ACE announced its 2026 annual award recipients at the ACE Experience 2026 (ACEx2026), celebrating institutions and leaders advancing bold ideas, expanding opportunity, and delivering meaningful results for students and communities.ACEx2026 convened hundreds of higher education leaders in Washington, DC, for four days of candid conversation, practical strategy sharing, and forward-looking dialogue. Participants examined challenges facing colleges and universities while exploring how higher education can strengthen economic mobility, workforce development, and civic life.
In addition, Sian Beilock, president of Dartmouth College, was honored with the TIAA Institute Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education, which recognizes a president who embodies the spirit of the late Reverend Hesburgh through principled leadership and a deep commitment to the public purpose of higher education.
ACE’s annual awards are a central part of the Council’s efforts to honor leaders, institutions, and programs that strengthen campuses, expand opportunity, and advance innovative, replicable practices across higher education.