Each year, USDLA recognizes innovators and leaders within the distance/digital learning industry as part of our international Awards program. These highly coveted awards are presented annually to organizations and individuals who compete across several categories of excellence. The USDLA International Distance Learning Awards are created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance/digital learning and to highlight those instructors, programs, and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary achievements through the use of online learning techniques, innovation, and video delivery technologies globally.
This year, the following nominees were chosen by the review committee to receive awards in their respective categories:
Leadership category
Higher Ed
- Gold: Dr. Meryl Epstein, Sessions College
- Silver: J. Cody Moyer, Polk College
K-12
-Gold: Daniele Shick, FLVS
Research Category
Higher Ed
- Gold: Rebecca J. Blankenship, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University
- Silver: William Chisholm Schulz III, Walden University
- Bonze (tie): Chuck Sengstock Drake and Curtis J. Bonk, Indiana University
Rising Star Category
Higher Ed
- Gold: Dr. Meina Zhu, Indiana University
Teaching/Learning Category
Higher Ed
- Gold: Center for Teaching Excellence, Baker College
- Silver: Office of Teaching and Learning Excellence, Walden University
- Bonze: Masters of Industrial Distribution (MID) distance education program, Texas A&M
K-12
- Gold: Melissa Kelly, FLVS
Not for Profit
- Gold: Brian D Rewerts for IFM clinical toolkit
Trendsetter Category
Higher Ed
- Gold (tie): Florian Hummel, International University of Applied Sciences, Germany and The Online Campus team, Columbia University’s School of Social Work
- Silver: Deborah Morris, Walden University
- Bronze: Luke Bennett, Perdue University
Pre-K/12
- Gold: Emily Hausmann, Play Garden Prep
Not for Profit
- Gold: Darryl Batts, OIADA International
- Silver: Allyson Mitchell, Center for Interactive Learning & Collaboration
Telehealth
- Gold: Janet Major Durckel, Arizona Telemedicine Program
Corporate
-Gold: Wolfvision
Award Questions
- Email Wendy Pate at wpate@usdla.org