Mónica Ruiz House, who recently earned an undergraduate degree in Romance Languages and Literatures, has fought passionately for migrants’ rights throughout her time at the College.
About Mónica Ruiz House
Recipient of the 2024 Hugo F. Sonnenschein Medal of Excellence
A member of the College’s Class of 2024, Mónica has been recognized with the prestigious Sonnenschein Medal for her commitment to social justice work.
Mónica has been involved with several organizations, including the International Rescue Committee, the Mexican Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights, and Chicago’s Treatment not Trauma Coalition.
Recently, she was awarded a $10,000 Projects for Peace grant to work with No More Deaths, an Arizona-based organization focused on migrant advocacy. Together, Mónica and No More Deaths will map locations along the US-Mexico border where migrant adults and children have lost their lives. She hopes that the project eventually inspires policy change.
About the Hugo F. Sonnenschein Medal of Excellence
“The Hugo F. Sonnenschein Medal of Excellence is the highest award bestowed upon undergraduates by the College. Named in honor of the University of Chicago’s eleventh president, it recognizes one graduating student whose character and deeds embody the University's foundational commitment to the direct and active betterment of society at large. The award thereby seeks to inspire an ethos of engagement that further strengthens the University’s service to local, national, and international communities.”
Mónica is the second person to earn the Medal, which was established in 2023.
Read more in a recent article from the College.