Dale E. Dowden Award for Outstanding Student Services in Distance Education

Vincennes University administrative assistant receives award for outstanding student services in distance education    

Released: June 22, 2006
Contact: Carol Brunty, 317.263.8846; cbrunty@ihets.org

INDIANAPOLIS—Vincennes University administrative assistant Julie Napier was awarded the “Dale E. Dowden Award for Outstanding Student Services in Distance Education” at a statewide conference on June 21st. Napier is the third Hoosier to receive the honor, which was developed in 2005 to recognize student support staff whose tireless work provides the foundation on which student success, particularly in distance learning, often depends. The award honors Dale E. Dowden of Vincennes University (now        Dale Dowden, Julie Napier, Don Kaufman
retired) for his lifelong focus on “being learner-centered.”        

Napier has been involved in distance education for nearly a decade, and her commitment to serving the needs of learners has helped thousands of students studying at colleges and universities throughout the state complete their graduation requirements by taking distance education classes from Vincennes University.    

The award was presented at the annual conference of the Indiana College Network (ICN), a collaborative distance education service with participation from all of Indiana’s public colleges and universities and a growing number of private institutions, and sponsored by the Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education (IPSE), a leadership committee within the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System (IHETS) consortium. Napier received a trophy and a cash award for professional development.  

“Julie is a shining example of a true service-oriented individual. She is the point person for Vincennes University with regard to the Indiana College Network and cross-institutional registration, providing hundreds of students from other Indiana colleges and universities with efficient courteous service each semester,” said Don Kaufman, dean of Continuing Studies at Vincennes University.

While colleges in other states are seeing their distance enrollments begin to plateau; institutions in Indiana are experiencing tremendous growth. Distance education coordinators are an important part of what sets Indiana apart from those in other states. 

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