Staff from SHSU Online have been named winners of the Blackboard Catalyst Award for Leading Change, which honors institutions who are on the forefront of educational innovation. It recognizes teams who have developed and implemented high impact educational strategies that scale. Founded in 2005, the annual Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice, where millions of educators and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology. Winners are selected by a cross-functional team of Blackboard experts.
SHSU Online awardees were awarded this achievement for their work in the TSUS Shared Services project. The System-wide initiative calls for the sharing of academic and technological resources among the colleges and universities within the System, and it brings together the efforts of cross-institutional collaboration in technology, pedagogy, support and accessibility for online education. Sam Houston State University, Lamar Institute of Technology, and Sul Ross State University have become the first institutions to enter into the TSUS Shared Services initiative.
"We’re pleased to honor this year's Blackboard Catalyst Award winners for their commitment to improving the educational experience for all learners through EdTech and sharing these insights with the broader community," said Lee Blakemore, Chief Client Officer and President, Global Markets at Blackboard. "We’re proud to partner with institutions who are innovating to advance student success.”
The SHSU Online team was recognized alongside other Blackboard Catalyst Award winners during BbWorld 2020, Blackboard’s annual user conference held virtually July 21 and 22. “We are proud to have earned this recognition,” says Dr. Ruth Chisum, Executive Director for SHSU Online Operations. “As online education becomes more mainstream and strategic to the TSUS, combining our efforts can mean we reach more students across Texas and beyond. In essence, the Shared Services project is predicated on the simple belief that together, we can achieve more.”
Blackboard is the leading provider of learner success-focused technology solutions and services. Its product portfolio is unmatched in the marketplace, spanning teaching and learning, analytics, community engagement, and student services. For more information on the Blackboard Catalyst Awards, please visit: https://community.blackboard.com/catalystawards.