Author: 47194411

Congratulations to SMU’s own Dr. K.C. Mmeje, Vice President for Student Affairs, on being selected as an inaugural Aspen Index Senior Fellow with the Aspen Institute! 93 community stakeholders, youth, educators, and scholars have come together to advance the future of youth leadership development.

Impact Fellows representing a diverse mosaic of sectors, geographies, and areas of expertise will advance an urgent agenda focused on the research, interventions, and strategies necessary to accelerate the access to and quality of youth leadership programs nationally. The goal: Lift youth exposure to high-impact leadership programs above 50% over the next 5 years.

Impact Fellows will aid in the development, optimization, and beta-testing of the Aspen Index along with co-creating the supporting learning architecture to ensure its success. This work dove-tails with major reports to be released on the future of youth leadership research and practice. Together, the Aspen
Institute is working with Impact Fellows to create a movement of greater access to and quality of youth leadership programs.

“I am humbled by my selection as an ASPEN Senior Impact Fellow with the Aspen Institute Leadership Development Index. Together, the Aspen Institute is working with Impact Fellows to create a movement of greater access to and quality of youth leadership programs. I am eager to advance this important work.”

Dr. K.C. Mmeje, Vice President for Student Affairs

The Aspen Institute Leadership Development Index (Aspen Index) is a digital tool that measures key leadership capacities to accelerate personal and professional growth. Leveraging 20 years of ground-breaking, peer-reviewed empirical research, the Aspen Index assesses individual capacities, maps team assets, and evaluates program impact—each with the option for additional 360 feedback. By comparing an individual’s scores with national and career-specific benchmarks—and by breaking down the distinct knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, and skills that cultivate effective leadership—the Aspen Index provides a strategic roadmap to elevate one’s potential and deepen one’s impact.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. For more information, please visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

In 2019, the Division of Student Affairs introduced the Courageous Change Leader award created to honor the individuals who have embodied the commitment statements outlined in our strategic plan. This year we introduced a new award, the Rising Star award, recognizing a professional newer to the field (3 years or less) who shows strong potential for excelling in the field of student affairs.

The division established six commitment statements identifying how we expect staff to approach their work holistically supporting students in the development of meaningful lives. These commitment statements are the overarching expectations for our work in this student-centered environment.

AWARD CRITERIA

• Is actively employed by the Division of Student Affairs at the time of recognition.
• Was marked as meets or exceeds overall on their last performance evaluation cycle.
• Must not have been placed on any step of performance correction within the last year.
• Must not have been a previous recipient of the award in which they’re nominated.

2022 Award Recipients

Courageous Change Leader

The Courageous Change Leader award is the highest honor bestowed on a staff member within the Division of Student Affairs. It was created to honor the individuals who have embodied the commitment statements outlined in our strategic plan. This recognition is awarded annually to one or two staff members within the division who have exemplified at least two of these commitments and are selected by VPLT.

Matt Nadler is committed to a culture of intellectual curiosity and innovation to develop, with student input, new strategies and implement new programs to move effectively serve our entire campus community. He has served in multiple departments within the division and has been instrumental on committees, searches, and special projects for his departments and the division.  As co-chair for the Engage Dallas Offsite & Risk Management team, Matt has played a pivotal part in establishing community partnerships for each of our Residential Commons. One of the distinguishing factors defining good team members from excellent team members is the ability to step into an organization, assess and anticipate needs, and then begin taking immediate positive action – Matt has been able to do this in both of his roles within RLSH and Hegi. Matt’s coworkers say he is a joy to work with and brings an element of positivity to all work projects. Additionally, they say he does exceptional work without needing to be asked and in doing so elevates the work of those around him.

 

Bonnie Pickett embodies the Division’s commitment statements every day in her work – much of that work is done behind the scenes through her work in Student Affairs Administration. Although her days are hectic, she always finds time to answer a question or help out. Bonnie is known for her willingness to step up whether that is handling technical difficulties at major divisional events or stepping in during staff vacancies – she epitomizes what it means to be a selfless leader and a positive agent of change. While her role is not student-facing, she is determined to make a difference in the lives of the students and staff on the Hilltop. In an interim capacity, Bonnie has taken on supervision of a team of student workers with such attention to their growth and development, it rivals a career student affairs practitioner. Her coworkers see the appreciation from the students for her leadership and guidance. Bonnie has a passion for people that is quiet and peaceful, and there is not a day that goes by that someone is thanking her for assisting them in some way.

 

Rising Star

This award recognizes a professional newer to the field (3 years or less) who shows strong potential for excelling in the field of student affairs. This employee is courageously engaged in their new role and provides strong demonstration of the student affairs commitments. The recipient is selected by an ad-hoc committee.

 

Jermisha McCoy has quickly established herself as someone who exemplifies what it means to be a Courageous Change Leader inside the Division of Student Affairs here at SMU, in addition to showing strong potential for excelling in the field of student affairs as a whole as a newer professional. Jermisha’s presence at SMU not only helps students but also the division in its commitment of Breaking Down Barriers because her personal background, positionality, and talents allow her to serve as an inspiration for anyone on campus to see themselves in her so that they can feel more able to “break down the social, physical and emotional barriers that may inhibit their success”. Jermisha, without a doubt, has demonstrated our division’s commitment to Innovating Our Work by introducing many fresh ideas and approaches to the table through her work in such a short amount of time. Jermisha continues to learn and evolve as a young professional as well as in her current studies in pursuit of a doctorate degree. While she is new to the field of student affairs, it is clear Jermisha has the potential to be a rising star.