2026 NASPA Excellence Award Winners

Academic Advising, Careers, Graduate, Professional, and related

Gold

Student Success Center Graduate Student Support
University of South Carolina

• Josh Dunn – Assistant Director for Graduate Student Support
• London Dys – Graduate Assistant for Graduate Student Support
• Dana Talbert – Director

Silver

• Kimone Simmons – Assistant Director, Graduate Student Success

Bronze

Western New York Sophomore Externship Experience (WNYSEE)
University at Buffalo

• Hadar Borden – Director, Startup & Innovation Collaboratory
• Amy Monin – Strategic Initiatives Director, Startup & Innovation Collaboratory

Alumni, Community Relations, Family Programs, Fundraising, and related

Silver

Family and Parent Engagement Program
Pratt Institute

• Rhonda Schaller – AVP for Student Success, Assessment and Strategic Initiatives
• Delmy M. Lendof, Ed.D. – Vice President for Student Affairs
• Alex Fisher – Operations Manager
• Monica James – Executive Assistant

Assessment, Persistence, Data Analytics, and related

Gold

The Student Affairs and IER Data Partnership for Equity and Student Success
California State University-East Bay

• Kevin Gin, PhD – Associate Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Research
• Fanny Yeung, PhD – Associate Vice President, Institutional Strategy & Effectiveness
• Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (EMSA)

Athletics, Recreation, Counseling, Health, Wellness, and related

Gold

CCAMPIS: An Innovative Student-Parent Support Model
Valencia College

• Monica Potts – Project Director, CCAMPIS
• Lashon Brown – Assistant Vice President, Grants Development and Compliance
• Community Coordinated Care for Children, Inc.
• Early Learning Coalition of Orange County
• Early Learning Coalition of Osceola County

Silver

Perspective Project
Purdue University-West Lafayette Campus

• William Evans – Senior Assistant Director, Wellness
• Dr. Heather Servaty-Seib – Professor and Senior Associate Vice Provost for Teaching & Learning
• Stephanie Knight – Project Manager, Lilly Scholars at Purdue Program

Bronze

CSUCI Dolphin Guardian Scholars
California State University-Channel Islands

• Thomas Chavira, MPA – Coordinator of Foster Youth Programs
• Tanya Gonzalez, MA – Director of Basic Needs
• Jazmin Clark, MS – Basic Needs Case Manager
• Carolina Martinez, MA – Basic Needs Coordinator

Campus Security, Crisis Management, Student Conduct and Community Standards, Violence Prevention, and related

Gold

Denim Day Fashion Show: From Runway to Reality, Changing the Narrative
Winthrop University

• Collins Cornwell – Director of Student Conduct
• Itali Jackson – Program Coordinator of Student Advocacy and Trauma Support

Civic Learning, Democratic Engagement, Community Service, Service-Learning, and related

Gold

UCF LEAD Scholars Academy
University of Central Florida

• Stacey Malaret – Director, LEAD Scholars Academy

Silver

Madison Community Scholars
James Madison University

• XXX

Commuter, Off-Campus, Military-Connected, Non-traditional, and related

Silver

Commuter Connections
University of Maryland-Baltimore County

• Serena Studivant – Assistant Director, Commuter Student Success

Bronze

Carolina Experience: Providing a Lifeline to Off-Campus Student Populations
University of South Carolina

• Dr. Amber Fallucca – Director, Carolina Experience
• Kimberly Dressler – Assistant Director, Carolina Experience
• Brett Frye – Program Coordinator, Carolina Experience

Contracted Services, Housing, Residence Life, and related

Silver

UAlbany Department of Residential Life: Transforming the Student Staff Experience
University at Albany

• Michael Cattani – Assistant Director
• Mayra Raxon – ACE Program Director

Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, First-year, Other-year, Orientation, and related

Gold

The Summer Advantage Program
Kent State University

• XXX

Silver

Extended Orientation, Fish Camp
Texas A&M University-College Station

• XXX

Bronze

New Student Conferences en Español
Texas A&M University-College Station

• Alex Hersperger – Manager of Parent & Family Programs
• Dr. Libby Daggers – Director of New Student & Family Programs
• Jennifer Ford – Associate Director of Student Life
• Dr. Stefanie Baker – Director of Student Life

Equity, Inclusion, Social Justice, and related

Gold

CommUNITY Lab
Kent State University

• XXX

First-generation Student Success and related

Gold

UTampa Gateways Pre-Orientation Program
The University of Tampa

• XXX

Silver

ENGage: Student Success Summer Program for Incoming First-Year, First-Gen and International Engineering Students
Michigan State University

• Elizabeth Burbatt – Director of First-Generation Initiatives, College of Engineering
• Tina Wang – Graduate Assistant

Bronze

First View
Vanderbilt University

• Dr. Jeremi London – Associate Provost for Academic Opportunity & Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Dr. Tiffiny Tung – Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
• Brianna A. Valdivia, M. Ed. – Assistant Director of Program Management, Career Center
• Oliver Colbert – Associate Director, Student Center for Belonging and Communities

Fraternity and Sorority Life, Leadership, Student Activities, Student Union, and related

Gold

Student Organization & Leadership Development (SOLD)
Georgia Southern University

• Memory Littles – Director of Student Activities
• Cat Bishop Hoopaugh – Assistant Director of Student Activities
• Adrianne McCollar – Director of Strategic Initiatives

Silver

Empower
Florida SouthWestern State College

• Gabrielly Cordon-Ayala – Assistant Director, Student Leadership
• Dr. Linda Johnsen – Director, Student Leadership
• Michael Mears – Coord. Leadership & Civic Engagement

Bronze

Residential Leadership & Engagement
Texas A&M University-College Station

• Carol Binzer – Director of Admin & Support Services, Residence Life
• M. Justin Majors – Assistant Director, Leadership & Engagement (former)