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Established in 2013 and intended to address SoACE’s strategic priority on diversity and inclusion, SoACE annually recognizes an individual that has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the pursuit of diversity and inclusion in the community and workplace. Contributions in advancing diversity may be in the form of activism, education, outreach, publication, service, or other initiatives. SoACE was proud to present Andrew Harper, Manager of Employer Relations at St. Edward’s University, with the 2017 Champion of Diversity Award at the Annual Conference in December.
Kelvin Rutledge, Director of Diversity and Inclusion on the SoACE Board of Directors, presented Andrew with the Champion of Diversity Award and said the following:
This year, we are pleased to recognize an individual who has made active strides and contributions in both their personal and professional capacity. Andrew is an active contributor to multiple areas of the association and has made positive impact to the association’s social media team, the SoACE Connections blog, Diversity & Inclusion Programming, and the overall 2017 conference experience. Within his personal practice, Andrew has championed voices for underrepresented populations both on the institutional campus and been an advocate and resource within the local community of Austin, TX.
Andrew Harper has been dedicated to advancing career and experiential education through leadership positions in multiple professional associations. He has represented Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas as the Region V Vice President on the Cooperative Education & Internship Association (CEIA) Board of Directors since 2016 and served as programs chair of the 2017 Southern Association of Colleges & Employers (SoACE) Annual Conference. He also served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Texas Cooperative Education & Internship Association in the positions of Conference Chair, President and Past President from 2012 to 2015. Through the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) between 2012 and 2013, he completed the Management Leadership Institute (MLI) and Leadership Advancement Program (LAP) and served on the Honors & Awards Committee.
Andrew has worked in higher education for 15 years in the positions of Manager of Employer Relations and Internship Coordinator at St. Edward’s University, Career Services Advisor at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts – Austin and as an adjunct history instructor at Austin Community College. At St. Edward’s, Andrew has administered experiential education programs and taught career exploration, research, history and writing courses, including developing an online career development course. His service to campus includes chairing the Student Success Center Professional Development Committee and co-advising the campus LGBTQA+ student organization.
Andrew graduated from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing & Rhetoric and a M.L.A. with a concentration in Social Sciences.
The call for nominations for the 2018 Champion of Diversity Award will be announced in the fall. When the time comes, please consider nominating a colleague. A list of past award recipients and selection criteria can be found on the Awards and Recognition page of the SoACE website.
