Association President Receives 2024 ACE Donna Shavlik Award

The American Council on Education has announced its selection for the 2024 ACE Donna Shavlik Award.

This year’s award recipient is Dr. Marjorie Hass, president of The Council of Independent Colleges, an association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils, and higher education affiliates supporting leadership, institutional excellence, and enhanced public understanding of the contributions of independent higher education to society.

Dr. Marjorie Hass“I am deeply honored to be recognized by ACE,” said Hass. “And I appreciate all those who have supported me and my efforts to empower women as leaders in higher education.”

ACE plans to present the award during its 2024 ACE Women’s Leadership Dinner on March 20 in Washington, DC. The organization established the Donna Shavlik Award in 1999 to honor the long and exceptional service of Donna Shavlik, past director of ACE’s former Office of Women in Higher Education. The award highlights an individual who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to advancing women in higher education through initiatives enhancing leadership and career development, campus climate, and mentoring.

“President Hass’ decades of leadership in higher education have been marked by a steadfast commitment to fostering the growth of female leaders,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “Her ongoing efforts to empower women in higher education embody the principles of the ACE Donna Shavlik Award.”

Hass has led The Council of Independent Colleges since 2021, overseeing the organization’s programming to drive an active, diverse membership that fosters financial health and innovation. Holding bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she is considered a philosopher, leader, award-winning teacher, mentor, author, and an influential thinker in independent higher education. She is widely published on the philosophy of language, logic, and feminist philosophy and speaks frequently on leadership, shared governance, and the independent sector in higher education.

Hass — who is currently a member of the Board of Trustees at Brandeis University — previously served as president of Rhodes College and Austin College, and as provost and a member of the philosophy faculty at Muhlenberg College. She also served as a board member of The Council of Independent Colleges, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

This month, Diverse named Hass as one of our Top 40 Women in Higher Education.