The honorees were recognized for their vision and academic stewardship with the awards named after the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, a nationally renowned educator and world humanitarian. Drs. Reed and Padrón were chosen by an independent panel of judges based on their excellence in higher education leadership.
TIAA-CREF (tiaa-cref.org) is a national financial services organization with $464 billion in assets under management and a leading provider of retirement services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields.
“Dr. Reed’s and Dr. Padrón’s remarkable, collaborative leadership styles reinforce the need to build bridges both within an institution and throughout the surrounding community,” said Stephanie Bell-Rose, managing director and head of the TIAA-CREF Institute. “Their abilities to bring innovative vision to their roles, positively impacting higher education across the nation, make them model Hesburgh Award winners.”
Reed was cited for building collaborative partnerships and award-winning outreach programs, particularly those dedicated to underserved students, that have received national acclaim.
The American Council on Education is the major coordinating body for all of the nation’s higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents and more than 200 related associations nationwide. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy.