2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
SPECIAL INSERT TO TALKING STICK
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
The ACUHO-I
Award
Dr. Jack Collins, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Gary North, Ohio University
Between them, the two recipients of this year's ACUHO-I
Award have more than eight decades of service and have
impacted innumerable lives.
Throughout his 40-year career in housing and
residence life, Jack Collins has seen the full range of
the profession, holding positions at large, small, public,
private, urban, suburban, and rural institutions. He
served as a residence hall director at Mississippi State
and Temple University and as director of housing at
John Carroll University and Ball State University and he
completed his career leading the housing department
of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While
at Ball State he even had the opportunity to teach in the
higher education department.
In addition to the work on his campuses, Jack was
active in several student affairs associations including
GLACUHO and ACUHO-I where he served as treasurer
and later as president (2003-04). While president he
helped lay the groundwork that led to the formation of
the Southern Africa Chapter of ACUHO-I. In addition,
throughout his career he served on 15 separate
association-sponsored committees and task forces,
including seven where he was the chairperson. He has
presented more than 60 sessions at assorted regional
and international associations and also served as a faculty
member for the James C. Grimm National Housing
Training Institute and Chief Housing Officer Institute.
For his efforts he has received the ACUHO-I Presidential
Service Award, the James C. Grimm
Leadership & Service Award, and, in 2010, was inducted
into the ACUHO-I Foundation Parthenon Society.
This year's second recipient, Gary North, retired from
Ohio University after serving as the vice president for
administration and finance from 1990 to 2004. Prior to his
tenure at Ohio, he served at Morehead State University as
the assistant dean of students, worked at Michigan State
University from 1966 until 1980, and was the assistant
vice chancellor for housing at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign from 1980 until 1990. Gary served his profession in exemplary fashion and
in many ways through his service in ACPA, NASPA, and
NACUBO and as ACUHO-I president (1981-82). He served
on several ACUHO-I committees and made numerous
regional and national presentations over the years as he
participated in ACUHO-I. His family and he also attended
all the annual conferences from his first in 1964 at Penn
State until 1990.
It was while Gary was president of ACUHO-I that
The Ohio State University was selected to be the site
of the association's first central office, selected for
its central location, ease of access, and nearby hotel
accommodations. In addition, he was instrumental in the
formation of the ACUHO-I Foundation, recognizing the
increased value and support it would bring to the campus
housing profession.
The ACUHO-I Award constitutes the highest recognition
by the association of an individual who, during the
course of his or her career, has made exemplary,
extraordinary, and outstanding contributions to
ACUHO-I, the field of campus housing and food service,
or higher education.
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
James C. Grimm
Leadership &
Service Award
Patricia A.R. Martinez,
Northern Illinois University
Regarding this year's recipient it was written that "James
C. Grimm was a man who devoted his life to creating
opportunities for student growth and development in a
residential context. He led with integrity and purpose.
Patty Martinez has demonstrated those qualities
throughout her career. As a recipient of this award, she
would honor Jim's legacy."
The contributions that Patty has made to the
campus housing profession are numerous, with one
supporter stating that "She is a fearless champion for
student leadership development and involvement. Her
long-standing support and involvement in GLACURH,
NACURH, and MACURH are noteworthy."
Meanwhile, the ways in which she has given back to
ACUHO-I are bountiful. Patty served on the executive
board as the finance and corporate records 0fficer
(putting in countless hours to review and revise practices)
and as association president (2013-14). Her approach
to this tireless volunteerism was summed up by the
supporter who wrote, "She is a true servant-leader,
wanting the best for the association, at any given time."
The James C. Grimm Leadership & Service Award honors
individuals who show dedicated service and outstanding
leadership by devoting themselves to strengthening the
mission and objectives of the association.
James A. Hurd
Award
Emily Galindo,
University of California-Davis
The recipient of the 2015 James A. Hurd Award was
singled out by her colleagues for her willingness to
provide advice, support, and mentorship to others within
the campus housing profession and to do so with a
relaxed demeanor and wonderful sense of humor.
Emily Galindo, the associate vice chancellor of student
affairs at the University of California–Davis, repeatedly
left a favorable impression at each stop along her career.
Letters of support for her award noted her as a campus
leader with the ability to provide direction during difficult
times as well as someone who they could turn to for
advice, guidance, and support.
In addition Emily has contributed greatly to regional
associations as well as ACUHO-I. Most notably she was an
active member of the ACUHO-I Annual Conference and
Exposition Program Committee. For several years Emily
served as a reviewer, review coordinator, and a member of
the steering committee. Later she led the charge for new
initiatives, specifically the pre-conference Chief Housing
Officer Forum. As one of her supporters wrote, "I know
that I, and many of Emily's colleagues, have benefited
from the time she has spent with us at conferences, on
the phone discussing challenges or concerns at our home
campuses, or sharing resources."
