ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation

The ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation recognizes colleges or universities that, in a period of great change in higher education, have responded to challenges in innovative and creative ways that allow the institution to thrive.

The award is split into two categories:

Category 1

Institutions with student populations of 12,001 and over

Category 2

Institutions with student populations of up to 12,000

Each winning institution receives a $10,000 prize.

ACE invites nominations and applications for the award from any U.S. college or university who are ACE members including institutions that are eligible for ACE membership. For more information about the ACE/Fidelity Investments Institutional Transformation Award contact transformationaward@acenet.edu.

2020 Winners: Amarillo College (TX) and Dominican University of California

Note: Award winners from 2020 and earlier were broken into two categories which have since changed. Category 1 included institutions with student populations of 5,001 and over. Category 2 included institutions with student populations of up to 5,000.

Love Can Save Higher Education From Itself

by Russell Lowery-Hart

The Amarillo College reformation is an inspiring tale of courage, pain, uncertainty, risk-taking, and even fear. Yet, the foundation of our reformation is based on one important concept—love.

Read the full blog post

Small Colleges Are Essential for U.S. Economic, Social Recovery

by Mary B. Marcy

The media, as well as most of our campuses and boards, are consumed right now with the immediate and significant challenge of delivering quality education while attempting to contain the spread of the coronavirus. But many institutions are also facing a different kind of existential risk: a risk to the continuation of their mission.

Read the full blog post

Past Award Recipients

ACE has been bestowing the ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation since 2014, when Arizona State University became the first ever recipient. Click to expand the area below to learn more about our past recipients.

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2019 Transformation Award Winners - University of South Florida and Benedict College (SC)

2018 Transformation Award Winners - Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) and Saint Peter’s University (NJ)

2017 Transformation Award Winners - Brandman University (CA) and Agnes Scott College (GA)

2016 Transformation Award Winners - Fayetteville State University (NC) and Newbury College (MA)

2015 Transformation Award Winners - Georgia State University and Governors State University (IL)

2014 Transformation Award Winner - Arizona State University

Applications

Applications are now open for the 2021 ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation. The deadline for applications has been extended to January 15, 2021, by 5 p.m. PT.

Awards will be presented online during ACE Awards Week, May 24-28, 2021.

apply for Category 1Apply for Category 2

Sponsor

ACE is grateful to Fidelity for its support of this award.

The American Council on Education and Fidelity Investments® are independent entities and are not legally affiliated. The recipient of the American Council on Education/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation is selected solely by ACE. Fidelity employees are not involved in any way in determining, selecting, or approving the recipient of any award.