Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University Professor Mary Howard-Hamilton will be honored with the American College Personnel Association's Contribution to Knowledge Award next month.

The award recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to the profession's body of knowledge through publications, films, speeches, instructions, tapes and other forms of communication. Howard-Hamilton was nominated for the award by Sherry Watt, professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program at the University of Iowa, and included input from several of Howard-Hamilton's colleagues in higher education.

"This is one of the highest honors from my colleagues in the field who respect and appreciate the research that I have done over the past 30 years of my faculty career," said Howard-Hamilton, a professor of educational leadership in the Bayh College of Education.

Howard-Hamilton's research focuses on diverse, minority students and African-American women in higher education.

"The award means that my colleagues and their students read my work in their classes, it is used and referenced research articles, dissertations and master's theses," she said. "This award means my research is a major contribution to our discipline."

Howard-Hamilton has been previously recognized with several teaching and service, such as the Equity and Diversity Leadership Award from the Terre Haute Human Relations Commission in 2013, the Champion of Diversity Award from the Indianapolis Recorder and Indiana Minority Businesses in 2013, Indiana State's Dreiser Award in 2015, the Holmstedt Distinguished Professor in the Bayh College in 2012 and the Robert S. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member from NASPA-Student Affairs Educators in Higher Education in 2007.

The Contribution to Knowledge Award, though, is the first recognition for her research.

"Usually the awards I receive are service-based, because I put a lot of energy into committee work and being the voice for students and minoritized faculty and staff on campus, but I've never received an award strictly for my research," Howard-Hamilton said. "For me, this is the icing on the cake. This is the well-rounded scholar being recognized because I've been recognized for my teaching and for my service, and to receive the pinnacle of awards and be recognized for my research speaks to the fact that I have a balanced, scholarly portfolio."

The American College Personnel Association has presented the award annually since 1976. She will receive the award, along with fellow winner Raechele L. Pope of University of Buffalo, during the organization's national convention at Hilton Columbus Downtown in Columbus, Ohio, on March 27.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Headshot-Proofs/Miscellaneous-Portrat-Proofs/Faculty-Awards-2015/i-NwdG2NQ/0/XL/Mary_Howard-Hamilton-3603-XL.jpg -- Mary Howard-Hamilton, Bayh College of Education professor of educational leadership

Writer: Betsy Simon, media relations assistant director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-7972 or betsy.simon@indstate.edu