American Council on Education Honors President Emerita Peggy R. Williams

02/10/09

The American Council on Education’s (ACE) Office of Women in Higher Education honored President Emerita Peggy R. Williams at its annual meeting on February 7 in Washington, D.C. Williams was presented with the Donna Shavlik Award, which is given annually to an individual whose leadership has demonstrated a sustained and continuing commitment to the advancement of women through actions or initiatives enhancing women’s leadership development, career development, campus climate, and mentoring opportunities.

Williams retired in 2008 after devoting 36 years to working on behalf of higher education, the last 11 as president of Ithaca College. Throughout her distinguished career, she consistently demonstrated leadership in and commitment to the advancement of women at the local, state, regional, and national levels.

The award is named for Donna Shavlik, a former Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE) director who continues to advocate for giving women in higher education a greater leadership role. Previous winners have included Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami and former U. S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; Yolanda T. Moses, former president of the American Association for Higher Education and the City College of New York; and Caryn McTighe Musil, senior vice president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

“I am honored, beyond what words can describe, to be recognized with this award,” says Williams. “I have great respect for the important work of ACE and its Office of Women in Higher Education. Women have made significant advances in higher education over the past 35 to 40 years, but there still is much work to be done to see that their potential is fully realized. I look forward to continuing to be a part of this critical work in the years ahead.”

Williams’s national leadership is perhaps best exemplified by her years of service with the ACE Commission on Women in Higher Education, including a term as commission chair. She also played a significant role in promoting women’s leadership through collegiate sports while serving on the NCAA Presidents Council Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues. During her time on the committee, its work included supporting professional development initiatives for women and minorities, initiating an annual review of NCAA national staff demographics, and serving in an advisory capacity to the newly formed NCAA Office for Diversity and Inclusiveness.

Williams consistently encouraged women to participate in programs such as the HERS (Higher Education Resource Services) Institute and the National Association for Women in Education’s Emerging Leaders program. Her enthusiastic support led to the personal growth and professional development of many of our present and future leaders in higher education.

While serving as the first woman president of Ithaca College, Williams participated in the rejuvenation of the New York State ACE Women’s Network in the Southern Tier region, sponsoring events at her own institution and convincing others to do the same. She also encouraged many promising young women administrators to participate in and contribute to this organization.

During her many years of service to the academic community in Vermont, Williams became an example and inspiration to others as her career progressed. While president of Lyndon State College, she was a founding board member of the Vermont Women’s Fund, an organization founded to promote the advancement, self-sufficiency, and economic and social equality of Vermont women and girls.

In recognition of her exceptional service in Vermont, the Peggy R. Williams Emerging Professional Award was established through the American Council on Education/National Identification Program. Each year, her contributions are recalled and celebrated by Vermont Women in Higher Education as the organization gives this award to a young female professional with the potential to contribute to the future of higher education. The extent of her contributions in Vermont can also be measured by another award given annually in her name, a scholarship for women leaders granted by the Vermont State Board of Trustees.

The Donna Shavlik Award was presented to Williams at the Women’s Leadership Dinner hosted by the Office of Women in Higher Education and ACE’s Center for Effective Leadership. Making the presentation was provost and vice president for academic affairs Kathleen Rountree, who nominated Williams for the award based on “her lifelong commitment to leadership development for women in higher education, her endless generosity in mentoring and supporting future women leaders, and the exceptional energy and enthusiasm she has brought to her many efforts in this field.”

For more information on the Office of Women in Higher Education and Donna Shavlik Award, visit www.acenet.edu/programs/owhe/.

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