College of Education Health and Human Studies alumnus Mike Daniels, Ph.D., Higher Education, and director of Kent State's E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center, recently received a national dissertation of the year award from the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) Foundation. is a constructivist grounded theory study on undergraduate Black men and how they develop their leader identity. The result of this study was a substantive theory and model on the leader identity development process of Black men.
NASPA is a member-centered association supporting a diverse and passionate network of 15,000 professionals and 1,200 institutions across the globe.
The Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award is designed to encourage high quality research relevant to college student services administration and to student affairs. This award recognizes outstanding dissertation research conducted by doctoral degree recipients presently in or intending to enter the student affairs profession. This award is proudly sponsored and made possible with funding from the .
The NASPA Foundation Hardee Award—named after student affairs and higher education pioneer Dr. Melvene D. Hardee of Florida State University—honors the best emergent scholarship in the field as demonstrated through a completed dissertation, in addition to the mentorship that shapes these scholars and the passion of the newly minted doctoral degree. These are a few hallmarks of quality graduate education. Dr. Hardee, herself, was an advocate for graduate students and graduate education. In 1958, she helped form the Higher Education program at Florida State University, where she stayed the duration of her career, shepherding more than 100 students through the masters and doctoral degree process. In 1988, NASPA was fortunate enough to give Dr. Hardee the Robert H. Schaffer Award in recognition of her continued commitment to the professional growth of students. The student affairs and higher education community was fortunate to have such a strong advocate for the profession.
The Dissertation of the Year committee reviews all submitted materials in great detail. The top 3-5 applicants are invited to submit a copy of the dissertation in full which is read and evaluated by the committee. The committee will select the winner and runner-up based on the top dissertations submitted.