Angelo State Wins International ‘Catalyst Award’ for Inclusive Education

(L-R) Dr. Lesley Casarez, Rebecca Schkade, Dr. Dallas Swafford and Dr. Dara Anderson

Now in their 16^th year, the annual Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice, where millions of educators and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology. ASU is one of only 58 winners this year from 130 nominees entered by institutions in 17 countries.

The ASU group’s award is in the Inclusive Education category, which honors Blackboard customers whose methods have ensured their pedagogy, content, technology and educational services are fully inclusive and supportive of all learners. The award also directly reflects ASU’s Core Values of ‘Diversity & Inclusion,’ ‘Significance’ and ‘Community.’ ASU’s award-winning faculty and staff are:

• Dr. Dara Anderson, LMS Administrator
• Dr. Lesley Casarez, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction
• Rebecca Schkade, Learning Technology Support Manager
• Dr. Dallas Swafford, Director of Student Disability Services

“We are very excited to earn this international recognition,” Swafford said. “It is a pleasure working at Angelo State where collaborative efforts throughout the campus community result in greater access to courses for all students, including those with disabilities.”

Catalyst Awards winners include institutions, educators and technology support teams who are chosen annually in seven categories:

• Leading Change
• Community Engagement
• Teaching and Learning
• Inclusive Education
• Optimizing Student Experience
• Student Success
• Training and Professional Development

“We’re pleased to honor this year’s Blackboard Catalyst Award winners for their commitment to improving the educational experience for all learners through EdTech and sharing these insights with the broader community,” said Lee Blakemore, chief client officer and president of global markets at Blackboard. “We’re proud to partner with institutions who are innovating to advance student success.”

ASU also won a Catalyst Award in 2019 in the Training and Professional Development category.

ASU utilizes the Blackboard online platform as its course delivery system. Students can view information about their courses, including the syllabus, instructor contact information and assignments. Faculty use Blackboard to deliver course materials, including notes, assignments, test reviews, important announcements and grades. Additionally, all ASU online courses are delivered through Blackboard.