Patty Perillo honored by ACPA-College Student Educators International
Virginia Tech Vice President for Student Affairs Patty Perillo has been selected 2014 recipient of the Esther Lloyd-Jones Professional Service Award given by the ACPA-College Student Educators International.
The award will be presented at the ACPA’s annual meeting in Indianapolis next month.
“This is an enormous honor for Dr. Perillo and Virginia Tech,” said Provost Mark McNamee in announcing the award. “I hope the university community will join me in congratulating Dr. Perillo on this momentous recognition and in celebrating her good work in the spirit of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).”
The award honors the life and work of Esther Lloyd-Jones, one of the earliest pioneers in the field of student affairs. The award recipient exemplifies the profession's commitment to service through significant, continued, and unselfish service and leadership activities that have benefited the profession, ACPA, and the profession's practice on the national level.
As a transformative leader in higher education, Perillo is internationally known in the field of student affairs. Her career spans all aspects of student affairs at six institutions of higher learning. Before coming to Virginia Tech in 2012, Perillo was associate dean of students at Davidson College. Perillo has served the ACPA-College Student Educators International in several capacities, including as president, 2008-09. Additionally, she has served the ACPA as chair of the governance task force, on the consolidation steering committee, as convention chair, on the professional competencies task force, and as a foundation board member.
Perillo received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delaware and a doctoral degree from the University of Maryland. Her research, publications, and presentations have focused on organizational change and transition management, leadership development, student health education, learning-centered organizations, diversity and inclusion, and values-centered leadership.
Since coming to Virginia Tech, Perillo has established the Leadership Education Collaborative, created the office of New Student and Family Programs, overseen the opening of three new living-learning communities and envisioning of a fourth, supported capacity-building and integration of the Aspirations for Student Learning throughout student affairs programs and services, and championed new sustainability initiatives in dining centers and residence halls.
ACPA-College Student Educators International, headquartered in Washington, D.C., at the National Center for Higher Education, is the leading comprehensive student affairs association that advances outreach, advocacy, research, and professional development to foster college student learning and engage students for a lifetime of learning and discovery. ACPA supports the generation and dissemination of knowledge, which informs policies, practices, and programs for student affairs professionals and the higher education community. Founded in 1924, ACPA has nearly 7,500 members representing 1,200 private and public institutions from across the U.S. and around the world. The organization will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2014.
Lloyd-Jones (1901-1991) was an authority in the field of guidance to college and university students. She was a key figure in building the guidance and student personnel field in the United States, and served as ACPA’s seventh president, 1935-37.
Written by Sandy Broughton.
