Niesen Award Winners

The Father Niesen Service Award honors the memory of Jesuit Father Edward Niessen, who came to Nepal just over a half century ago to help in the work of the recently founded St. Xavier's Godavari School.

He was quickly named superior and principal of Godavari, and later served as both principal of Jawalakhel and rector of all the Jesuits in Nepal. He was an architect and a builder in both the literal and figurative sense. He single-handedly directed physical expansion of the new school in Jawalakhel. But he also masterfully guided the development of Jesuit education efforts in Nepal.

He holds a special place of honor in the hearts of alumni because he was the driving force behind the formation of an alumni association and we look to him as a founding father of the Godavari Alumni Association.

The Father Niesen Award is presented by the moderator, on behalf of the GAA to an alumnus who has rendered outstanding service to the organisation.(Special thanks to Fr. Gregory Sharkey for providing us with this writeup.)