Campus Champion Award

The CSA Campus Champion is awarded each semester to a faculty or staff member who partners with the CSA, advocates for students and consistently supports our student success initiatives.

Fall 2025 Campus Champion - Dr. Jennifer Nyland

The Center for Student Achievement is honored to recognize Dr. Jennifer Nyland as the CSA Campus Champion. Since Fall 2017, Dr. Nyland has been a steadfast advocate for the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program, working closely with SI leaders, coordinators, and administrators to support its continued success. Their efforts have helped elevate the SI program across faculty, students, and the broader academic community.

As a dedicated faculty champion, Dr. Nyland has provided invaluable mentorship and guidance to countless SI leaders and tutors. Students describe them as encouraging, kind, and a tireless advocate for their success. The CSA is proud to celebrate Dr. Nyland’s commitment to student achievement and academic excellence.

Fall 2025 Campus Champion Dr. Jennifer Nyland

“My journey at Salisbury has been full of twists and turns, but throughout all of them, Dr. Nyland has been there to support me. I first met her as a slightly terrified freshman in BIOL 201. I was dead set on hating the biology concepts I deemed “difficult”, which was basically all of the small stuff. I wanted nothing to do with molecular or cellular biology, chemistry, or microbiology. With Dr. Nyland as my professor, that didn’t last long. I quickly found myself engrossed in biology far more than I had ever thought I would be as she made the most difficult fundamental concepts interesting for me to learn and completely changed the trajectory of both my major and future because if it. She supported and cheered me on every step of the way since then: from including me in her toxicology research lab and encouraging me develop my own projects, to pushing me to join the honors college and mentoring my honors thesis, she has always been there for me as a teacher, leader, and role model. Even as my interests shifted from toxicology and to microbiology, she remained committed to guiding me towards the path that most suited me both in and beyond my undergraduate studies.

There is nothing I can say to fully encompass the scope of influence Dr. Nyland has had on my life thus far. She is one of the kindest and most encouraging professors I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and I can think of no one more deserving of this award than her. Thank you for everything, Dr. Nyland. It has been a privilege and honor to have you in my life at SU.” Jasmine Bowie, BIOL Tutor

Spring 2025 Campus Champion - Dr. Kirsten Guckes

It is our great pleasure to recognize Dr. Guckes as the CSA Campus Champion for the spring 2025 semester. Dr. G was nominated by her SI leader, Emily Challender. Dr. Guckes has been an outstanding partner and collaborator with Emily and the Center for Student Achievement. She consistently puts students first, facilitates the SI model and promotes SI to her students. Thank you for your support and congratulations on this well-deserved honor.

Throughout my time at Salisbury, I have had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of faculty, all of which made my experience special. However, when I reflect on my time at Salisbury, Dr. G immediately comes to mind as the most influential person in my life during Undergrad. I met Dr. G the fall of my junior, which was also her first semester teaching at Salisbury. From the moment that I met her; I knew that she was going to be someone that was going to make integral changes to Salisbury University. I feel so lucky to have been able to build such a strong relationship with her and to have been able to serve as her supplement instructor. Dr. G has a way about her that enables her to be able to reach every student despite their backgrounds and personal struggles. She truly cares for the student and person inside all of us. For me personally, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have the opportunities to grow as a student have nor would I have the courage to pursue a future I want rather than one I felt pressured to pursue. I will always be grateful that she gave me the confidence to be nothing but myself and strive to be the best version of me, which of a feeling I know many of her students can relate to. I leave Salisbury with the heaviest heart knowing that she will not be in my life in the same capacity. However, I always know she will be with me in the skill sets she has given me and the lessons she has taught me. It was inspiring to be taught by her, an honor to work alongside her and a privilege to be cared for by her.

Thank you Dr. G for everything, you are more than deserving of this honor. - Emily Challender, SI Leader, BIOL 211
Fall 2024 Campus Champion - Dr. Viktoria Basham

The Center for Student Achievement is honored to recognize Dr. Viktoria Basham as the CSA Campus Champion for the Fall 2024 semester. Dr. Vicky Basham has been doing wonderful work with the Honors Program since joining SU and has been a phenomenal partner with the CSA. Each semester, she coordinates a time management workshop with the CSA to help freshmen Honors students acclimate to college and ease their worries.

