Outstanding Professional Award

Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Division Spirituality and Religion in Higher Education
Application Deadline: October 1, 2025 | Award Type: knowledge community

The mission of the Spirituality and Religion in Higher Education Knowledge Community is to enhance and contribute to the conversations about spirituality in higher education across all types of post-secondary institutions. This knowledge community welcomes practitioners, students and faculty members from the profession of student affairs as well as persons for whom spirituality and religion constitute a major element of their work in higher education.

The Spirituality and Religion in Higher Education Knowledge Community Outstanding Professional Award is given annually to a NASPA member who has made great professional contributions to the promotion of spirituality and religion on their campus. The individual has devoted time, energy, and passion to the growth of colleagues' and students' worldview support and/or development and has had a transformative impact.

Recipients of this award will be recognized at a SRHE KC open meeting held during or near the time of the annual NASPA conference.

If you have any questions, please email the Awards Coordinator.

Presented By

Spirituality

Recipients

Current and Past Recipients:

2025

  • Rev. Beatrix Weil - Rhodes College

2024

  • Not awarded

2023

  • Dr. Vanessa Gomez Brake - University of Southern California

2022

  • Ross Wantland - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2021

  • Dr. Janett I. Cordovés - Interfaith Youth Core (now Interfaith America)

2020

  • Not awarded

2019

  • Tahil Sharma - Brave New Films

2018

  • Rev. Dave Wright - University of Puget Sound

2017

  • Dr. Dafina-Lazarus Stewart - Bowling Green State University

2016

  • Rev. Hilary Martin Himan - Lewis & Clark College

2015

  • Rev. Dr. J. Cody Nielsen - Wesley Foundation at the University of Minnesota

Nomination Requirements

The following materials are needed in ordered to be considered for the Outstanding Professional Award:

  • Recipient must be a member of NASPA
  • Evidence for why the nominee should be considered
*Supplemental documents (letters of recommendation/support, institutional reports, websites, newsletters, etc.) are welcome but not required.

^Self-nominations will be accepted.

Submit a Nomination Here