3:09 p.m., Jan. 13, 2011----Cara Robinson, a doctoral student in the School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware, was one of eight students nationwide selected to receive the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award, an honor given by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to graduate students who show “exemplary promise as future leaders of higher education.”

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Robinson was selected from a pool of more than 225 nominations and recognized for her commitment to civic engagement and her emphasis on teaching and learning. She and her fellow awardees “represent the finest in the new generation of faculty who will teach and lead higher education in the next decades,” said AAC&U President Carol Geary Schneider.

As a doctoral student, Robinson has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses, mentored incoming freshmen, conducted graduate research for the Center for Community Research and Service (CCRS), collaborated with local non-profits on community-based research projects, and served as executive director of the Homeless Planning Council of Delaware, an independent non-profit organization.

“Cara is not satisfied by just posing questions and finding answers, but seeks to apply them to real world issues and problems and encourages others to do the same,” said her adviser and CCRS Director Steven Peuquet. “She has a rare blend of intelligence, vision, practicality, diplomacy, and friendliness that combine to make her an outstanding young educator, researcher, and leader.”

Robinson and the seven other 2011 Cross Scholars will be introduced to the AAC&U community at the organization's 2011 annual meeting, “Global Positioning: Essential Learning, Student Success, and the Currency of U.S. Degrees,” to be held in San Francisco from Jan. 26-29.

AAC&U is the leading national association concerned with the quality, vitality, and public standing of undergraduate liberal education. Founded in 1915, AAC&U now comprises more than 1,200 member institutions, including the University of Delaware.

Article by Artika Rangan