Students, Faculty and Staff,

I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Ben Harley is the recipient of the first Presidential Service Award of 2021. This award was established in 2018 to recognize contributions of faculty or staff members who go above and beyond in helping our students unleash their potential.

Dr. Harley is the latest recipient of this periodic award because of his outstanding work as director of the NSU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Under Harley’s leadership, CETL has hosted four nationally and internationally-renowned speakers on pedagogy and educational access, including the recent collaboration with our COPLAC colleagues at Truman State University.

After the onset of the pandemic, Dr. Harley coordinated with the counseling department to hold weekly or bi-weekly sessions supporting faculty mental health and aimed at reducing stress. He has also been instrumental in our shift to the HyFlex education model, embarking on a research project on HyFlex teaching and learning at Northern in fall 2020.

Dr. Harley, who is also an assistant professor of English, joined the Northern team in 2018. In this relatively short time, his efforts have made a huge impact for NSU students and faculty, and I’m extremely grateful. Please join me in congratulating him on a job well done!

If you’d like to nominate a campus employee for the Presidential Service Award, please email communications@northern.edu. Provide your reasoning and the name of the nominee.

Thank you, and as always: Go Wolves!

-President Downs