The Higher Education Leadership Conference is an annual conference organized by alumni, staff, and faculty of the Penn GSE Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Ed.D. program that recognizes catalytic leaders in higher education while diving into the field’s most vexing contemporary challenges.
In addition to featuring opportunities to hear from national and international leaders, reconvene with faculty for master class opportunities, and reconnect with peers and professional networks, the conference features recognition of significant leadership through the Robert Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Education and the Distinguished Alumni Award. More information about each award appears below.
2026 Higher Education Leadership Conference
Harvard University Professor Danielle Allen received the Zemsky Medal at this year's Awards Galla.
Watch how Danielle Allen addresses “What role does higher education play in sustaining democracy?”
Robert Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Education
The Robert Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Education recognizes outstanding leaders in higher education who have brought about transformative changes in colleges and universities, aligning them with their missions and global contexts. This award encourages individuals committed to revolutionizing higher education through innovative approaches, including academic excellence, improved understanding of the education landscape, enhanced teaching and research, and contributions to higher education policy and outcomes. Awardees must demonstrate innovative leadership that substantially enhances higher education, benefiting students through improved learning opportunities, resource utilization, and institutional efficiency, often achieved through collaboration.
2026 Honoree
Danielle Allen | James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University; Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School and Director of the Democratic Knowledge Project
2025 Paul LeBlanc | Co-Founder, Matter and Space, Former President of Southern New Hampshire University
2024 Karen Stout | President and CEO, Achieving the Dream
2023 Susan Basso | Huron Consulting Group
2022 Sylvia Hurtado | Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
2021 Ruth Simmons | President of Prairie View A&M University
2020 Amy Gutmann | President, University of Pennsylvania
2019 Beverly Daniel Tatum | President Emerita, Spelman College
2018 Eduardo J. Padrón | President, Miami Dade College
2017 Doug Lederman & Scott Jaschik | Co-Editors, Inside Higher Ed
2016 Nancy Cantor | Chancellor, Rutgers University-Newark
2015 Freeman Hrabowski | President, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
2014 Carol Geary Schneider | President, American Association of Colleges & Universities
2013 George Kuh | Founding Director, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment
2012 Robert Zemsky | Professor of Education, University of Pennsylvania
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes an alumna/us of the program who has demonstrated significant and effective leadership and management and has had a substantial impact or influence at an organizational, regional, or national level.
2026 Honoree
Lawrence “Larry” Schall, GRD’03 | President, New England Commission of Higher Education | President, Oglethorpe University (2005–2020)
2025 Stefanie Niles, GRD’12 | President, Cottey College
2024 Michael Schneider, GRD’15 | President, McPherson College
2023 Larry Ward, GRD’11 | President, University of Hartford
2022 Scott Beardsley, GRD’15 | Dean and Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business
2021 Candice Thille, GRD’13 | Director of Learning Science and Engineering, Amazon | Associate Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Education
2020 Jenny Rickard, GRD’09 | President and CEO, The Common Application
2019 Kent MacDonald, GRD’12 | President, Northwood University
2018 Wally Boston, GRD’10 | President, American Public University System (2004–2020)
2017 Jo Ann Rooney, GRD’05 | President, Loyola University Chicago (2016–2022)
2016 Michael Sorrell, GRD’15 | President, Paul Quinn College
2015 Cathy Dove, GRD’04 | Principal, Leadership Advisory, WittKieffer