Jillian Kinzie has won the George Kuh Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature and/or Research from NASPA.

Kinzie, a senior research scientist, said working with Kuh, a Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus at the IU School of Education, to discover and document educational effective practices at colleges and universities and to shape and problematize student success in college has been central to her career in higher education. 

“For me to be bestowed with this honor is further testament of his legacy to understanding the student experience and advancing higher education,” she said. “Kuh's work has significantly impacted our understanding of higher education and student engagement and I am honored and extremely proud to be acknowledged for extending and charting new paths for this critically important research and for helping to improve the conditions for student success. This award further acknowledges the groundbreaking work that I’ve been honored to be a part of at the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Our practical research and the data we provide to colleges and universities has offered valuable insights into the factors that contribute to student learning and success.”

This award honors an individual who has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to research and scholarship related to higher education. Throughout their career, the honoree’s work should address important and substantial issues, and have had a significant or transformative effect on higher education and student affairs practice in a national or international context.

“I’m deeply gratified to have collaborated with Kuh on efforts to promote high-impact practices, such as undergraduate research, service learning, and internships, that have enriched the educational experience for countless students and informed more equitable institutional policies and practices,” Kinzie added.