The Harry S. Truman Award is given to someone outside the field of education who has had a major, positive impact on community colleges. It is named for President Truman who commissioned a study on higher education in 1947 where the term "community college" was first used widely. The idea of community colleges appealed to the President, and his administration began to put in place mechanisms to foster the growth of such institutions around the country. The award selection is made solely by the CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges and is not given annually.
Past Recipients:
2008
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
2007
The Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor of the City of New York
The Honorable Jeb Bush
Former Governor of Florida
2006
The Coca-Cola Company
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
2005
The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy
U. S. Senator, MA
2004
Phyllis Eisen
Vice President, Manufacturing Institute
Executive Director, Center for Workforce Success
National Alliance of Manufacturers, DC
2002
Howard P. "Buck" McKeonÂ
US Congressman
2001
Richard Riley
Secretary of Education, DC
2000
Peter Carey
Special Projects Editor
U.S. News & World Report, DC
1999
Robert Jones
President
National Alliance of Business, DC
1998
Richard Stanley
Chair
Stanley Foundation, IA
Zig Ziglar
President
Zig Ziglar Corporation, TX
1997
The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton
President of the United States, DC
1996
Thomas Curley
President and Publisher
USA Today, VA
1995
Samuel Halperin
Director
America Youth Policy Forum, DC
1991
The Honorable Daniel Inouye
U.S. Senator, HI
1990
The Honorable Augustus F. Hawkins
U.S. Representative, CA
Arlon Elser
Program Officer
W.K. Kellog Foundation, MI
1989
Barbara Bush
First Lady, DC
1988
The Honorable Mark O. Hatfield
U.S. Senator, OR
The Honorable G.V. Montgomery
U.S. Representative, MS
1987
The Honorable Nancy L. Kassebaum
U.S. Senator, KS
1986
The Honorable Claiborne Pell
U.S. Senator, RI
1985
The Honorable William D. Ford
U.S. Representative, MI
1984
Russel G. Mawby
Chairman of the Board
W.K. Kellogg Foundation, MI
The Honorable Terrel H. Bell
Secretary of Education, DC
1983
The Honorable Carl Perkins
U.S. Representative, KY
1982
The Honorable Paul Simon
U.S Representative, IL