Tony Cawthon awarded National Award from NASPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Each year, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) recognizes members who are doing outstanding work in the student affairs profession. Tony Cawthon, Director of Graduate Studies, EOLDs; Alumni Distinguished Professor of Education; Professor, Student Affairs & Higher Education, Clemson University, was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member.

This award, named for a dean and professor emeritus at Indiana University, is presented to a tenured, full-time faculty member in a graduate preparation program in student affairs. Each Robert H. Shaffer Award recipient has inspired graduate students and served on doctoral dissertation committees; has a distinguished record of scholarly achievement, including publication in relevant literature; and has made significant contributions to professional associations.

Tony W. Cawthon is a professor of Student Affairs in the department of Leadership, Counselor Education, Human and Organization Development at Clemson University. He has been a faculty member since 1997 and prior to beginning his faculty career at Clemson University, he worked as a Student Affairs administrator for over 15 years at Clemson University, Mississippi State University, and the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Dr. Tony Cawthon provides extraordinary support to doctoral students. Students describe Dr. Cawthon’s guidance as extraordinary — he is caring and empathetic but real. He is an exemplar at holding students to deadlines while encouraging them through the rigorous and demanding process of completing their degree. Despite a heavy load and a busy schedule, Dr. Cawthon never changes his process for advising students, which requires a tremendous amount of time with each student. He requires a lot from his students, but he gives a lot of effort in return. He is actively involved in SACSA serving as secretary to the Foundation Board, ACPA, and NASPA.

Cawthon and the other National Award winners will be honored in March at the 2020 NASPA Annual Conference in Austin, Texas.

NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Our work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories.