04 May 2020 UCA faculty member recognized

Amy Baldwin, director of the University of Central Arkansas Department of Student Transitions, is one of 10 individuals nationwide to receive the 2020 Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award. The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina recently announced the recipients.

For more than 30 years, the award has honored college faculty, administrators, staff and students for their outstanding work on behalf of first-year students and for the impact their efforts have on the students and culture of their institutions. The 10 award recipients were chosen from 93 nominations and were formally recognized at the 39th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience held earlier this year in Washington, D.C. 

“This is an incredible honor to be nominated by UCA and then chosen from a list of what I know were worthy candidates,” said Baldwin. “It is hard to think of the work that I do and not think of the students who need us to advocate for them every day. The honor that is the ability to change a life just by listening, giving advice or teaching is not lost on me. I am grateful that I can do for first-year students what they have done for me — helped me learn how to be better.”

Baldwin is the only individual from an Arkansas college or university to receive the 2020 Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award. She joins nine other recipients from colleges and universities across the U.S.: DeOnte Brown, Clemson University; Carol Dochen, Texas State University; Julie McLaughlin, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College; Katherine Powell, Berry College; Rebecca Royal, Union County College; Gregory Singleton, Austin Peay State University; Heather Thrush, Wabash College; Mary Ellen Wade, Loyola University Maryland; and Annette Walstad, Carroll College.

“This rich tradition of this award includes more than three decades of recognizing the outstanding work that takes place making an immeasurable impact on the lives of first-year students,” said Jennifer Keup, executive director of the National Resource Center. “It’s an absolute honor to add 10 names to the esteemed ones who have previously received this honor.” 

For more information about the award, the award recipients or the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, contact Lauren Writer, assistant director for Conferences and Continuing Education at [email protected].