Cheshire Alum wins DOC NYC 40 Under 40 Recognition 

Cheshire Academy Hall of Famer best known for award-winning documentary

Scott A. Ruderman ’09, a 2024 Cheshire Academy Hall of Fame inductee, was named to the 2024 DOC NYC 40 Under 40 list spotlighting young creatives making an impact on the field of documentary through their powerful work and diverse voices.  

Ruderman was recognized for his film “Pay or Die,” which explores the crushing financial reality for insulin-dependent Americans living with diabetes. Premiering at SXSW 2023, the film won a SIMA award and the Cinema for Peace Dove Award on Global Health. It was acquired by MTV Documentary and streams on Paramount+. 

Now in its seventh year, the 40 Under 40 list includes emerging documentary talent from filmmakers based in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The 2024 cohort will be honored during the 15^th annual DOC NYC reception in November. 

Ruderman, who won the Senior Visual Arts Prize at Cheshire Academy, graduated from Suffolk University and then received his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His work as a director and cinematographer has been featured on Netflix, HBO/MAX, Hulu, BBC, and PBS, and has premiered at festivals globally.  

Ruderman was one of three Cheshire alumni recognized at the Hall of Fame ceremony during Reunion Weekend in June. About 100 alumni, family, faculty, and friends gathered outside Bowden Hall to celebrate this year’s honorees: Ruderman, D. Robert Gardiner Arts & Letters Hall of Fame; Emma L. Gawronski ’14, Kevin Slaughter Memorial Athletic Hall of Fame; and Evan T. Solomon ’13, The Outstanding Young Alumni Award. 

Do you know a deserving alum you’d like to nominate for the Cheshire Academy Hall of Fame? In addition to the three designations above, the Academy announced two new categories for the 2025 ceremony – the Alumni Achievement Award and the Distinguished Alumni Service Award. Add your suggestions to the form at the bottom of the Hall of Fame page.