ACUE awards WSSU with Movement Maker Award for advancing student success
Winston-Salem State University was honored as one of three higher education institutions and one university system to receive the 2025 Movement Maker Award by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).
The honorees were celebrated at the opening reception of the Student Success US 2025/National Higher Education Teaching Conference held November 17-19 in Atlanta. The other recipients were Florence-Darlington Technical College, Queensborough Community College and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
Being named a Movement Maker is a prestigious national distinction honoring institutions that excel in elevating faculty teaching that impact powerful student outcomes and shape the future of higher education nationwide. The award recognizes an institution’s extraordinary and enduring commitment to advancing student success through quality instruction.
The ACUE, in its award profile of WSSU, said the university has made an extraordinary, campuswide commitment to student success, anchored in its bold vision to “retain and graduate 100% of its students.” Since partnering with ACUE in 2021, nearly 40% of faculty have earned Certification in Effective Teaching Practices through the university’s “ACUE Excellence in Online Instruction Project.”
Led by Senior Faculty Development Specialist Dr. Jeremiah Shipp and the Center for Innovative and Transformative Instruction, WSSU continues to expand its ACUE programs each year, most recently launching a “Generative AI in Teaching” cohort to help faculty integrate AI tools with creativity and purpose, it stated.
Department chairs and academic leaders learn alongside faculty, modeling the same growth mindset they seek to inspire, reflecting the university’s unwavering commitment to high-quality educational experiences that enhance student lives, the ACUE said.
“At WSSU, we believe in the ‘genius’ of every student, and our faculty’s commitment to effective teaching is proof of this belief in action,” said Dr. Frank Ingram, WSSU associate provost, academic budget and faculty affairs, in the profile. “Through ACUE’s comprehensive framework, our instructors are not just enhancing their skills, they are shaping the future of our students and ensuring they thrive and are ready for the challenges of successfully making their way in the world.”
“Congratulations to our 2025 Movement Maker Award recipients,” said Andrew Hermalyn, ACUE chairman and CEO. “These institutions are exemplifying transformational leadership by proving that outstanding teaching is the most powerful catalyst for student success and a unifying force in a time of unprecedented change in higher education.”
Now in its third year, the Movement Maker Awards ceremony were presented for the first time in partnership with “Times Higher Education” and “Inside Higher Ed” at this unified national event aimed at empowering practitioners to succeed through uncertainty.
See full announcement and video here.
About ACUEThe Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) is dedicated to student success through high-quality instruction. In partnership with higher education institutions, we offer the only nationally recognized Effective Teaching Certification, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE), supported by a vibrant online community of practice focused on advancing teaching excellence. ACUE-certified faculty deliver exceptional teaching in every class, resulting in higher student engagement, improved achievement, and stronger retention – outcomes that enhance institutional impact and support long-term student success. Learn more at acue.org.
