2021 TIAA Institute Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education Honoring Ruth J. Simmons President, Prairie View A&M University “Ruth Simmons has had a storied career in higher education, including successfully leading three outstanding and very different institutions. Through it all, she has expanded student access, removed barriers for women and communities of color, and fought for social progress. She’s an inspiration to her peers and the embodiment of Father Hesburgh’s values.”

David P. Richardson Head, TIAA Institute and Managing Director of Research Honoring Ruth J. Simmons President, Prairie View A&M University 2021 recipient of the TIAA Institute Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education

One more challenge After serving as president of for 10 years and improving its standing as one of the world’s finest research universities, Ruth Simmons announced she was going to retire at the end of the 2012 academic year. She planned to return to , where she was born during the height of segregation and raised on a farm alongside 11 siblings.

Having already made her mark in various faculty and administrative roles before coming to Brown—including serving six years as president of , the largest women’s college in the , and holding positions at the University of Southern California, and — President Simmons had clearly earned the right to slow down and relax. It didn’t last long. Taking the helm at Prairie View In June 2017, she agreed to step in as interim president of Prairie View A&M University, a historically black institution founded in 1876 and a member of the Texas A&M University System. Later that year, she was officially named Prairie View’s eighth president—the first woman to serve in that role. Her vision, as she articulated it then, is that Prairie View would “sustain excellence in teaching, research and service for another 140-plus years.” Since taking the helm, she has tirelessly advanced that goal.

Putting students first “You will not find a president who is more dedicated to the students than Ruth is. In every conversation we’ve had, the students have been her main concern,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System.1 Focusing squarely on student needs has long been President Simmons’ preoccupation. At Smith, she led a range of initiatives to expand women’s STEM and leadership opportunities, including launching the first engineering program at an American women’s college.

While at Brown, she undertook an equally ambitious campaign built around student needs. This included expanding and strengthening faculty; increasing financial support and resources for undergraduate, graduate and medical students; and improving campus facilities. She also launched an investigation into Brown’s historic ties to the slave trade, helping the university and its students reconcile this painful legacy.

“Few presidents or public figures have exemplified as well as Father Hesburgh the combination of leadership qualities that I most admire and have aspired to emulate: empathy, courage and integrity. I can think of no greater honor than to receive this award.” Ruth J. Simmons President, Prairie View A&M University Charting new pathways At Prairie View, President Simmons has focused on supporting African American scholarship and research, increasing tenure-track faculty and building leadership across curricular areas. Academic excellence sets the foundation for another important goal: boosting the university’s financial sustainability. Her efforts to that end include:

WW Raising funds to grow Prairie View’s endowment by 40% WW Increasing the number of endowed faculty positions WW Improving financial aid fundraising WW Expanding partnerships between Prairie View and other leading institutions

Above all, in every position she holds, President Simmons demonstrates authentic leadership. As a first-generation college student from a family of modest means, this quality comes naturally to her. She understands the challenges many of her students face; she has encountered such challenges herself. But she also knows how education can help people surmount those challenges—and achieve levels of success few could have imagined. Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice In March 2021, Prairie View launched the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice, dedicated to addressing the persistent inequities caused by racism and proposing policies and practices to help eliminate them. The Center hosts scholarly symposia, houses research fellows and fosters community outreach. Highlights of its early work include:

WW Conducting a comprehensive study of the impact of slavery and segregation on Prairie View’s campus, which is located on the grounds of the former Alta Vista Plantation WW Collecting oral histories and key documents outlining HBCU student experiences in demanding voting rights, beginning at Prairie View and expanding to other campuses WW Launching the Implicit Bias Training and Equity Project, the first of several planned diversity-consulting efforts in collaboration with major partners in Houston and Harris County

Through the Center and its comprehensive remit, Prairie View aims to increase society’s understanding of the complex interplay between racial discrimination and conceptions of justice. About the award

Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh President Emeritus, University of Notre Dame

The Hesburgh Award is named in honor of the Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., past president of the University of Notre Dame and longtime member of the TIAA and CREF Boards of Overseers. A world-renowned educator and humanitarian, Father Hesburgh (1917-2015) was a lifelong champion of human rights, the cause of peace, and care for the poor. He received both the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

As a tribute to Father Hesburgh’s lasting legacy, the TIAA Institute grants the Hesburgh Award to a current college or university president or chancellor who embodies Father Hesburgh’s commitment to higher education and the world at large. The American Council on Education administers the award on the Institute’s behalf, and recipients are chosen by an independent panel of judges. About the TIAA Institute

Since 1998, the TIAA Institute has helped advance the ways individuals and institutions plan for financial security and organizational effectiveness. The Institute conducts in-depth research, provides access to a network of thought leaders, and enables those it serves to anticipate trends, plan future strategies and maximize opportunities for success. To learn more, visit www.tiaainstitute.org and follow us on Twitter @TIAAInstitute.

About TIAA

With an award-winning track record for consistent investment performance, TIAA (TIAA.org) is the leading provider of financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural and government fields. TIAA has $1.3 trillion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2021) and offers a wide range of financial solutions, including investing, banking, advice and education, and retirement services.

About Prairie View A&M University

Designated an institution of “the first class” in the Texas Constitution, Prairie View A&M University is the second-oldest public institution of higher education in the state. With an established reputation for producing engineers, nurses, and educators, PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degree programs through eight colleges and schools. A member of The Texas A&M University System, the university is dedicated to fulfilling its land-grant mission of achieving excellence in teaching, research and service. For more information regarding PVAMU, visit www.pvamu.edu.

1 Diverse Issues in Higher Education, “Simmons’ Presidency Ushers in New Era for Prairie View,” April 22, 2018.

TIAA Institute is a division of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), New York, NY. ©2021 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

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