Schnurer and Berry were two of 19 CSU faculty members who were recognized for demonstrating extraordinary leadership to advance student success and implementing innovative practices in teaching, course design or support programs that significantly improve student outcomes. Award recipients have expertise in a wide range of disciplines from science education to public health to speech-language pathology.
“These outstanding faculty consistently engage students with innovative practices and foster stimulating and equitable learning environments that support these students on their path to graduation,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White. “Their commitment to deepen and enrich learning by putting students at the center of all they do is fundamental to the mission of the CSU, and is helping to transform higher education nationwide.”
In nominating Schnurer and Berry, College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) Dean Lisa Bond-Maupin highlighted their decade of collaborative work to build and institutionalize an award-winning, survivor-centered approach to sexualized violence prevention and intervention at Humboldt State University.
Working with campus and community partners, they co-founded the HSU Sexual Assault Prevention Committee, developed the current Coordinated Community Response Team, secured nine consecutive years of funding through the Department of Justice, established a national model Bystander Engagement Initiative (CHECK IT), and partnered with CAHSS to establish a first-year student living and learning community committed to building consent culture called Students for Violence Prevention.
“Their continuing leadership is built on a commitment to broad impact and sustainability through coalition building and culture change,” Bon-Maupin says. “All aspects of this work provide students with engagement and learning opportunities through service as team members, CHECK IT leaders, trainers, and as members of Students of Violence Prevention.”
A selection committee comprised of faculty, student representatives from the California State Student Association and staff members from the CSU Office of the Chancellor reviewed more than 200 nominations to identify the awardees.
Awardees receive $5,000, as well as $10,000 allocated to their academic department in support of ongoing innovation and leadership to advance student success at the CSU. Funding for the awards is provided by generous grant support from the College Futures Foundation, who sees faculty innovation and leadership as vital to improving outcomes for California’s diverse students.
Read bios for each awardee on the Faculty Innovation and Leadership Awards website.
Faculty innovation is crucial to reaching the ambitious student success goals outlined in the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025. This university-wide effort advances specific goals to eliminate equity gaps and significantly improve degree completion.
Award recipients will be formally honored in mid-October at the upcoming fourth-annual Graduation Initiative 2025 Symposium, hosted this year in Sacramento, California.