LISLE, Ill. – Oct. 1, 2026 – DeVry University has been named a 2026 Woman-Led Top Workplace by Energage. The recognition is based on employee feedback and comes as DeVry marks a period of strong student persistence, academic innovation and expansion under President and CEO Elise Awwad.
DeVry was one of just 19 organizations in its category named to this year’s Woman-Led Top Workplaces list. Rankings were determined by employee responses to the Energage Workplace Survey, which measures workplace culture and employee experience.
“I take tremendous pride in this recognition and in the colleagues who are advancing DeVry’s mission every day,” said Awwad. “We empower people to make decisions and encourage them to bring forward ideas that challenge our thinking. That culture strengthens our ability to innovate as a university and reinforces our shared responsibility to continually improve the education we provide and the outcomes our learners achieve.”
Women make up 65% of DeVry’s workforce and 46% of its leadership, reflecting their significant presence across the university and in leadership roles. Awwad’s own connection to DeVry spans more than two decades. She joined the university in 2004 as an admissions advisor and advanced through a series of leadership roles before becoming DeVry’s first female president and CEO. Earlier in her career at DeVry, Awwad founded EDGE (Empowerment, Diversity, Growth and Excellence), a women’s group designed to support the development and advancement of women within the university. The group has averaged 600 members each year since its founding in 2017.
“Developing leaders doesn’t happen through a single program or initiative. It happens when people receive useful feedback, have managers who invest in their growth and can see opportunities to build a career within the organization,” added Dave Barnett, chief administrative officer of DeVry University. “What stands out in this employee feedback is that our colleagues are telling us those practices are part of their experience at DeVry. That matters to our ability to retain talented people, develop the next generation of leaders and continue delivering for our students.”
The recognition comes during a period of innovation at DeVry, where student persistence is approaching 90% for academic year 2026, an outcome the university has prioritized in its focus on student support and success. Under Awwad’s leadership, DeVry also launched a cross-university initiative to embed artificial intelligence literacy and skills development across its academic programs and is rolling out comprehensive AI training for university colleagues. DeVry has expanded its academic portfolio with short-term professional learning offerings, introduced a competency-based MBA, expanded allied health offerings and entered international markets.
DeVry’s work to prepare students for careers through hands-on learning also includes partnerships with woman-led organizations across industries. The university partners with Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) and implemented its cyber range powered by Cloud Range, led by CEO Debbie Gordon, who has served on DeVry’s Cybersecurity National Advisory Committee. The university also partners with Chicago innovation hub 1871, led by Betsy Ziegler, to provide students with opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills and ideas.
The university has also received external recognition during Awwad’s tenure. DeVry was named to the 2026 GSV 150, which recognizes companies in digital learning and workforce skills. DeVry also ranked No. 2 among Niche’s 2026 Best Colleges for Information Technology in America and No. 44 among its 2026 Best Online Colleges in America, and Newsweek named DeVry among America’s Top Online Colleges for 2026.
Awwad’s focus on developing leaders extends beyond the university. A two-time Chicago Titan 100 honoree, she serves on the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Board of Governors and as chair of the Midwest Region.
The Woman-Led Top Workplace award adds to DeVry’s broader workplace recognition in 2026. Earlier this year, the university received the Top Workplaces Industry Award for Education and eight Culture Excellence Awards for Innovation, Employee Appreciation, Work-Life Flexibility, Employee Well-Being, Professional Development, Compensation & Benefits, Leadership, and Purpose & Values.
For more information, visit DeVry.edu and TopWorkplaces.com.
About Energage
Making the world a better place to work together.TM
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 20 years of culture research and the results from 30 million employees surveyed across more than 80,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.
