Prolific leaders in psychology and the arts will receive Medals for Distinguished Service, Teachers College’s highest honor, at Convocation ceremonies this year on May 20 and May 21.
As families, friends and the TC community gather to celebrate the Class of 2025, the College’s honorees embody the rigorous yet rewarding paths ahead for those committed to careers in service of the public good.
[Graduates, register for tickets by April 25 at noon ET.]
“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,” President Thomas Bailey wrote in an email to the community.
The College’s Medal for Distinguished Service recipients include:
Becky Kennedy (Ph.D. ’10), Founder & CEO of Good Inside, and Erica Belsky (Ph.D. ’12), Co-Founder & COO of Good Inside
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, 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 Kennedy and Belsky both earned their doctorates in clinical psychology from Teachers College.
(Photos courtesy of Kennedy and Belsky)
Kennedy and Belsky will receive the TC honor on Tuesday, May 20, during the College’s ceremony for the departments of Counseling & Clinical Psychology, and Human Development.
Michelle Ebanks, President and CEO of The Apollo, and Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer at The Apollo
As Harlem’s 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.
Ebanks (left) and Forbes (right). (Photos courtesy of The Apollo)
Ebanks and Forbes will receive the TC honor on Wednesday, May 21, during the College’s ceremony for the departments of Arts & Humanities, Curriculum & Teaching, and Education Policy & Social Analysis.