ACPA Coalition for Women's Identities 2017 Award Winners

Outstanding Emerging Professional: Quincy Kissack (University of Maryland)

The Outstanding Emerging Professional Award is given to emerging professionals who have made positive contributions, related to the CWI Mission, to their department or institution. Kissack’s nominators wrote extensively about her commitment to gender, leadership, privilege and identity issues in higher education. Each nominator shared knowledge of her exceptional professional insight and understanding, mentorship of undergraduate women-identified students, and commitment to scholarship in the field. It is clear that we can expect great things from her as she moves forward professionally in the field.  Congratulations Quincy Kissack!

Mid-Level Professional Award: Heather Lou (University of Minnesota)

The Mid-level Professional Award winner is selected based on their demonstrated expertise in creating an environment that promotes the Core Values of the Coalition for Women's Identities (CWI). This includes advocacy & activism, engaging community, and scholarship through innovative and responsive services, research or programs. Lou successfully advocated for more than 120 restrooms to be gender inclusive. She works tirelessly to ensure that trainings are more inclusive of diverse voices on campus. Her nomination letter states that she “has positively impacted institutions and communities throughout the country through demonstrated expertise in advocacy, community engagement, and the development and implementation of innovative and responsive services and programs.” Congratulations Heather Lou!

Research & Scholarship Award: Dr. Kirsten T. Edwards (University of Oklahoma)

The Research and Scholarship Award winner is selected based on a review of research and scholarly activity relevant to women and gender identity in Student Affairs. Edwards’ nomination letter states that “not only does Dr. Edwards’ scholarship focus on the experiences of Black women identified students and faculty in higher education, but her praxis enacts an ethic of care that creates empowering learning environments for student affairs practitioners, especially those who find themselves marginalized in historically and predominantly white and/or patriarchal institutions. Congratulations, Dr. Kristen T. Edwards!

Wisdom Award: Dr. Tamara Yakaboski (University of Northern Colorado)

This award is selected based on the history of their contributions to promote the professional and personal development of people in alignment with the CWI mission. Dr. Yakaboski’s nomination letter states that her “research has focused consistently for over a decade on women’s issues including women administrators in higher education, women mothers and students, women faculty intersected with international identities, pop culture issues of women’s representation in movies, and healthcare reform and women’s reproductive rights.”  The nomination letter speaks not only to the great mentorship the nominator has personally experienced, but also Yakaboski’s mentorship of “many women and gender-nonconforming individuals in master’s and doctoral level programs throughout her career.” Congratulations, Dr. Tamara Yakaboski!

Jodie Castanza Outstanding Service Award: Erin Simpson (University of Oklahoma)

The Jodie Castanza Outstanding Service Award is chosen by the Chair of the Coalition for Women’s Identities, and is given to a past or current CWI Directorate member who has gone above and beyond the general responsibilities expected of them. This year’s recipient, Erin Simpson, is ending her term as Past-Chair for the CWI, and is moving into an ACPA Assembly Leadership role as Coordinator of Coalitions. Erin currently serves as Assistant Director for Residence Life at the University of Oklahoma. In Simpson’s letter from the current CWI Chair, Dr. Mollie Monahan-Kreishman, Simpson was chosen “for her unwavering activism and advocacy with and for women- and female-identified voices in student affairs. Her commitment to social justice exemplifies the mission and values of the Coalition for Women’s Identities. She cares deeply about her students, colleagues, and fellow CWI Directorate members, checking in individually, listening closely and supporting them however she can.” We are grateful to Erin for her leadership in CWI, and look forward to her bringing the spirit of the CWI to the ACPA Assembly Leadership! Congratulations Erin Simpson!

Congratulations to all of our award winners! We are so grateful to you for the critical work you do in the field. Your contributions make such a difference in the lives of women- and female-identified students and professionals in the field.