Melvin C. Terrell, vice president emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University, was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Bobby E. Leach Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award presented by NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The award honors a senior student affairs professional or faculty member who has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion throughout their administrative or academic tenure.
The award is named in honor of the first person of color to serve as NASPA president. Bobby E. Leach was also the first African American administrator at Florida State University.
Dr. Terrell initiated his career in higher education, at Kennedy-King College in Chicago. He went on to serve on the staff at Eastern New Mexico University, Chicago State University, the University of Arkansas at Monticello, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the University of Toledo, Northeastern Illinois University. Then he served as founder and chair of the Dr. Melvin Cleveland Terrell Educational Foundation. Dr. Terrell is the co-author of How Minority Students Experience College: Implication for Planning and Policy (Stylus Publishing, 2002).
Melvin C Terrell earned his bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education at Chicago State University. He holds a master’s degree in college student personnel from Loyola University in Chicago and a Ph.D. in higher education administration and Black studies from Southern Illinois University–Carbondale.
