California State University Chancellor Mildred Garcia has been chosen to receive the 2025 TIAA Institute Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence in Higher Education, it was announced Wednesday.
Named after the former Notre Dame President and longtime TIAA board member Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, the award has been presented annually since 1993 to a current college or university president or chancellor for outstanding leadership of their institution and broad impact on higher education and society.
“The California State University’s 23 institutions are rated among the best in the nation on affordability and for promoting social mobility — and Chancellor Garcia has played an enormous role in making that happen,” TIAA Institute chief Surya Kolluri said. “The first in her family to earn a college degree, she has inspired countless students through her trailblazing career and visionary leadership.”
Garcia became the university’s 11th chancellor in 2023, making her the first Latina in the nation to run a four-year public higher education system.
She is credited with improving graduation rates and nearly tripling new philanthropic gift commitments during her time as president of Cal State Fullerton. She also served as the first Latina president at CSU Dominquez Hills, where she increased retention rates and exceeded enrollment targets, officials said.
“I am deeply honored and profoundly humbled to receive this prestigious award,” Garcia said. “It is especially meaningful given that Reverend Hesburgh so wonderfully embodied the core values that I hold dear, and that I will continue to aspire to on behalf of the diverse and talented students I so proudly serve.”
Established in 1993, the Hesburgh Award recognizes leadership and commitment to higher education and contributions to the greater good. It’s presented to a current college or university president or chancellor who embodies the spirit of the late Rev. Hesburgh, who was appointed by President Eisenhower to the newly created Civil Rights Commission. The winner is selected by an independent panel of judges. To learn more, visit TIAA’s Awards page.
The award is sponsored by TIAA Institute, a think tank within TIAA, a financial services provider that focuses on the academic, research, medical, cultural and governmental fields.