not in short, blinding bursts, but steadily over the course of a lifetime. reporter: among the honorees, a space pioneer, the first american to orbit the earth. john glenn became a hero in every sense of the word. reporter: the first female secretary of state. madeleine s courage and toughness helped bring peace to the balkans. reporter: the winningest coach in ncaa basketball history who is bringing her famous competitive drive to her own fight against alzheimer s. when i think about my two daughters who are tall and gifted and knowing that because of folks like coach summitt, they are standing up straight and diving after loose balls. reporter: and a rock legend who inspired generations with his songs. i remember, you know, in college listening to bob dylan and my world opening up. reporter: the president said all of the honorees made an impact on his life and he counts bob dylan and author tony morrison as personal heroes. rob and paula? thank you karen.