Jack A. Culbertson Award

2023, Rachel White, University of Tennessee

2023 Kevin Lawrence Henry, Jr, UW Madison

Jack A. Culbertson Award was established in 1982 in honor of UCEA’s first full-time Executive Director, who retired in 1981 after serving 22 years in the position. Jack was, himself, an impressive scholar throughout his career. However, he took particular interest in the scholarly endeavors of Junior Faculty, recognizing in their work the future of the profession.

The award is presented annually to an outstanding junior educational leadership professor in recognition of his/her significant contributions to the field of educational leadership.  Individuals nominated must have been professors for six years or fewer, and currently serve in a UCEA university.

Contributions to the field may include innovations in training, instructional materials, program development, empirical research, theoretical contributions, or a combination of the above.

Criteria used in selecting the outstanding contribution are:

• innovativeness
• originality
• generalizability
• potential impact
• relation to UCEA goals
• significance with respect to the training mission at the individual’s institution
• degree of effort required to produce the contribution
• extent of support for the effort provided by the candidate’s employing institution

Nominations are welcome from faculty member(s) of UCEA member institutions and partner institutions.

Nominations should include electronic copies of the following:

• Nominee' s most recent curriculum vitae;
• Three letters of recommendation,
  1. One nomination letter addressing the contributions of the nominee relative to one or more of the award criteria. This letter can include quotes from other faculty and/or graduate students in support of the nominee. 

  2. Two letters of support from individuals who can speak directly to the nominee's significant contribution to the field of educational leadership within their first six years as faculty.

A UCEA committee appointed by the Executive Director will review and evaluate the nominees. This committee will reserve the right to present this award to multiple candidates on any given year, or conversely, not to present this award should nominees not fully meet the selection criteria.

Please email electronic copies of all nomination materials to awards@ucea.org with the title of the award in the subject line. 

The deadline for nominations is August 25, 2024.

Jack A. Culbertson Award Recipients

2023    Kevin Lawrence Henry, Jr, UW Madison, & Rachel White, University of Tennessee

2022    Frank Perrone, Indiana University Bloomington 

            Andrew Pendola, Auburn University 

2021    Erin Anderson, University of Denver

2020    Miriam Ezzani, Texas Christian University

2019    Lolita Tabron, University of Denver  

2018    Chad R. Lochmiller, Indiana University

2017    David E. DeMatthews, University of Texas at El Paso

2016    Ann M. Ishimaru, University of Washington

2015    Anjalé D. Welton, University of Illinois at Urbana at Champaign

2014    Hollie J. Mackey, The University of Oklahoma

2013    Morgaen L. Donaldson, University of Connecticut

2012    Alex Bowers, University of Texas at San Antonio

2011    Julian Vasquez Heilig, University of Texas at Austin

2010    Brendan Maxcy, Indiana University

2009    Sara Dexter, University of Virginia

2008    Thomas Alsbury, North Carolina State University

            Jeffrey Wayman, University of Texas at Austin

2007    Suzanne E Eckes, Indiana University, Bloomington

            Meredith Honig, University of Washington

2006    Andrea Rorrer, University of Utah

2005    No Award

2004    Gerardo Lopez, Indiana University

2003    Cynthia Reed, Auburn University

2002    Julie Mead, University of Wisconsin-Madison

            Roger Goddard, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

2001    Jay P.Scribner, University of Missouri-Columbia

            Linda Skrla, Texas A & M University

2000    Jeffrey Maiden, University of Oklahoma

1999    Carolyn Kelley, University of Wisconsin-Madison

1998    C. Cryss Brunner, University of Wisconsin-Madison

1997    Patsy E. Johnson, University of Kentucky

1996    Frances Fowler, Miami University

1995    Neil Thoebald, Indiana University

1994    Steven L. Jacobson, SUNY Buffalo

1993    Paula M. Short, The Pennsylvania State University

1992    Ann Weaver Hart, University of Utah

1991    Kent D. Peterson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

1990    Paul V. Bredeson, The Pennsylvania State University

1989    Carol A. Veir, Univeristy of Texas-Austin

1988    Charol Shakeshaft, Hofstra University

1987    Walter H. Gmelch, Washington State University

1986    Joseph Murphy, University of Illinois

1985    Jeri Nowakowski, Northern Illinois University

1983    Patrick B. Forsyth, Oklahoma State University

1984    L. Dean Webb, Arizona State University