief that the arts matter, indeed are essential,” she said.

Dr. Humphries served formerly served as chair of the Department of Performing Arts and director of the Theatre and Musical Theatre Department at AU, helping to launch the careers of countless actors and musicians.

Sammie Paul, CAS/BA ’18, received the Rising Star Award, recognizing recent alumni already making significant contributions to society through professional or philanthropic work. At FoodRecovery.Org, Paul serves as executive director, growing the organization from moving small amounts of food to 81 million pounds in 2024.

“There is an amazing team at FoodRecovery.org, and I am grateful every day for what they do—what we do together—to advance our work and feed more families.”

Matthew Warshaw, SIS/BA ’94, closed the ceremony by accepting the Alumni Eagle Award, recognizing his outstanding service to the university. He serves as chair of the SIS Dean’s Board of Advisors, a role where he is known for hands-on leadership and always showing up in meaningful ways.

“I want to tell you about how deeply AU is woven into the fabric of my life. An AU diploma opened so many doors for me,” he said, in remarks filled with gratitude for family and AU.

Warshaw is CEO of D3: Designs, Data, Decisions, a full-service global market and social science research firm based in Virginia. In his professional life, he has supported the university by hiring 19 fellow AU alumni and launching the careers of many recent graduates. He closed by asking everyone in the room to consider giving back to AU, remarking that “AU is a place not just for some of us, but for all of us.”