At Walden University’s Board of Directors Awards Dinner held in February in Dallas, Dr. Stephanie J.W. Ford was recognized with a Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence for her proven leadership, outstanding contributions, commitment to the best-quality experience for students, and commitment to Walden’s mission and vision, including promoting positive social change.

Recipient: Dr. Stephanie J.W. Ford

Title: Field experience coordinator in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (M.S. in Mental Health Counseling program)

Nominator Comments: There is never a small or minor student issue to Dr. Ford. She responds to every student concern presented to her as if it were her own issue or crisis. In all of my professional experience, I have never met anyone with more compassion and sensitivity to students’ needs. She really believes in students’ goals for themselves, and she makes it a point to understand how the education they receive at Walden will impact their family and community lives.

Dr. Ford is really committed to social change and what that means to the mental health community. She has been really instrumental in making sure that social change is a component of every student’s experience in the M.S. in Mental Health Counseling program. She initiated M.S. in Mental Health Counseling students’ involvement in social change projects in their communities, allowing them the opportunity to network with each other at residencies to talk about ways they could collaborate on projects in their respective communities.

February Ponder front page