The James A. Hurd Award, which recognizes outstanding
contributions by a member of color, is named in honor
of James. A. Hurd, the first African American to serve as
ACUHO-I president.
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
Roelf Visser
Global Initiatives
Award
Gloria Belden Fernàndez,
Universidad de Monterrey
As the director of the Universidad de Monterrey
residence halls, Gloria Belden Fernàndez focuses on
enhancing the development of residents through wholeperson education in support of the university's mission
and philosophy, highlighting the educational value of
community life.
As the recipient of the 2015 Roelf Visser Global
Initiatives Award, Gloria has worked to increase
international participation in ACUHO-I through her words
and actions. As an enthusiastic and active member in the
association, she regularly shares that enthusiasm with
colleagues on her home campus and around the world,
encouraging them to attend events and participate in a
variety of ways.
One nomination noted that Gloria "has made a
significant contribution to the international agenda
of ACUHO-I over many years, serving on a number of
committees and workgroups where she has provided
great energy, support, and collegiality to colleagues
around the globe."
Roelf Visser was instrumental in the formation of the
ACUHO-I Southern Africa Chapter. His skill in working
with all races and ethnicities enabled him to enact
dramatic change, and he possessed a vibrant energy
for his work, his housing colleagues, and his country.
This award honors campus housing professionals
who have contributed to advancing the strategic
initiatives of ACUHO-I and its aims of becoming a
pre-eminent international student housing association.
Herstory Award
Joan Schmidt,
Central Michigan University
"Joanie is without compare when it comes to her
mentoring and guidance for women in our field. She's
given guidance for women to be human without being
superheroes, and for so many of us finding our way, it's
the exact advice we needed to hear."
That is just one example of the several testimonials
received in support of Joan Schmidt being honored with
the Herstory Award. Retiring this year from her position as
director of residence life at Central Michigan University,
additional supporters described her as "a role model who
inspires," "a hero and mentor," "one of a kind," "a true
leader," "someone we all respect and enjoy," and "the
ideal role model for taking her work seriously while also
finding the humor and humility in each situation."
Throughout her career she continually gave back to
her profession, serving as ACUHO-I president (2001-02)
and as chair of the ACUHO-I Foundation. She has been a
faculty member for the James C. Grimm NHTI as well as
the Roelf Visser South African Training Institute. She has
written for publication, once winning the Robert P. Cooke
Talking Stick Article of the Year Award. She contributed
greatly to ACUHO-I events including being key initiator
and organizer for the Millennium Magic Conference in
2000. For these efforts and more she has been recognized
with the ACUHO-I Presidential Service Award and the
Leadership & Service Award and was inducted into the
ACUHO-I Foundation Parthenon Society.
This award recognizes an outstanding woman
professional who has served campus housing through
courage, leadership, a pioneering spirit, honor, and
commitment.
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
S. Earl Thompson
Award
Ellen Heffernan,
SJG-The Spelman & Johnson Group
Ellen Heffernan has become practically synonymous with
executive placement in the student affairs and higher
education fields. As president of SJG–The Spelman
& Johnson Group, she has earned the respect and
admiration of her colleagues as "she improved the
community and our individual members' materials one
comment or course correction at a time with empathy,
kindness, and humor."
Ellen's work has impacted many individuals and
institutions throughout campus housing as evidenced by
the large number of testimonials received in her honor.
Among them was one that explained how,"Ellen's work
is well noted in our industry, but not just because of her
ability to find great talent and match them with terrific
professional placements. It is what she does beyond her
work that is leaving a legacy throughout higher education
and in university housing programs throughout the
country and the world. . . Ellen has an uncanny ability
to get people to engage in constructive and productive
conversations about change without them feeling
threatened, uncomfortable, or unwilling to compromise
while also maintaining high standards of excellence." Another summed up her nomination simply by stating
that "We are truly lucky to have her as a colleague and a
friend."
Named for the first ACUHO-I president, the S. Earl
Thompson Award is presented to individuals not directly
related to ACUHO-I, but who have made a significant
contribution to the campus housing profession.
Outstanding
Corporate Friend
Award
Diane Cline,
ASI Campus Laundry Solutions
Diane Cline, a regional manager for ASI Campus
Laundry Solutions, is the deserving recipient of the
2015 Outstanding Corporate Friend Award. Throughout
her career she has demonstrated her commitment to
colleagues and the student population in inclusive and
extraordinary ways. In one letter of support Diane was
described as "skilled, tireless, and an advocate for those
who often do not speak for themselves." Another one
noted that she is "a natural at networking and has a
knack for engaging people in conversation, in identifying
common ground, and in moving conversation to action."
All of these qualities served Diane well in her
time with the ACUHO-I Foundation. Even though she
demonstrated her support through her donations as
an individual Major Donor, she also gave her time and
talent. For several years she was an active member of the
ACUHO-I Foundation Board, helping establish elements
that remain cherished traditions. At the ACUHO-I Annual
Conference Diane does not limit her involvement to
the exhibition hall, but can often be seen staffing the
Foundation's booth and interacting with attendees. As
another supporter described her, "Diane is a cheerleader
for the Foundation. Her energy and enthusiasm for
ACUHO-I and the Foundation are contagious."
