Washington (Feb. 22, 2017) - The American Council on Education (ACE) announced today that Judy Genshaft, president of the University of South Florida (USF) System, will receive the 2017 Donna Shavlik Award.
The award will be presented at ACE2017, ACE’s 99th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, during the Women’s Leadership Dinner on Saturday, March 11.
ACE established the Donna Shavlik Award to honor the long and outstanding service of Donna Shavlik, former director of ACE's Office of Women in Higher Education. Presented annually, the award honors an individual who demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing women in higher education, through leadership and career development, campus climate and mentoring.
Under Genshaft’s leadership since 2000, USF has become one of the fastest growing research universities in the nation with a rapidly expanding international reputation for academics, research and innovation. With its strong commitment to applied research, USF has been instrumental in the economic development of the Tampa Bay region as well as playing an influential leadership role among American universities.
Throughout her career, Genshaft has provided invaluable leadership through her insights and dedication to promoting and supporting women on her campus and in the community. For instance, in 2005 Genshaft co-founded the Women in Leadership and Philanthropy program at USF, which focuses on engaging and educating its members in support of women and women's initiatives throughout the USF System and beyond.
Regionally, nationally and globally recognized as an outstanding woman leader, Genshaft was the first woman to chair the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I Board. She has also been recognized by theTampa Bay Business Journalas the 2007 Business Woman of the Year, and received the Tampa World Trade Center’s Betty Castor Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also the recipient of the Amiga Award for Non-Hispanic women whose outstanding efforts have improved the quality of life in the Hispanic community and the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate in Literature from Yeungnam University, South Korea.
"Judy Genshaft has worked tirelessly and effectively to develop the next generation of women leaders," said ACE President Molly Corbett Broad. "She is an inspiring role model and frequent mentor through her own achievements and her sustained commitment to creating paths to success for so many others."
Christine Brennan will give the keynote address at the Women’s Leadership Dinner. Brennan’s speech will focus on the advancement of women in the United States and life lessons learned as a result of Title IX affording more women the opportunity to engage in intercollegiate athletics.
The 2017 ACE State Network Leadership Award will be given to Oregon State University’s (OSU) Difference, Power and Discrimination (DPD) program.