American College of Education Honors Late Admiral Thomas B. Hayward With Memorial Scholarship and Posthumous Honorary Degree

Hayward was a founding and long-serving member of the Board of Trustees at the college

INDIANAPOLIS – American College of Education® (ACE) is proud to announce a memorial scholarship and posthumous honorary degree honoring Admiral Thomas B. Hayward, a founding and long-serving member of the Board of Trustees at the college. The Admiral Thomas B. Hayward Memorial Scholarship recipient will be known as an “Admiral Hayward Scholar” and will be announced by ACE upon selection.

Hayward was a decorated naval aviator and leader, with 40 years of military service. After retiring from the Navy in 1983, he joined the ACE board in 2005 and served until 2013. His last military position was Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the Carter and Reagan administrations. During his tenure as CNO, he was credited with invigorating the mission, capabilities and morale of the Navy. He was a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Hayward dedicated countless time and resources to improving K-12 and higher education throughout his career. He was particularly committed to supporting the preparation of educators with a mission to improve classroom effectiveness in areas of academic quality, accessibility and affordability. Even after he was no longer serving on the Board of Trustees, Hayward maintained active interest and engagement in promoting ACE’s mission of serving educators. He passed away in March 2022 just shy of his 98^th birthday, and his legacy continues through the educator preparation programs that ACE offers.

“It’s truly special to all of us at ACE to honor Admiral Hayward,” ACE President, Dr. Shawntel Landry, said. “His dedication to the roots of ACE and its continued mission will always be valued and remembered as a meaningful legacy. We are honored to celebrate his memory through the scholarship and posthumous degree.”

“Admiral Hayward’s passion for ACE’s mission, academic quality, and student satisfaction was infectious and permeates the institution to this day,” ACE Board of Trustees Chair, Jeri Nowakowski, added. “Honoring the Admiral and his legacy as a national hero and leader with this annual scholarship is an excellent way to recognize and continue his contribution to ACE, its mission and its students.”

In addition to the scholarship, the ACE Board of Trustees has approved Hayward to be awarded a posthumous honorary doctoral degree to be given to his family at a special memorial service.

About American College of Education

American College of Education (ACE) is an accredited, 100% online college specializing in high-quality, affordable programs in education, business, leadership, healthcare and nursing. Headquartered in Indianapolis, ACE offers more than 70 innovative and engaging programs for adult students to pursue a doctorate, specialist, master’s or bachelor’s degree, along with micro-credentials and graduate-level certificate programs. In addition to being a leader in online education, ACE is a Certified B Corporation. Certified B Corporations are leaders of a global movement to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.