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American Council on Education Presents 2008 Donna Shavlik Award to Adrian Tinsley

Feb. 11, 2008

The award was presented tonight during the Women's Leadership Dinner hosted by OWHE and ACE's Center for Effective Leadership in conjunction with the ACE Annual Meeting currently underway at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. This year's dinner also marks the 35th anniversary of OWHE.

OWHE Director Donna Burns Phillips (left) with 2008 Shavlik Award Winner Adrian Tinsley.

The Donna Shavlik Award honors an individual whose leadership, both at colleges and universities and in national positions, 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 for women. The award is named for Donna Shavlik, a former longtime OWHE director who continues to advocate for giving women in higher education a greater leadership role.

“Adrian is known to thousands of women in higher education as one who encouraged and empowered them to achieve administrative positions, even when it was unusual for women to hold such offices,” said Claire Van Ummersen, ACE vice president, Center for Effective Leadership.

Tinsley received her bachelor's degree in psychology at Bryn Mawr College (PA). She also holds a master's degree and a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Washington and Cornell University (NY), respectively.

At the time of her appointment as Bridgewater's tenth president—and first female president—Tinsley was executive vice president and provost at Glassboro State College, now Rowan University (NJ). 

While serving as Bridgewater's president, Tinsley was active in regional and national professional associations, including the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the board of directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. She also served on ACE's Commission on Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness.

In recognition of her accomplishments and leadership on behalf of women in higher education, she received the 1999 Leadership Award from ACE's Massachusetts State Network.

Tinsley is a founding faculty member of the Bryn Mawr/Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration, a residential program held at Bryn Mawr College. She taught in the HERS Management Institute and the HERS South Africa programs at Wellesley College (MA). She sponsored more than 60 women from Bridgewater State College to attend the HERS programs and, in her honor, the HERS alumnae at Bridgewater formed a HERS Bridgewater Chapter in 2005, the first institutional chapter in the country.

“Adrian Tinsley quietly and determinedly has for many years been providing women with the mentoring and encouragement they need to reach their potential. I am very pleased to add her name to the list of women leaders who have earned this award,” said Donna Phillips, director, OWHE.