The CSA also frequently visits her HONR 111 class to facilitate workshops on planning their research papers. Her positivity and enthusiasm for students and life in general are contagious. Vicky and I co-facilitated a workshop this semester on happiness. It was a wonderful experience collaborating with her and learning firsthand.

Every time I attend one of Vicky’s classes or see her with students, I notice how much her students love working with her. It has been a privilege to partner with Vicky over the past several semesters, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award. Vicky is a personal friend, a friend of the CSA, and a true Campus Champion.
Spring 2024 Campus Champion - Dr. Ning Li

The Center for Student Achievement is honored to recognize Professor Ning Li as the CSA Campus Champion for the Spring 2024 semester. Dr. Li has served as an advocate for the program with SI leaders, coordinators and the rest of the CSA staff to ensure its success since fall 2020. As a faculty champion, Dr. Li has offered incredible support and mentorship to the SI leaders she has worked with. All of her SI leaders past and present have had nothing but good things to say about Dr. Li as a professor, a mentor and as a person. We at the CSA have had the joy of working with Dr. Li, and are appreciative of her efforts to recruit leaders and give feedback in order to continually improve the SI program. We congratulate Dr. Li on this well-deserved award and look forward to our continued partnership in the future.

“Throughout my time at Salisbury, my most gratifying experience has been becoming a Supplemental Instructor and having the opportunity to work with you, Dr. Li. You were the first Economics professor I had as a first year, and I absolutely loved everything about your class. The way you engage students, support student learning, and express relentless enthusiasm each class showcases your dedication as an educator, and I will always admire that.

Throughout my time as your SI leader, I have witnessed first-hand how you dedicate each semester to enhancing student’s success, by creating new activities for students, adjusting your lectures, and working with me to discuss what students need help with… which is why it’s so important that we have Professors like you here at SU.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I’ve had working with you, but I can’t thank you enough for inspiring my love for economics and acting as my mentor throughout my time here. I am so happy for your achievement, and it makes me proud to be your SI Leader. You are the best professor I have ever had at SU and I am so excited to continue working with you, as well as take your health economics course next semester!” Darby Trout, SI Leader ECON 211
Fall 2023 Campus Champion - Bob Barber

The Center for Student Achievement is honored to recognize Professor Bob Barber as the CSA Campus Champion. Bob has served as an advocate for the program with SI leaders, coordinators and administrators to ensure its success since fall 2010. He has helped promote the SI program among faculty, students and the academic community. As a faculty champion, Bob has offered support and mentorship to SI leaders. He has contributed to the ongoing improvement of the program by offering insights and suggestions based on his experiences and observations. Bob's advocacy has been tremendous, he has helped to grow and improve the program. Bob's number one priority is student success. He is truly a Center for Student Achievement Champion and a beloved member of the CSA family.

Professor Barber is one of the most supportive people that I have ever met. He truly helped me build self-confidence in my ability to succeed academically. He promotes the SI program both for his students and his student workers. He always tries to find a way to help us help the students whether by helping us create worksheets, solve problems, or just checking up on us. There is no other Professor that I would rather work with for my first time being an SI leader than Professor Barber. I am grateful and appreciative that I have gotten the opportunity to meet him, be taught by him and now to work with him.” Madjesca Limage, SI Leader MATH 160

Professor Barber was a big supporter during my first semester as an SI. He communicated effectively on his next move to ensure and reassure us that we were all on the same team. He gave us numerous opportunities to ask for help or answer any question. He was extremely flexible with meeting times and always asked my coworker and me how we were doing! Professor Barber always wanted us to prioritize our academic, mental, physical, and emotional health. I couldn't ask for a better Professor to SI for. He truly deserves this award and is our Campus Champion! -Jennet Daniel, SI Leader, MATH 160.