Princeton University recognized two distinguished alumni, Kevin Gover and Terence Tao, during its 111th Alumni Day on February 21. The event brought together nearly 1,100 participants including alumni, faculty, staff, students, and guests. This year’s gathering also marked the start of the Princeton Alumni Association’s bicentennial celebration, which will continue for over 200 days through October.
Kevin Gover, a member of Princeton’s Class of 1978 and undersecretary for museums and culture at the Smithsonian Institution since 2021, received the Woodrow Wilson Award. Gover has been acknowledged for his contributions to Native American communities and educational institutions. He previously directed the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and served as assistant secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Introducing Gover at Richardson Auditorium, Dean of the College Michael Gordin said: “A lawyer, scholar, leader and advocate, he has demonstrated great integrity and courage throughout his career. Through his service and leadership and his many contributions to public policy and tribal advocacy, his life’s work truly epitomizes the motto ‘In the nation’s service and the service of humanity.’”
In his speech titled “Fifty Years of Native Agency,” Gover reflected on his responsibilities in public service: “Public service is about responsibility and not power. I always felt keenly aware that I was exercising the massive power of the federal government in the decisions I was making.” He described how a summer internship with the American Indian Policy Review Commission during college shaped his career path: “This experience set my mind on fire in a very good way and I knew what I wanted to do,” he said.
Gover emphasized lessons learned at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), stating that confidence is important but humility is essential when serving in government roles. He credited progress made by tribal communities to strong leadership within those communities as well as bipartisan support from government officials.
Looking ahead, Gover noted ongoing challenges: “There still is much to be done to ensure that every tribal community and every tribal person has the opportunity to thrive.” He also acknowledged other Native American alumni whose contributions have been significant but less visible than his own: “Their careers may have been less visible than my own, but their contributions in their communities and beyond are no less important. And in this way, Princeton has been in the service of the Native nations.”
Terence Tao received this year’s James Madison Medal for graduate alumni. Tao is a professor at UCLA who earned his Ph.D. from Princeton in 1996 at age 20. A recipient of major honors including the Fields Medal, MacArthur Fellowship, and Breakthrough Prize, Tao was introduced by Dean of Graduate School Rodney Priestley: “His technical brilliance, exceptional creativity, wide-ranging curiosity and collaborative spirit have led to multiple pathbreaking discoveries,” Priestley said.
Tao spoke about making mathematics more accessible throughout his career as well as recent advocacy against cuts to scientific research funding: “Terry, thank you for standing up for life-changing research and for our institutions of higher education. Princeton is standing up with you,” Priestley added.
In his address titled “Math in the Age of AI,” Tao discussed how artificial intelligence is changing mathematical research methods: “AI has developed quite a lot…and it has enabled a new way to do mathematics at unprecedented scales of speed.” He observed that broader participation is now possible in large math projects thanks to technology: “We are finally getting to see broader participation in mathematics… There are now large math projects where you get contributions from undergraduates, high school students, people in industry, just regular people.”
Tao urged responsible use of AI tools within science: “I think it’s important for scientists to step up. Science is one place where AI can really do a lot of good… We really have to take ownership and experiment with how to use it properly and create best practices.”
The ceremony also honored undergraduate Braeden Carroll and Katie Daniels with Princeton’s Moses Taylor Pyne Honor Prize—the highest general distinction conferred on an undergraduate—and graduate students Philip Decker (history), Victor Geadah (mathematics), Sayash Kapoor (computer science), and Eliana Rozinov (literature) as Porter Ogden Jacobus Fellows.
President Christopher L. Eisgruber commented on this year’s student honorees: “Today I have the honor of recognizing several students who — with their creativity, hard work and sheer brilliance — embody the world-class excellence to which this University aspires. This year’s honorees have demonstrated remarkable talent, tremendous dedication and exceptional promise.”
Alumni Day included additional activities such as mixers celebrating 125 years since Princeton Graduate School’s founding; gatherings open to all alumni; opportunities related to supporting higher education; visits to campus art exhibits; varsity athletic events; a Service of Remembrance memorial ceremony; student awards presentations; tours; lectures; affinity group meetings; luncheons; mixers between current students/alumni marking milestone graduation anniversaries; outreach programs promoting engagement with university initiatives supporting higher education.