The recipients of this award are corporate colleagues
and partners who have contributed to ACUHO-I and
the campus housing profession by supporting the
educational mission and service goals of ACUHO-I.
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
Research &
Publication Award
Dr. Frank Shushok,
Virginia Tech University
Throughout his career at both Baylor University and
Virginia Tech, Frank Shushok has epitomized the ideal
of the scholar-practitioner. Along with authoring (or
co-authoring in a mentoring role) a myriad of articles
and chapters for numerous publications, he has also
led transformative efforts to urge campus housing
departments to rethink their campus roles and direct
them to becoming "the heart of where deep learning can
occur."
These two sides of him are symbiotic, informing and
motivating each other toward their respective goals.
Said one colleague, "typically college leaders make an
impact through their work as administrators or through
their scholarship. Frank is one of those rare leaders who
creates so much synergy between his administrative work
and scholarship that it amplifies the profound effect he
has on college and university student housing."
While Frank's work has offered much to the body of
knowledge surrounding student development and the
impact of campus housing, many supporters spoke to the
one-on-one influence of his mentoring work as he was
"intentionally developing them into tomorrow's writers."
This award recognizes individuals, whether directly or
indirectly affiliated with ACUHO-I, who have made a
significant contribution to the body of knowledge related
to the campus housing profession through their work in
research and publications.
Robert P. Cooke
Talking Stick
Article of the Year
Jörg Vianden,
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
"Before housing practitioners can engage in a longlasting partnership with faculty, they have to appraise
their own organizational and professional culture, as well
as understand how faculty culture differs."
In his Talking Stick article "Mind the Gap," Jörg
Vianden, an associate professor at the University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse, makes this statement and then
proceeds to clearly and informatively describe the ways
in which campus housing practitioners can bridge these
differences and foster mutually inspiring interactions.
Among the strategies Jörg suggests practitioners employ
are to understand motivations, maintain an academic
focus, find supportive staff, be an advocate, anticipate
faculty workload, create relationships, remain flexible, and
create meaningful opportunities.
In their review the judges noted that the article
"provided a deep dive, exploring the cultural relationship
between faculty and residence life, rather than simply
looking at opportunities to collaborate. For those in the
field working to improve student success, this information
– an anthropological look at two seemingly disparate
groups in higher education – is essential reading."
Robert P. Cooke was instrumental in establishing the
publication standards that would lead to production
of the Talking Stick. Now, his name honors an article
that epitomizes the insight and education that campus
housing professionals expect from their association.
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
Betty L. Harrah
Journal Manuscript
of the Year Award
Michael A. Harrington, The University
of Tulsa; Stacy A. Jacob, Slippery Rock
University of Pennsylvania; Amy Benoit
Harbert, SWA Group; Leticia M. Saiid,
CoNetrix
Non-religious college students can feel marginalized
and isolated on campuses when they feel they are being
misunderstood or judged for their non-religious status.
For their award-winning Journal manuscript, the team of
Michael Harrington, Stacy Jacob, Amy Benoit Harbert,
and Leticia Saiid examined a highly underresearched
area. Namely, the team explored the lived experiences of
non-religious students who were negotiating the process
of whether or not to disclose this identity to others. In
sharing their findings, the authors highlighted the need to
think more broadly about religious identity and described
concrete implications for those working in housing and
residence life.
Judges noted that there is a lack of research on
supporting non-religious students who feel alienated,
marginalized, oppressed, stigmatized, and ignored. The
article details steps residence life professionals can make
to be cognizant of these students. Among them are being
aware of physical objects in the office, being educated
about resources and groups for non-religious students
on campus, and being inclusive when presenting passive
programming on holidays.
This award honors manuscripts for their organization,
research, and originality as well as their educational value
and their significance to the campus housing profession.
Each year ACUHO-I honors
individuals who — through their
work, effort, and spirit — leave an
indelible mark on the association and
the campus housing profession. We
honor those individuals each year
and they, in turn, earn a permanent
spot on the ACUHO-I Wall of Honor
so that future generations can see
their names, honor their memories,
and be inspired by the paths they
have blazed.
We thank all of this year's recipients
for their contributions as well as
all of those who nominated and
championed these deserving
individuals.
2015 ACUHO-I WALL OF HONOR AWARDS
The ACUHO-I awards and recognition program is made possible, in part,
each year thanks to support from the ACUHO-I Foundation.
Awards & Recognition Committee
Deb Boykin, College of William & Mary
Sean Duggan, Texas Tech University
Jennifer O’Brien, Arizona State University
Janice Robinson, University of British Columbia
(chair) David Stephen, California State University, Chico