Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will receive the Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award from the University of Illinois at a ceremony May 18 in Washington, D.C.

Justice O’Connor will accept the award, which is presented by the University’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs, at a ceremony scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., EDT, in Room 902 of the Hart Senate Office Building.

“Justice O’Connor’s lifelong commitment to public service and her strong advocacy for an independent judiciary make her a true embodiment of the spirit of the Douglas Award,” said Robert F. Rich, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs. “We are honored to present her with the Douglas Medallion.”

While serving on the Supreme Court from 1981-2006, Justice O’Connor was known for her pragmatic, learned moderation. Since her retirement from the Court, she has focused her efforts on improving civics education across the country and on raising awareness of the importance of an independent, viable judiciary.

Her work has included the creation of the Sandra Day O’Connor Project on the State of the Judiciary in partnership with Georgetown University Law Center. The Project conducts regional and national conferences to discuss the state of courts and judgeships. It will hold its 2009 conference in Washington on May 20.

The Douglas Award was established in 1992 to honor the memory of Paul H. Douglas, the lawmaker from Illinois who became known as the “conscience of the Senate” during his three terms in Washington (1949-67). The award is presented annually to a public servant who has made a lasting contribution to ethical behavior in government.