Arkansas State University Three Rivers is proud to announce its recipient of the annual NISOD Excellence Award. The 2023 honoree is CNA Faculty Toni Dyer.
NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues. In 1989, in connection with a University of Texas at Austin national study of teaching excellence, NISOD hosted its first ceremony honoring NISOD Excellence Award recipients. The response to that ceremony was so positive that NISOD began what has become the largest and most inspiring gathering that recognizes the contributions and achievements of community and technical college faculty, administrators, and staff.
“I am honored to receive this recognition. I love teaching and I strive to impact the lives of my students” stated Dyer.
Over the past seven years, Toni has demonstrated professionalism and excellence in her position as an ASUTR Career Center CNA faculty member. Toni teaches coursework each year to high school seniors that, upon completion, allows her students the opportunity to sit for the Certified Nursing Assistant exam. These students then have the opportunity to seek employment at area long-term facilities, private practice offices, and hospitals.
In addition to her contributions in the Career Center classroom Toni teaches Nursing Assistant coursework for the college’s Workforce Center. Students in these courses, many of whom are non-traditional students, are seeking opportunities to improve their career options and to take the first step into the healthcare field. Receiving their CNA certification can truly be a life altering achievement.
Excellence Award recipients are recognized during NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in Austin, Texas. Excellence Award recipients receive a specially cast, pewter medallion hung on a burnt-orange ribbon. The names, titles, and colleges of all Excellence Award recipients are included in a special booklet that features congratulatory ads from many of the recipients’ colleges. In addition, presentations at the conference involving Excellence Award recipients are indicated in the Conference Program with a special icon.
“Recognizing those individuals who have contributed to student success and their colleges’ mission is something we look forward to doing each year,” said Dr. Edward J. Leach, NISOD’s Executive Director. “The extraordinary work of these men and women includes not only what they do for their students and colleagues, but what they do for the communities in which they live and work. We’re honored to be able to play a part in celebrating their achievements.”
About NISOD
The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) is a membership organization committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. NISOD provides budget-friendly, high-quality, and faculty-focused programs and resources for community and technical colleges that want to make the most of their professional development dollars. For over 40 years, NISOD has aligned a wide array of benefits with the needs of our members, which explains why the American Association of Community Colleges named NISOD, “The country’s leading provider of professional development for community college faculty, staff, and administrators.” For more information about NISOD, visit www.nisod.org.