Purdue Global honors faculty, staff with Distinction Awards

Awards celebrate commitment to leadership, accomplished learning and organization building

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Global faculty and staff are committed to helping students achieve their dreams, and to recognize that commitment, several were honored on Tuesday (Dec. 12) with the online university’s annual G.L.O.B.A.L. Distinction Awards for their impact, innovation, best practices and measurable outcomes.

Awards were presented in three areas: Great Leaders, Accomplished Learners and Organization Builders

Additional Information

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• Purdue Global signs educational partnership with Epic Flight Academy, celebrates student scholarship recipients
• New Purdue Global doctoral program to expand access for next generation of leaders

“Purdue Global faculty and staff continue to go above and beyond in their work with students and finding ways to deliver a quality education that addresses the needs of our students, communities and employers,” Purdue Global Chancellor Frank Dooley said. “We’re excited to honor this year’s award recipients for their dedication and commitment to learning.” 

Great Leaders Award: for promoting a culture of excellence and expanding the vision of making Purdue Global a great place to work.

• Individual recipient: Abbey Elliott, national senior manager of simulation for the School of Nursing. Elliott was honored for her work in growing an immersive learning team to provide support to the School of Nursing, playing a pivotal role in establishing prelicensure partnership sites and simulation centers within the school. She is a trailblazer in the advancement of technology, including the use of virtual reality, and oversees a universitywide committee focused on growing the use of virtual reality within Purdue Global.
• Team recipient: Limited Attendance Team — Melissa Eckenrod (team lead), Katie Matt, Beth Riley, Greg Ujda and Amy Surber. The Limited Attendance Team worked to review student attendance policies and implemented policy changes throughout the university that increase flexibility for our students and focus on a culture of student success.

Accomplished Learners Award: for creating positive student momentum at Purdue Global via curricular enhancements, faculty initiatives or technological advancements.

• Team recipient: College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Industry Partnerships Team — Sara Sander (team lead), Bridget Rivera, Dena AuCoin, Tessa Holst, Erica Morales, Erika Buffum, Maggie Morgan, Kimberly Jurowski, Julee Poole, Shane Kelley, Gurmit Kaur, Lynn Massenzio, Guilene Williams, Ana Gonzalez, Dori Dunkle, Samanthia Nicholas, Manoucheka Belfond, Miranda Brand and Andrew Rachmell. The team made student success an emphasis by growing programs and helping industry employers fill needs in their communities and focused on organizations that served as externship sites and employment opportunities for students. During the 2022-23 academic year, 22% of the college’s partners hired College of Social and Behavioral Sciences graduates.
• Team recipient: Undergraduate Criminal Justice (UGCJ) Peregrine Assessment Team — Shane Kelley (team lead), Brian Danigole, Chris Findley, Daniel Bilodeau, Donna Yohman, James Ebert, Jodi Levit, John Gibbons, Kristi Pitts, Richard Niebusch, Robert Winters, Roger Humber, Scott Moline, Terry Campbell, Thomas Anderson and Tim Kozyra. This team has impacted the improvement of direct student-learning outcomes as measured by both internal assessment tools and a third-party assessment. The UGCJ full-time faculty team has created and implemented ideas that have shown positive increases in learning outcomes. 

Organization Builders Award: for celebrating significant growth in Purdue Global from an innovative standpoint.

• Individual recipient: Michele Riley, associate dean in the School of Multidisciplinary and Professional Studies. Riley was honored for her work, especially in collaborating with others on solutions to promote educational equity. She recently served as the lead on updating the Alternative Credit Center, portfolio process and Professional Studies degree programs.
• Team recipient: Doctor of Education in Innovation and Leadership Team — Lynn Massenzio (team lead), Misty LaCour, Julia Nyberg, Sean Preston, Betsy Kindall, Jahna Kahrhoff, Marc Tokar, Ryan Eikmeier and Dena AuC The team used a new, exemplary model that employed an innovative process with an interdisciplinary approach for course development and program implementation. The model and process were created using extensive partnerships and collaboration, which included a Purdue Global interdisciplinary team, the Education Advisory Committee, and College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Industry Partnerships Team.

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://stories.purdue.edu/purdue-global/.

Writer/Media contact: Matthew Oates, oatesw@purdue.edu, 765-496-6160, @mo_oates

Source: Jackie Ward