The Trustees’ Council of Penn Women honored 1967 College graduate Andrea Mitchell with the 2025 Beacon Award at the Penn Museum on Nov. 6.

Mitchell received the award, the council’s highest honor, for her career in journalism and leading role in advancing opportunities for women. The event concluded with a fireside chat between Mitchell and former Penn President Amy Gutmann.

Council Chair Aliya Karmally Sahai described Mitchell as a “trailblazer in journalism and a dedicated advocate for women” in her opening speech, citing Mitchell’s role as NBC News’ Chief Washington and Foreign Affairs Correspondent. She also highlighted Mitchell’s continued leadership at Penn through her involvement on the Board of Trustees and the School of Arts and Sciences Board of Advisors.

In video messages played at the ceremony, Mitchell’s family and colleagues celebrated her as a “beacon for women in journalism and beyond,” emphasizing that “nobody brings history and context of world events the way [Mitchell] do[es].”

Gutmann, who formerly won the Beacon Award in 2011, presented Mitchell with this year’s award.

In her acceptance remarks, Mitchell reflected on her early years at Penn, where she studied English. She connected her time at Penn to the University’s longer history of women “breaking barriers,” recalling the 125th anniversary of women’s admission and the legacy of figures such as Sadie Alexander — the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s first Black female graduate.

Mitchell also spoke about the obstacles she faced entering journalism at a time when women were excluded from newsrooms, highlighting a trainee program at a radio station in Philadelphia that she was accepted to.

“They said women could not be in the newsroom,” Mitchell explained, “so I talked them into letting me be a copy boy on the midnight shift.”

Those early years, Mitchell said during the event, taught her “that no job is worth compromising your principles, and that empathy is one of the most important marks of character, and that civic virtue requires community care and service from all of us.”

After accepting her award, Mitchell spoke with Gutmann about the public responsibility of journalism and the “global importance” of interviewing political leaders.

She told Gutmann that she has “always felt that journalism is an obligation and … a civic responsibility.”

“Every day as a White House correspondent, for 12 years, I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’” Mitchell said. “It’s my responsibility to tell the American people and the world what is happening and what the President of the United States is doing or not doing.”

Gutmann highlighted Mitchell’s influence as both a journalist and a leader. She described Mitchell as “a leader among leaders,” adding that “if you want leadership, and there’s something to be done, Andrea is the person.”

The pair also discussed democratic values and civil discourse.

“The First Amendment is the guiding principle — not self-censorship or agreeing to be pressured,” Mitchell said. “I wish we could think of people as family members, as sons, daughters, parents, and not demonize them as hideous.”

When Gutmann asked what advice she would give to students entering journalism today, Mitchell urged them to “be a writer” and “to study” but not specialize in anything.

“Study everything,” Mitchell said. “Read everything. Don’t predict what you’re going to do. … You are a key part of the fabric of this great institution that has grown and evolved into the beautiful campus that we enjoy today.”