Kirsten Kennedy, associate vice president for the residential experience, has been recognized by NASPA with the Faculty Council Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Scholar-Practitioner.  

The award recognizes full-time student affairs professionals who bring rich real-world experience to their classroom teaching and support of their students.

According to her award nomination, Kennedy brings significant insight to the classroom, but she doesn’t stop there.

In a letter signed by the full-time faculty of the USC higher education and student affairs program, some of Kennedy's nominators say, “[S]he builds connections with all students and serves as a resource throughout their time in the program. Beyond her work in the classroom, she demonstrates an ethic of care with all of the students through her mentoring, including interest in their graduate assistantships on campus."

Kennedy holds an affiliate appointment in the university’s higher education and student affairs program, teaching classes in student affairs administration and trends and issues in higher education. She oversees University Housing and its faculty-led and associated living and learning communities, Student Affairs and Academic Support capital projects and information technology and the Office of Sustainability.

NASPA, the national association for student affairs professionals in higher education, will hold its annual conference in March in Seattle, where the award will be presented.