Honors and awards

November 2020

Madison recognized for service to regional compact

Olivia Madison, professor emerita and dean emerita of library services, was honored this month for her service to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, one of four regional compacts in the country that develop and support best practices, collaborative efforts and cost-sharing opportunities to ensure strong, equitable education opportunities and outcomes. Madison has served the MHEC since 2011, including committee membership and as treasurer, vice chair and 2019-20 chair.

Wintersteen honored with Food Systems Leadership Award

President Wendy Wintersteen received the 2020 Food Systems Leadership Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Wintersteen was presented with the award Nov. 4 during APLU's Community of Scholars Celebrating Excellence program.

The award is the highest recognition bestowed by APLU for a leader in the food system. The honor recognizes senior leaders who have made extraordinary impact on the food system through leadership and service, and who exemplify the core principles established by the Food Systems Leadership Institute, including personal leadership, organizational leadership and food systems leadership. 

Pappajohn Center is a finalist for venture award

The Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship was one of five finalists for the Outstanding Contributions to Venture Creation award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, the worldwide academic association of entrepreneurship educators. The award, one of nine the consortium sponsors, recognizes centers that creatively support the process of launching and accelerating university-affiliated startups through competitions, incubators, accelerators or other programs.

Olson named president of regional association

Chad Olson, associate director of student financial aid, started his one-year term this month as president of the Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. The association includes financial aid administrators from nine states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Six receive alumni association's Faculty-Staff Inspiration Award

Six ISU faculty and staff members selected for the ISU Alumni Association's 2020 Faculty-Staff Inspiration Award were recognized during a virtual celebration this fall: Mark Bryden, professor of mechanical engineering; Thelma Harding, recruitment and retention coordinator and director of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement program in the Graduate College; Pol Herrmann, Bob and Kay Smith Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Ivy College of Business, Steven Hoff, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering; Brenda Thorbs-Weber, academic advisor and director of multicultural student success in the Ivy College of Business; and Jeremy Withers, associate professor of English. The award gives former ISU students a way to recognize current or former faculty or staff members who had a significant influence in their lives as students at ISU.