The Dan Piper Award was established to commemorate self-advocate Dan Piper’s life by celebrating an individual with Down syndrome who, through everyday activities, brings about greater public awareness and understanding of people with Down syndrome in their community.
The recipient of the Dan Piper Award will receive a one-night stay at the NYC Buddy Walk hotel and a photo in the Times Square Video! Congratulations to the 2025 recipient, Paige Soderman
The Award is given in memory of Dan Piper, a young man with Down syndrome. Dan had an inclusive education and showed the Iowa Public School System that people with Down syndrome are not only intelligent and able to learn but also contributing members of the school community through involvement in extracurricular activities. Dan was employed and had many friends in the town where he lived in Iowa. Dan considered himself a “regular guy” who was given opportunities that allowed him to accomplish extraordinary things, such as testifying before Congress on behalf of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants for the scholarship must:
- Have Down syndrome
- Be 18 years of age or older
Application Question
Write a recommendation for the individual you are nominating for this award. The recommendation should be 1,000 words or less.
Application Deadline
You should complete the application as independently as possible. All applications must be submitted by May 7, 2026.
Notification
You will receive an email confirmation that we received your application. If you have any questions about completing the application, please contact NDSS at info@ndss.org.