CHICAGO — DePaul University has been chosen by the Opus Prize Foundation to host the 2026 Opus Prize, a faith-based award for social entrepreneurship. The annual prize honors individuals and organizations whose work, rooted in faith, addresses some of the most persistent social challenges of our time. The Opus Prize includes a $1 million award for the laureate and two $100,000 awards for finalists to support their organizations.

“Hosting the Opus Prize is a profound honor for DePaul,” said Robert L. Manuel, president of DePaul University. “Our Vincentian mission calls on us to act boldly in service of human dignity — and the Opus Prize reflects that same conviction on a global scale. I’m especially proud that this work will be shaped by our entire university community, including our Board of Trustees, and that DePaul students will serve as ambassadors during finalist site visits alongside faculty and staff. Together, we will lift up extraordinary leaders from around the world whose faith-inspired work is transforming lives and renewing hope.”

Since the prize’s inception in 2004, the Opus Prize Foundation has awarded 21 laureates from 15 countries. Past Laureates include the Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit, who have dedicated their lives to uplifting young people in Zambia through agriculture and entrepreneurship training.  Another laureate, the late Bishop Paride Taban, created a village for peacebuilding, education, health services and food security in South Sudan.

The theme for DePaul’s Opus Prize year, “Uplifting the Dignity of All,” reflects the university’s Catholic, Vincentian mission and commitment to advancing human dignity through education and service. While the Opus Prize Foundation partners with a Catholic university to award the prize each year, the individual or organization receiving it may have roots in any faith.

In collaboration with the foundation, DePaul will identify nominees, select finalists, and organize an immersive awards week. Students play a central role in this process and serve as ambassadors, participate in site visits and engage with finalists during campus events. These experiences offer students a unique opportunity to learn from global changemakers and to consider how they might dedicate their own lives to service and innovation.

“At its heart, the Opus Prize is about hope,” said Daniel McGinty, Executive Director of the Opus Prize Foundation. “We are eager to illuminate the work of unsung heroes, to support their inspiring commitments, and—through site visit experiences—to share with students what a life of service looks like.”

Faculty and staff are guiding the Opus Prize process, including selecting the jury and student ambassadors. The jury selects three finalists for the prize. Ambassador teams of DePaul students, faculty, and staff join the Opus Prize Foundation on site visits to the three finalists.  

“My hope is that the Opus Prize finalists who are working for transformative change uplift and inspire our DePaul community, the city of Chicago and beyond,” Interim Vice President for Mission and Ministry Mark Laboe said. “May this project inspire us to remember who we are and who we are called to become.”

The 2026 Opus Prize process will culminate in DePaul hosting a week of celebration with the three finalists in October 2026, including an interfaith prayer service, class visits, and an awards ceremony. For more information about DePaul’s Opus Prize activities, visit the website.

About DePaul University
DePaul University provides exceptional academics and real-world experiences to prepare students for a changing world. With more than 20,500 students across more than 300 academic programs, DePaul has two campus locations in Chicago. The university was founded in 1898 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), a Roman Catholic religious community dedicated to following the ideals of St. Vincent de Paul. DePaul is one of the largest Catholic universities in the nation. 

About The Opus Prize Foundation
The Opus Prize Foundation, established in 1994, was originally related to the Opus Corporation and today is a private and independent nonprofit foundation. Awarded annually, the Opus Prize includes a $1 million prize and two $100,000 prizes given to individuals or organizations — anywhere in the world — whose faith-based, entrepreneurial leadership helps address persisting social problems within their communities. Each year, the foundation partners with a different Catholic university to use a confidential nomination process to identify and select finalists for that year’s Opus Prize awards. The Opus Prize is given to not only further the humanitarian efforts of the recipients, but also to inspire people to pursue lives of service to others and to their communities.

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Mary Hansen
Mhanse26@depaul.edu