The Institute for Inclusive Leadership at Simmons University in Boston announced the establishment of the new Helen G. Drinan Visionary Leadership Award. Named in honor of Simmons University President Helen G. Drinan, the award will recognize distinguished women leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment, compassion, and vision.
The Helen G. Drinan Visionary Leadership Award will recognize women leaders who showcase strong values in their actions and leadership style, while also demonstrating a commitment to their organizations, compassion to their members and the courage to make challenging and necessary business decisions. The winning recipients will be individuals whose vision and actions ensure the long-term stability and growth of an organization, who are open and transparent about challenges, and who demonstrate curiosity and an innovative, work-is-never-done attitude.
Drinan, who will step down from her current role on June 30, 2020, has led a transformational chapter of Simmons’ history over the past 12 years. Under her leadership, Simmons reconfigured its undergraduate curriculum with a focus on leadership development, became a university in 2018, developed world-class co-ed online graduate degree programs, and cemented its status as a premier institution for women scholars.
Drinan was named the eighth president of what was then Simmons College in 2008. Earlier, Drinan served as chair of the board of trustees. She also served as senior vice president of human resources at Caritas Christi Health Care and as president and CEO of the Society of Human Resources Management, a professional organization with the largest human resource membership in the world.
The first round of nominations for the Helen G. Drinan Visionary Leadership Award will begin in September. The first award will be presented at the 2021 Simmons Leadership Conference.