Teachers College Distinguished Alumni Award Honoree: Dr. Rebecca Winthrop
Teachers College, Columbia University is proud to honor Dr. Rebecca Winthrop (Ph.D. ’08) as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for her extraordinary leadership in advancing global education and equity.
Dr. Winthrop is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, where she leads research on how education systems worldwide can better equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in work, life, and civic participation. Her work highlights innovations in teaching and learning, family and community engagement, and strategies to accelerate progress for the most marginalized children and youth.
Before joining Brookings in 2009, Dr. Winthrop spent 15 years working with displaced and migrant communities, including serving as head of education for the International Rescue Committee, where she oversaw programs in more than 20 conflict-affected countries. She has been instrumental in shaping global education policy through leadership roles with the U.N. Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative Technical Advisory Group, the Learning Metrics Task Force with UNESCO, and other major initiatives.
A prolific scholar and public voice, she has co-authored influential works such as Leapfrogging Inequality, Transforming Education Systems, and The Disengaged Teen. Her expertise is regularly featured in leading outlets including BBC, NPR, CNN, The New York Times, and The Guardian.
Dr. Winthrop’s career exemplifies the mission of Teachers College: to harness education as a force for equity, inclusion, and social transformation.
We are proud to celebrate Dr. Rebecca Winthrop as a Distinguished Alumna of Teachers College, Columbia University!