Mattie Updyke (left) and Professor Mimi Benjamin
The Student Affairs in Higher Education program is pleased to announce Mattie Updyke as the recipient of the Nancy Newkerk Scholarship for 2024.
Mattie, a second-year student in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program who earned their bachelor’s degree in creative writing and communication from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, serves as a graduate residence hall director in the IUP Housing Office. They also serve as the advisor to the Residence Hall Council and as vice president of administration in Associates for Student Development.
One of Mattie’s nominators said, “Mattie is a strong student advocate. RAs and students seek them out for a listening ear and support. However, it’s important to note that, while a strong advocate, Mattie identifies ways the student may need to take responsibility as well. Their unwavering commitment to serving students, especially LGBTQIA students, is an invaluable resource on our team. They are visible by attending diverse campus events and successfully voicing the needs of others. They are also committed to ongoing personal growth and encourage others to do the same. I appreciate the grace Mattie extends to others when learning new concepts related to identity and encouraging students with whom they work to do the same. This encourages students and staff to ask questions and grapple with their own prejudices.”
Since 1999, the Nancy Newkerk Scholarship has been awarded to deserving second-year SAHE graduate students who demonstrate outstanding contributions to college students, student affairs activities, the SAHE department, and the broader higher education community.
Nancy Newkerk served as dean of women at IUP (then Indiana State Teachers College) from 1957 to 1967 and as associate dean of Admissions at IUP from 1978 until her retirement in 1994. She was awarded the IUP President’s Medal of Distinction in 2009. She passed away in 2017.
Newkerk scholarship recipients are selected on the qualities that reflect Nancy Newkerk’s own professional career in student affairs: a collaborative colleague, a student-centered practitioner, and a role model for citizenship and civic responsibility.
Mattie was presented with her award and scholarship at the SAHE program’s annual Thanksgiving celebration, sponsored by Associates for Student Development, on Saturday, November 16, 2024.