Process:
- For the Exceptional Leader and Exceptional Agency awards, award decisions will be made by a committee of SHEEOs, SHEEO staff, and the SHEEO president. The Exceptional Leader Award will be presented at the SHEEO Annual Meeting and the Exceptional Agency Award will be presented at the SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference.
- For the David L. Wright Memorial Award, SHEEO is seeking nominations, and a committee of agency and SHEEO staff will review nominations and make award decisions. The David L. Wright Memorial Award will be presented at the SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference.
Exceptional Leader Award – Presented to a current state higher education executive officer from a member agency who has shown exceptional leadership, a commitment to higher education, a contribution to the greater good, and service to the SHEEO Association within the last year.
Exceptional Agency Award – Presented to a member agency whose innovative actions, policies, or practices advanced student success in their state; which displayed exceptional governance practices; which overcame exceptional challenges; or displayed other meritorious attributes within the last year.
The David L. Wright Memorial Award – This award is named in honor of the late David Wright, an esteemed colleague and leader in state higher education, who served in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, and the Florida Governing Board. This award recognizes a current SHEEO agency staff member, from a member agency, who embodies the exceptional commitment, work ethic, and ethical practices of David Wright, and who has made outstanding contributions to their agency.
Past Recipients
Exceptional Leader Award
2024 – Aaron Thompson, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
2023 – Michael P. Meotti, Washington Student Achievement Council
2022 – Peter Blake, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
2021 – Zora Mulligan, Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development
2020 – Kim Hunter Reed, Louisiana Board of Regents
2019 – Glen Johnson, Oklahoma State System of Higher Education
2018 – Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Exceptional Agency Award
2024 – Pennsylvania’s State System for Higher Education
2023 – Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
2022 – Minnesota Office of Higher Education and Minnesota State
2021 – Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
2020 – Tennessee Higher Education Commission
2019 – University System of Georgia
2018 – Idaho State Board of Education
David L. Wright Memorial Award
2024 – Robert Haelen, State University of New York
2023 – Tracey Cook, University System of Georgia
2022 – Clantha McCurdy, Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
2021 – Patty Sanchez, Idaho’s Office of the State Board of Education
2020 – Leroy Wade, Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development
2019 – Paula Compton, Ohio Department of Higher Education
2018 – Andrew Rauch, Colorado Department of Higher Education
