Wallenberg Medal

The Wallenberg Medal of the University of Michigan is awarded to outstanding humanitarians whose actions on behalf of the defenseless and oppressed reflect the heroic commitment and sacrifice of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who rescued tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest during the closing months of World War II.

Here, his grandfather believed, he could escape the isolation of the elite position of his family and would have the chance to experience the broader world.

Wallenberg wore sneakers and rode a bicycle around campus, living in a boarding house rather than the more exclusive society of the fraternities.

He earned his degree with honors in architecture in 1935, winning the American Institute of Architects silver medal for student with highest academic standing.

The Wallenberg Executive Committee, which includes faculty, students and members of the Ann Arbor community, raises funds for the endowment and select the annual medalist.