On November 26, 2018, the 9th Annual Preston Robert Tisch Award in Civic Leadership was presented to Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, in New York City. The program was moderated by Damian Woetzel, President of The Juilliard School.

Misty Copeland joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in 2000, becoming a member of ABT’s corps de ballet in 2001. In 2007 she became the company’s second African American female Soloist and the first in two decades. In 2015, she was promoted to Principal Dancer, making her the first African American woman to ever be promoted to the position in the company’s 75-year history. Misty has been honored with numerous awards for her work in dance as well as for her work mentoring young people. These include induction into the Boys & Girls Club National Hall of Fame, Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year Award, and being named to the Time 100 List. She has traveled to Rwanda with MindLeaps to help launch its girls program and to establish The Misty Copeland Scholarship.  Misty is a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, appointed by President Obama in 2014.