CLEVELAND -- The National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) announced the recipients of its Lan Hewlett, Distinguished Service, Model Practices, Research, Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement and Professional Promise Awards. The winners were recognized at the 2015 N4A Convention, held June 11-13 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla.

"On behalf of the N4A Board of Directors and membership, I am proud to congratulate this year's award winners," stated N4A President Kim Durand, associate athletics director for student development at Washington. "Each of these individuals embody the mission of the Association and are very deserving of this recognition."

Lan Hewlett Award
This award is named in honor of Mr. Lan Hewlett, a long-time advisor at the University of Texas, who is generally acknowledged as the first to provide academic support services to student-athletes. This award is presented annually to an advisor who has demonstrated the following:

1. Sustained professional service in academic advising for collegiate student-athletes
2. High level of competency in administrative skills
3. Merited stature among and support from student-athletes, faculty, coaches, and fellow administrators
4. Innovative response in meeting varied and emerging needs of student-athletes
5. An effectiveness in the development of junior staff (where appropriate)
6. Significant contributions to the field through publications or professional involvement/development
7. Leadership in university affairs

Winner: Ursula Gurney, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations and Senior Woman Administrator, UMKC | Full bio: click here

Distinguished Service Award
This prestigious award is presented annually to a N4A member who has demonstrated the following:

• Continuous N4A membership for five years
• Leadership in N4A at the regional or national level, a high quality of which is recognized by N4A peers
• Contributions above and beyond the normal service required by positions of leadership

Winner: Ted White, Senior Associate Athletics Director - Student Development, University of Georgia | Full bio: click here

Model Practices Award
The N4A Model Practices Award is an award given annually to the university or college that displays best practices in their academic programming for student athletes (this includes, but is not limited to academic advising, academic integrity, disability services, target populations, learning specialists, tutoring, study hall/table, student-athlete affairs / life skills).

Winner: Arizona State University

Research Award
This award is given to a graduate student working on a dissertation/thesis or a practitioner completing a research project to put towards future research with the hopes of sharing with the organization.

Winner: Travis Smith, Indiana State University

Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award
The N4A Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award is intended to honor student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics. These young men and women may not be the best athletes or students, and therefore may not have been recognized by other organizations or awards. Nonetheless, they have persevered and made significant personal strides toward success.

Winners: Courtney Boyd, Wright State University
Emily Fogle, Purdue University
Olivia Hassler, University of South Carolina
Blair Holiday, Duke University
Sean Karl, University of Tennessee
Shaquielle McKissic, Arizona State University

Professional Promise Award
Given yearly to one member from each region, the N4A Professional Promise Award honors "new" professionals who serve student-athletes and who have dedicated their energy to the Association and its mission. Winners must have been N4A members for more than one year but fewer than five years.

Winners: Kristen Casamento, University of Rhode Island (Region I)
Ashton Henderson, Clemson University (Region II)
Eileen O'Rourke, Indiana University (Region III)
Eric Bailey, University of Oklahoma (Region IV)
Sarah Howard, University of Arizona (Region V)