Dennis Black, vice president of student affairs for UB, has been recognized by a national organization for his continued dedication to students' academic experience.
NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (formerly the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators) rewarded Black with the 2010 Fred Turner Award for outstanding service at its annual conference, held on March 9 in Chicago.
The Fred Turner Award is reserved for NASPA members who have demonstrated continuous NASPA membership for 10 or more years, and who have served in a leadership role at the state, regional, or national level of NASPA.
Black was the sole recipient in the organization this year. He described the experience as humbling.
"[The award] is a great thank-you," Black said. "It really represents a lot of good work being done by people around the country and here at UB."
Besides spending a decade with the organization, Black has been actively involved in their leadership, chairing the 2008 NASPA annual conference in Boston, MA. He has also served on the James E. Scott National Academy for Leadership and Executive Effectiveness Advisory Board and the Future of Student Affairs Task-force, a joint venture by NASPA and ACPA- the American College Personnel Association.
As the vice president of student affairs, Black's job description covers almost everything that goes on at UB. According to Black, his responsibilities cover everything done "outside the classroom to support the academic experience, from orientation through career services and commencement, and everything that happens in the middle."
For Black, guiding students through the two ends of their college careers is the best part of his job; it's exhilarating, but also intimidating.
"The freshman orientation programs and commencement are both filled with so much energy and promise," Black said.
Black's own relationship with UB began even before his freshman orientation when he first came to the university as a senior in high school. At that time, research universities such as UB were the only places with facilities large enough to accommodate computers, which often took up entire rooms. After tinkering with UB's computers, he decided to stay here for his education.
As an undergraduate, Black enjoyed taking classes in English, political science and history, then he stayed to earn his JD from the UB Law School.
After graduation, Black stayed in Buffalo and began teaching UB 101, the mandatory introduction class for freshmen students. Despite his other duties, Black continues to teach this class every fall while instructing graduate and law students in the spring.
Black received another accolade from NASPA in 2003, when he was awarded the NASPA Foundation's Pillar of the Profession Award for professional distinction, leadership skills, and peer recognition.
Photo: Courtesy of UBNow Graphic Designer Kristen Kowalski
