On Friday, the journalist and author Karen Grigsby Bates ’73, co-founder of BlackRock Sue Wagner ’82, and Michigan Secretary of State and voting rights advocate Jocelyn Benson ’99, received the 2025 Alumnae Achievement Award (AAA), an award dedicated to recognizing Wellesley alumnae with outstanding accomplishments.
The Wellesley College Alumnae Association (WCAA) and AAA selection committee determined the selection. According to the Wellesley Alumnae Office, awardees “must have demonstrated outstanding achievement and distinction as trailblazers and/or reached national or international stature in their fields of endeavor; they must effectively inspire students; and they must reflect the diversity of Wellesley women and their accomplishments.”
As the awardees and audience members entered Alumnae Hall, approximately 30 Wellesley students protested the decision to award Sue Wagner with the AAA, citing BlackRock’s controversial involvement in the environment and Middle East.
The ceremony began with opening remarks from Erin Corcoran ’13, assistant vice president for Alumnae Relations and Global Engagement at the WCAA, and Steph Hsieh ’89, President of the WCAA Board.
Each recipient received an oak leaf pin, with the oak tree symbolizing the strength, quality, and durability of the College and its alumnae.
Karen Grigsby Bates ’73 was the first honoree, recognized for her outstanding work in co-founding NPR’s critically acclaimed podcast CodeSwitch, as well as her multiple books including the bestseller “Basic Black: Home Training for Modern Times.”
In her speech, Bates spoke of her experience entering Wellesley during a period of influx of admission of Black students, and of the importance of community, which she found in Ethos and Harambee House.
“From Wellesley, I learned that community was and is and ever shall be part of what will sustain you as you go through life, this community especially,” Bates said.
Jocelyn Benson ’99 was the second honoree, chosen for her work in the legal and political spheres. In 2012, Secretary Benson became the youngest woman to lead a top 100 accredited law school. She is currently Michigan’s Secretary of State, where she has been lauded for her work in voting rights.
Secretary Benson spoke to the strength she has found in siblinghood at Wellesley that has motivated her in her public service career.
“We owe it to them, to every courageous Wellesley woman who has walked these halls before, to continue to work and continue to fight for a democracy where truth prevails and where silence and inaction are not an option,” Benson said.
The final Alumnae Achievement Award recipient was Sue Wagner ’82, honored for her work as a cofounder of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management company.
Wagner credited Wellesley College with providing her with the confidence and intellectual curiosity she needed to succeed in the male-dominated field of business as a woman.
“I remain a firm believer in the liberal arts, and in the effect an educated woman can have on society. What better place to support women’s education and opportunity than right here?” Wagner said.
Contact the editor in charge of this article: Jessica Chen
