ASU grad Courtney Klein recognized with Young Alumni Achievement Award

Courtney Klein, who graduated with a bachelor of interdisciplinary studies degree from the College of Letters and Sciences in 2005 and also earned a master of non-profit studies at ASU, was honored with the 2016 Young Alumni Achievement Award at the ASU Alumni Association's annual Founders' Day event, held at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa on Feb. 3.

Klein, who founded the nonprofit New Global Citizens shortly after graduation, is founder and CEO of SEED SPOT, which invests in and accelerates the work of nonprofits focused on solutions to social problems. Since its founding in 2012, SEED SPOT has assisted more than 160 social entrepreneurs with funding, training and mentorship. Her work has gained national attention and SEED SPOT was recognized as one of the top three social impact incubators in the United States — by UBI Global and Cisco.

In her remarks at the Founders' Day event, Klein thanked her ASU mentors — especially former ASU president Lattie Coor — for all the support and encouragement she received to pursue and realize her visions. Now the mother of a six-month-old baby, she said she feels even more strongly about the need to make sure we do all we can to create a better world for generations to come.

The Founders' Day award ceremony honors individuals who exemplify the spirit of the founders of the Territorial Normal School of Arizona, ASU’s predecessor institution, which received its charter from the Thirteenth Territorial Legislature in 1885. The 2016 event, in addition to lauding Klein, recognized Regents' Professor Charles Arntzen with the Faculty Achevement Research Award, associate professor Josephine Petyon Marsh with the Faculty Achievement Service Award, associate professor Wendy Hultsman with the Faculty Achievement Teaching Award, Derrick Hall with the Alumni Achievement Award, and Cindy and Mike Watts with the Philanthropists of the Year Award.