WASHINGTON – Diane Rehm, host of The Diane Rehm Show, which has grown from a local morning call-in show to one of public broadcasting’s most popular programs, will receive the AAUW/NASPA Women of Distinction Award at the University of Maryland on Thursday, June 4, during the 2009 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.
Described by Newsweek as one of the nation’s most interesting talk programs, The Diane Rehm Show has more than 2.2 million listeners tuning in for topics that range from Iraq and the U.S. economy to the art of landscape design and James Joyce’s Ulysses. The National Journal calls Rehm “the class act of the talk radio world.”
Rehm is also the best-selling author of a memoir, Finding My Voice, and Toward Commitment, a book about marriage that she co-authored with her husband, John Rehm. Named Washingtonian of the Year, one of Washington’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and one of the 150 Most Influential People in Washington by Washingtonian magazine, Rehm was also honored as a fellow by the Society of Professional Journalists, the highest honor the society bestows. She also holds honorary degrees from the Virginia Theological Seminary and American University.
In addition to Rehm, the other 2009 Women of Distinction awardees are
- Anucha Browne Sanders, senior associate athletic director of marketing, University at Buffalo
- Martine Rothblatt, founder, United Therapeutics
- Melissa Poe Hood, founder, Kids for a Clean Environment
- Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
They join a prestigious group of more than 100 women who have been honored since the award was established in 1985. Presented annually at the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, the Women of Distinction Awards honor women leaders who have made extraordinary accomplishments in their professions or their communities and who represent inspiring role models for women student leaders. Past awardees include playwright, performer, and activist Eve Ensler, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA), and Olympic medalist Dominique Dawes.
Prudential and the Princeton Review are the Platinum Sponsors of the 2009 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, including the Women of Distinction Awards. Other conference sponsors include the National Panhellenic Conference and the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.
Since 1985, the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders has provided a platform to help thousands of college and university women to develop leadership skills, network with other student leaders, and interact with women who hold leadership positions. The conference is presented by AAUW and NASPA.
