Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development will bestow the 2026 Distinguished Alumna Award on Manya Whitaker, PhD'11, during Commencement ceremonies on May 8. Whitaker earned her doctorate in developmental psychology at Vanderbilt in 2011 and bachelor's degree in educational psychology from Dartmouth College in 2006.
Whitaker is the 15th president of Colorado College. Initially appointed to a two-year interim presidency on July 1, 2024, she advanced several critical institutional priorities, including strategic planning, deepening community engagement, surpassing fundraising goals and overseeing the college's sesquicentennial celebration. Through her steady guidance and transparent leadership, she earned the confidence of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners and was officially appointed president by the Board of Trustees in June 2025.
"President Whitaker has been a force for positive change in higher education at Colorado College," said Camilla Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Peabody College. "The Distinguished Alumna Award reflects the power of her leadership to strengthen her institution's research and teaching mission. She is truly deserving of this recognition, and I look forward to celebrating with her at Commencement."
Whitaker previously served as executive vice president and chief of staff at Colorado College, acting as the president's principal aide and strategic advisor. She was the liaison to the Board of Trustees, oversaw cross-divisional units and provided leadership on key institutional priorities, including the college's antiracism commitment.
Through more than 14 years at Colorado College, Whitaker has also served as interim director of the Butler Center, director of the Crown Teaching Center, and director of graduate studies and chair of education.
"I am deeply honored to receive the Distinguished Alumna Award. This recognition belongs as much to the professors and mentors I had at Vanderbilt as it does to me. My time at Peabody taught me that educational impact happens in and beyond the classroom, and I've carried that lesson throughout my career. Always a teacher first, I strive to ensure others have what they need to be impactful as well," Whitaker said.
In addition to leading Colorado College, Whitaker is a professor of education and a developmental educational psychologist who has taught classes on social and political issues in education. She has shared her expertise on adolescent identity formation and motivation through numerous publications, including more than 20 book chapters and scholarly articles. Whitaker is the author of three books: Public School Equity: Educational Leadership for Justice, Schooling Multicultural Teachers: A Guide for Program Assessment and Professional Development and Learning from the Inside-Out: Child Development and School Choice. She also co-edited the book, Counternarratives from Women of Color Academics: Bravery, Vulnerability, and Resistance.
