The John Jay Award is presented annually by Columbia College of Columbia University to its alumni for distinguished professional achievement. It is named for Founding Father of the United States John Jay, Columbia College Class of 1764. The first awards were handed out in 1979. As of 2020, the awards have been presented to 220 honorees. Notable former recipients are shown below and are grouped in cohorts by the decade when they received the award. The list of recipients include many well-known professionals in a wide variety of fields. Among the recipients are eight Pulitzer Prize winners, five Nobel Prize laureates, five Tony Award winners, five billionaires, four Academy Awards winners, three Golden Globe Awards winners, two United States Attorneys General, a President of Estonia, a Chai