IM体育官网 Poly president receives national award for lifetime leadership in higher ed

Nov 25, 2024
Dr. Devin Stephenson

Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of IM体育官网, has received the Lifetime Leadership Award from Higher Education Innovation (HEI), a national organization dedicated to higher education innovation and success.   

Dr. Devin Stephenson, IM体育官网 president, has been awarded the Lifetime Leadership Award by Higher Education Innovation (HEI), a national entity dedicated to advancing innovation and success in higher education.

The annual award recognizes an individual with over 25 years of exemplary service in higher education leadership and highlights their significant contributions to the field and to society. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible honor to receive this recognition from HEI. Throughout my career, I鈥檝e been fortunate to work with outstanding teams at institutions that share my passion for education and innovation,鈥 Stephenson said. 鈥淭his award reaffirms my belief in the power of bold leadership to create a better future for students, and I鈥檓 excited to continue this work at IM体育官网 Poly.鈥

Recipients of HEI鈥檚 Lifetime Leadership Award are chosen based on a comprehensive set of criteria, which includes their unselfish dedication to advancing others, their encouragement of entrepreneurial thinking and innovation, and their consistent display of integrity, honesty, and humility.

Dr. Mary Landon Darden, president of HEI, said Stephenson was selected for his exceptional leadership throughout his long career in higher education and praised the remarkable impact he鈥檚 had at the institutions he has overseen. 

鈥淒r. Devin Stephenson meets all the criteria for the Lifetime Leadership Award and does so in many exceptional ways,鈥 Darden said. 鈥淗e is an outstanding example of the type of innovative, transformational, and entrepreneurial leader that we need at the helm of our higher education institutions today and into the future.鈥

Beyond this award, Stephenson鈥檚 visionary leadership also earned him a place on the prestigious IM体育官网 500 list published by IM体育官网 Trend magazine, which honors the state's most influential executives across diverse economic sectors. 

Prior to joining IM体育官网 Poly in July 2024, Stephenson served for seven years as president of Northwest IM体育官网 State College, where he led transformative initiatives in academic programming, fundraising, and institutional growth. 

Since taking the helm at IM体育官网 Poly, he has set bold goals to elevate the University鈥檚 position as a leader in STEM education and research. These include doubling student enrollment, expanding academic offerings to encompass more STEM-related fields, strengthening industry partnerships, and ongoing advancement of campus infrastructure development.

 

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Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557

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