Recipients of 2020 Montle Prize Announced

The Paul and Elizabeth Montle Prize for Entrepreneurial Achievement is awarded to three entrepreneurially forward-thinking students each year.

Three undergraduate students at Tufts University have been awarded The Paul and Elizabeth Montle Prize for Entrepreneurial Achievement in recognition of their passion, knowledge and skillset in the field of entrepreneurship.

The annual prize, offered through Tufts Entrepreneurship Center, includes three monetary awards: “The Senior Award” ($15,000), “Most Progress in a New Venture” ($10,000), and “Best Demonstration of Grit” ($10,000). Griffen Saul, A21, Matthew Alswanger, A21, and Lenor Levy, BFA + BS ‘23, were selected for the respective honors following a rigorous review of applications.

“Congratulations to the winners of this year’s prestigious Montle Prize. Our judges were blown away by your passion for achieving social impact through entrepreneurship,” said Elaine Chen, Director, Tufts Entrepreneurship Center, and Cummings Family Professor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship. “Your stories will inspire others at Tufts to embrace their own entrepreneurial spirit to become transformative leaders who are deeply in tune with society.”

Though this year’s selection process was difficult, the committee congratulates all applicants on their accomplishments and many contributions to the world.

The Montle Prize for Entrepreneurial Achievement was established by the late Paul Montle, an alumnus of Tufts University’s Class of 1969, to support students as they become leaders in business and nonprofit sectors. The honor celebrates innovative thinking and expertise gained through entrepreneurship courses, co-curricular events, competitions, and working in a startup.

The prize’s “Senior Award” recognizes a graduating student who has shown strong personal growth in their entrepreneurial mindset and skillset since their first year of studies. The “Most Progress in a New Venture” and “Best Demonstration of Grit” awards recognize the continuous refinement and resiliency students show in and out of the classroom.

Recipients of the Montle Prize accept a future commitment to give back to Tufts University, with many going on to compete in the $100k New Ventures Competition.

This year’s selection committee and judges included:

Elaine Chen, Director, Tufts Entrepreneurship Center; Cummings Family Professor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship
Gavin Finn, PhD, Professor of the Practice, Tufts Entrepreneurship Center | Tufts Gordon Institute
Kevin Oye, Executive Director, Tufts Gordon Institute; Director, MS in Innovation & Management Program; Professor of the Practice
Diane Ryan, Associate Dean for Programs and Administration, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life
Christopher Swan, Dean of Undergraduate Education, Tufts University School of Engineering; Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Faculty, Steering Committee member, Tisch College Community Research Center at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life

To learn more about The Paul and Elizabeth Montle Prize for Entrepreneurial Achievement, visit: /entrepreneurship-center/competitions/montle-prize