Harford Community College Employee Named NISOD Excellence Award Recipient

Harford Community College is pleased to announce that Teresa Stephens, Assistant Manager, Test Center has been named a recipient of a 2024-2025 Staff/Administrator NISOD Excellence Award.

NISOD’s Excellence Awards were established in 1991 to provide community and technical colleges with an opportunity to recognize individuals demonstrating an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues. Since then, more than 30,000 recipients have been honored with the Award.

Ms. Stephens, who joined Harford Community College in 2013, is known for her strong work ethic, collaborative spirit, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to student success and equity. She has played a critical role in maintaining smooth operations within the Test Center.

Stephens spearheaded the development of a comprehensive student affairs assessment framework. These assessments have fostered continuous improvement that have led to enhanced student retention and success, especially in areas related to student engagement and well-being.

She serves as a mentor to peers and has actively led initiatives to build assessment capacity within Student Affairs, organizing workshops and training sessions that equip colleagues with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct meaningful assessments.

As Chair of the Core Assessment Team of Student Affairs, Stephens introduced a series of technological innovations that have transformed assessment practices within the division. She also worked with the Achieving the Dream Pillar assessment workgroup.

One of Stephens’ most notable achievements is fostering a positive culture of assessment within Student Affairs. She initiated and led "data story" sessions across the division, consistently guiding units on the value of assessment in driving meaningful improvements. By embedding assessment into the division’s regular operations, she has ensured that data-driven decision-making is at the forefront of efforts to support student success.

Excellence Award recipients were recognized during NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, which was held May 24-27 in Austin, Texas. Each Excellence Award recipient received a unique pewter medallion hung on a burnt-orange ribbon and an Excellence Awards certificate.

About NISOD
The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) is a membership organization committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. The American Association of Community Colleges named NISOD, “The country’s leading provider of professional development for community college faculty, staff, and administrators.” To learn more about NISOD, visit https://www.nisod.org/.

About Harford Community College
Harford Community College offers more than 90 affordable degree programs and 65+ career and workforce programs of study as well as a variety of noncredit community education and workforce development courses. Located on 352 acres near Bel Air, Harford Community College has been helping Harford Countians achieve their goals since 1957.

Photo credit: Lauren Raygor, Harford Community College