The Vilcek Foundation

The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in America and fosters appreciation of the arts and sciences.

The foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The foundation’s mission was inspired by the couple’s respective careers in biomedical science and art history, as well as their personal experiences and appreciation for the opportunities offered to them as newcomers to the United States.

The foundation achieves its mission through several programs. Its flagship program is the Vilcek Foundation Prizes, awarded to immigrants whose contributions have a profound impact on American culture, particularly in the biomedical sciences, the arts and humanities, or in other fields relevant to contemporary society.

The foundation achieves its mission through several programs: Its flagship program is the Vilcek Foundation Prizes, which includes the Vilcek Prize, awarded to foreign-born scientists and artists who are recognized leaders in their fields, and the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise, awarded to younger, immigrant artists and scientists who have demonstrated exceptional promise early in their careers. The Vilcek Prize for Excellence is awarded to immigrants of any field whose contributions profoundly impact American society.

Above: Former Vilcek Foundation Prizewinners Jing Liu (b. China), Alexander Rudenskey (b. Russia), Teddy Cruz (b. Guatemala), Feng Zhang (b. China), Mona Ghandi (b. Iran). Courtesy of the Vilcek Foundation.