2026 TIAA Institute Theodore M. Hesburgh Award Presentation
Feb. 27, 2025 / Washington, D.C.
The TIAA Institute presented the 2026 Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education to Dr. Sian Leah Beilock, President of Dartmouth, at the annual meeting of the American Council on Education (ACE) in Washington, D.C. A special dinner the evening before honored Dr. Beilock and celebrated leadership excellence in higher education.
Dr. Beilock, Dartmouth's first woman president, is a cognitive scientist and leading expert on performance under pressure who has distinguished herself through an unwavering commitment to constructive dialogue, student well-being, and accessibility. She launched Dartmouth Dialogues, engaging more than 15,000 community members in its first year, and expanded financial aid so that families earning under $125,000 face no required parent contribution. She also co-founded the EDGE Consortium to advance representation in STEM education.
The Hesburgh Award is sponsored by the TIAA Institute and administered by ACE, with recipients chosen by an independent panel of judges.
For more information on the Award and to view last year’s winner, click here.
