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VP Inducted into Hall of Fame

By October 19, 2007December 16th, 2021No Comments

10/19/07

ST. LOUIS —It’s not Cooperstown or Canton, but in the world of student activities, it is. Beth Triplett, Ed.D., vice president for enrollment at Maryville University, was recently inducted into the National Association for Campus Activities Hall of Fame. She will receive her award at the NACA Mid America Regional Conference, to be held from October 25-28 in St. Charles, Ill. The region includes members primarily from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Illinois.

NACA’s Hall of Fame Award “honors professional and associate members who have displayed exemplary service and the commitment of time and energy to both NACA Mid America and the profession,” according to the organization’s website. Award criteria include a nominee’s activities and leadership positions within the region and contributions to the individual’s campus and/or agency. Triplett’s active involvement in NACA has spurred Maryville students to take active roles in the organization, said Brian Gardner, program coordinator in Maryville’s Office of Student Involvement, and a 2003 graduate of the University.

“Maryville University went from being a school that rarely, if ever, went to NACA conferences to being a school that is an active member in NACA,” wrote Gardner in his letter supporting Triplett’s nomination. “This is a direct result of Beth’s philosophy of campus life and student involvement, which is a direct result of her active involvement in NACA.” Tracy Knofla, a longtime friend and colleague, said Triplett brings out the best in her colleagues. “She is an inspiring role model to those she works with,” wrote Knofla, co-owner of High Impact Training, a training and facilitating firm in St. Cloud, Minn. “Her tireless dedication to the profession of student affairs is evidenced by her attendance at student centered campus events, and her well-sought-after, training workshops with student groups on campus.”

Several colleagues credit Triplett with revitalizing Maryville’s campus life, to a point now where the University has more than 40 student organizations and the residential student population has grown to approximately 650 students. “Due to Beth’s vision, direction, passion and sheer hard work, the student life at Maryville is one of constant activity, constant contributions to NACA, and constant opportunities for both staff and students to gain leadership experience,” said Jennifer McCluskey, Ph.D., the University’s director of retention initiatives.

While she looks forward to her impending honor, Triplett said her anticipation does not match the appreciation she has for the nomination letters, which made the award possible. “They gave them to me in a packet entitled ‘A Book of Love’ and that was aptly named,” she said. “The letters mean more than the award does because they are from people who know me and appreciate the work that I have done.”

Triplett said her award reflects Maryville’s commitment to providing an enriching experience to its students, both in and out of the classroom. “It gives concrete documentation to the regional audience that Maryville values a vibrant campus life and is committed at senior leadership levels to developing it.,” she commented. “It reinforces one of our core messages and gives external validation to the whole institution.”

Triplett has served as vice president at Maryville since 2001. Prior to joining the University, she served as vice president for enrollment and student life at the University of Detroit Mercy in Michigan. Triplett is a member of numerous professional organizations and has made more than 300 presentations in the United States and Canada. Triplett obtained her doctorate in education from West Virginia University. She holds a master of science degree in organizational communications from SIU-Carbondale and a bachelor of arts from Western Illinois University. She also earned an MBA at Maryville.

Triplett is the second Maryville administrator in two years to be honored by NACA. In February 2006, Leslie Heusted, the University’s director of student involvement, received the organization’s Patsy Morley Outstanding Programmer Award, considered by many to be the highest award bestowed by the association.

Maryville University is a private institution offering approximately 50 undergraduate, seven master’s and two doctoral degree programs to 3,422 students. Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s Best Colleges, Maryville University prepares its students for successful and meaningful careers. Among Maryville’s most recent graduates, 94 percent are employed or attending graduate school. Approximately 15,000 alumni work and live in the St. Louis region.

Catherine Boelhauf