Leadership Award

The Leadership Award will be presented to an ASHE Member(s) in recognition of bringing visibility and support to the field of higher education, demonstrating the contributions of the study of higher education to policy formation, and/or in gaining substantial resources for research and training in higher education.

Nomination Evaluation Criteria

When reviewing nominations, the awards committee will make decisions based on the following preferred and demonstrated attributes:

1. Connection of research and practice

2. Influence on institutional, organizational, or governmental policy change

3. Scholarly connections outside the field of higher education

4. Citations, invitation to speak (namely as a keynote), and grant funding

Awards Timeline

• Early May: Awards Nominations Open

• June 30, 2025, 12:00pm Mountain/Denver Time: Awards Nominations close

• July-September: Committee review of nominations

• Late September: Notification to nominators of committee decisions

• Mid-October: Association-wide announcement of recipients

• November: Awards Ceremony during ASHE 2025 Annual Conference

Due to the number of submissions and the review process, no late submissions will be accepted; as such, nominators are encouraged to submit their nominations well in advance of this deadline. 

Nomination Requirements

To submit a nomination you will need:

• Name, Title, Position, Institution, Email, and Phone Number of Coordinating Nominator

• Name, Title, Position, Institution, Email, and Phone Number of Nominee

• A nomination statement up to 750 words that demonstrates the nominee's match to the award evaluation criteria. This should not be a nomination or support letter, but a summary of the nominee's qualifications for this specific award.

• 2-3 letters of support. For upload into the nomination form, these should be combined into one document, preferably a pdf.

• The nominee's CV.

Due to the increased number of nominations received in recent years, each nominee will be limited to one nomination. In the event multiple nominations are submitted, the committee chair will notify the coordinating nominators requesting they consolidate their nominations.

The coordinating nominator, as well as the award nominee(s) (and subsequently recipient(s)), must be current members of ASHE.

Questions about the award process can be sent to awards@ashe.ws.

Submit a Nomination

Conflicts of Interest

ASHE's Conflict of Interest Policy aims to ensure the integrity of the process. In establishing this policy, the Association sets forth circumstances that require ASHE members to refrain or recuse themselves from participation and circumstances where ASHE members need to consider whether the nature of their relationship creates the actuality or appearance of a conflict. 

To avoid conflicts of interests, current members of the Board of Directors, respective Council Executive Committees, and/or respective awards committees are ineligible to be part of the awards process, including nominating colleagues, being nominated, and writing letters of support.

Past Recipients

2023: William Cox and Frank Matthews

2021: Jamey Rorison (YouTube Link)

2019: Shaun R. Harper (YouTube Link)

2018: Estela Mara Bensimon (YouTube Link)

2017: Trudy Banta (YouTube Link)

2014: Marybeth Gasman

2013: William G. Tierney

2012: Gary Rhoades

2010: Sylvia Hurtado

2008: George Keller

2007: Judith Glazer-Raymo

2006: Elaine El-Khawas

2005: Ann I. Morey

2004: Stan Ikenberry

2003: Kathryn M. Moore

2002: Edward St. John

2001: William Bowen

2000: Ted Marchese

1999: Zeld Gamson

1996: Peter Ewell

1995: Derek Bok

1992: Ernest Boyer

1990: Kenneth P. Mortimer