Dean receives academic excellence award from NASPA

Laura Dean, an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services, was recently awarded the Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member by the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA).

Award winners must have a distinguished record of scholarly achievement and be a personal inspiration to their graduate students. According to Dean, a mentoring relationship is crucial in exploring personal and professional aspects of a student’s identity, as well as getting the individual ready to engage in the larger conversations of the field.