AAUW Celebrates 2025 Alumnae Recognition Award Honoring Finance Leader Yie-Hsin Hung
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Association of University Women (AAUW) celebrated the achievements of Yie-Hsin Hung, one of Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women, during its 2025 Alumnae Recognition Award Celebration held at American University’s Washington College of Law on November 20.
The AAUW Alumnae Recognition Award honors a fellow or grantee who has achieved outstanding national or international distinction. Hung, a 1985-86 AAUW Selected Professions Fellow, was recognized for her extraordinary leadership and commitment to advancing women in finance and business — fields where women remain underrepresented.
During her remarks, AAUW CEO Gloria L. Blackwell highlighted the organization’s historic investment in women’s education and leadership.
“At AAUW, we invest in potential — in brilliant women who use education to change their lives and, in turn, change the world,” said Gloria L. Blackwell. “That’s why AAUW’s fellowships and grants matter now more than ever. They’re more than financial awards — they are affirmations of belief: belief in women’s ideas, in their capacity to lead, and in the truth that education is a public good worth defending.”
Hung’s distinguished career exemplifies the very spirit of the AAUW Alumnae Recognition Award. Named one of Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women and American Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance, Hung has consistently championed mentorship and inclusion. Her leadership philosophy — that “leadership isn’t about authority, it’s about creating opportunity for others” — reflects AAUW’s core mission to lift women through education and opportunity.
As the 2025 awardee, Hung joins a distinguished group of women leaders whose professional success and advocacy reflect the enduring mission of AAUW. Past recipients of the Alumnae Recognition Award include such trailblazers as Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry, Dr. Tererai Trent, and feminist icon Barbara Smith.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized by AAUW, an organization whose legacy of empowering women through education has opened doors for generations,” said Hung. “The support I received as a Selected Professions Fellow helped shape my path — and I’ve seen firsthand how access to opportunity can change lives. I’m inspired by AAUW’s commitment to ensuring that every woman has the chance to reach her fullest potential and, in doing so, lift others along the way.”
The evening brought together alumnae, supporters, and advocates united by AAUW’s ongoing work to advance gender equity through education, research, and advocacy. Since 1888, AAUW has awarded more than $146 million in fellowships and grants, including $5.3 million this past year alone.
AAUW’s research and advocacy have played pivotal roles in landmark gender equity achievements, including supporting Title IX, advancing equal pay legislation, and expanding opportunities in STEM and professional fields. Today, the organization continues its mission through fellowships and grants, policy advocacy, and a growing community of members, partners, and alumnae working to remove the barriers that hold women back.
To learn more about AAUW, visit www.aauw.org.
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AAUW (American Association of University Women) is the nation’s leading organization for equity in higher education and women’s economic empowerment. Founded in 1881 by women who defied society’s conventions by earning college degrees, AAUW has since worked to increase women’s access, opportunity, and equity in higher education through research, advocacy, and philanthropy of over $146 million, supporting thousands of women scholars. Learn more at aauw.org.
