Dear Members of the TC Community:
It is my pleasure to announce the recipients of the Teachers College 2025 Medal for Distinguished Service — the highest honor we bestow.
Our distinguished medalists, each of whom will address TC’s graduating Masters and Doctoral students at the Convocation ceremonies, are Dr. Becky Kennedy and Dr. Erica Belsky, clinical psychologists and co-founders of Good Inside, and TC alumnae; Dr. Hirokazu Yoshikawa, the Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education at NYU Steinhardt and a University Professor at NYU; Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel emeritus of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund; and from The Apollo Theater, president and CEO Michelle Ebanks and executive producer Kamilah Forbes.
Dr. Becky Kennedy (Ph.D. ’11) and Dr. Erica Belsky (Ph.D. ’12) are the honorees at TC’s first ceremony (Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Human Development) on the morning of Tuesday, May 20. Dr. Kennedy is a renowned clinical psychologist whose work has redefined modern parenting. She has translated ideas around attachment, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and internal family systems into Good Inside, a next-generation parenting company and global movement. In 2020, she joined forces with fellow psychologist, Dr. Belsky, who serves as Good Inside’s Chief Operating Officer. Together, they have expanded the company’s influence to reach millions of parents worldwide, with a New York Times bestselling book, weekly podcast, and parenting app. It is also a point of pride to note that both Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Belsky both earned their doctorates in clinical psychology from Teachers College.
Dr. Hirokazu Yoshikawa will be honored at our second ceremony (Biobehavioral Sciences, Health Studies and Applied Educational Psychology, International and Transcultural Studies) midday on Tuesday, May 20. Professor Yoshikawa, a community and developmental psychologist, is the Courtney Sale Ross Professor of Globalization and Education at NYU Steinhardt in the Department of Applied Psychology, and a University Professor at NYU. He studies the effects of public policies and programs on children’s development, particularly in the areas of immigration, early childhood, and poverty reduction. From 2014 to 2024, he was a founding co-director of NYU’s Global TIES for Children research center. An elected fellow of the National Academy of Education, the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Hirokazu Yoshikawa has received two awards from the American Psychological Association for his mentorship of ethnic minority students.
Sherrilyn Ifill will be honored at our third ceremony (Mathematics, Science & Technology, Organization & Leadership) on the evening of Tuesday, May 20. From the start of her esteemed career as an attorney, Ms. Ifill has been a steadfast advocate for public service and civil rights. She was a fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union before joining the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), the foremost legal organization fighting for racial justice in America. From 2013 to 2022, Ms. Ifill served as president and director-counsel of the LDF. As the second woman to ever lead the organization, she provided visionary and transformative direction during one of the most challenging and volatile periods for racial justice in our country. She currently serves as LDF’s president and director-counsel emeritus and, in 2023, was appointed Howard Law School's inaugural Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Esq. Endowed Chair in Civil Rights, where she has launched the 14th Amendment Center for Law & Democracy.
Michelle Ebanks and Kamilah Forbes will be honored at our fourth ceremony (Arts & Humanities, Curriculum & Teaching, Education Policy & Social Analysis) at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. As The Apollo Theater celebrates 90 years of dedication to black arts and culture, we are pleased to highlight the innovative contributions of their stellar leadership. Michelle Ebanks joined The Apollo as president and CEO in 2023, bringing with her a deep understanding of how to share cultural experiences with the broadest possible range of communities. Prior to joining The Apollo, she served as CEO of Essence Communications, the nation's leading media and communications company dedicated to African American women. Kamilah Forbes is The Apollo’s executive producer, as well as an award-winning director and producer for theater and television. She is widely known for her commitment to shedding light on the work of artists in the hip-hop community and beyond.
I can’t imagine more worthy recipients of the College’s highest honor. It is a tribute to the extraordinary accomplishments of our 2025 graduates that they will be joining us for Convocation.
As a reminder, 2025 grads can register for their guest tickets for Convocation until Friday, April 25 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Please visit the Convocation website to reserve your seats.
I look forward to celebrating with all of you in May!
Warmly,
Thomas Bailey
President
Teachers College, Columbia University