UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Michelle Wiley, director of academic development at Penn State World Campus, has been honored with the 2024 Shirley Hendrick Award, presented by the Penn State Commission for Adult Learners for service to adult learners.
The Shirley Hendrick Award recognizes an administrator University-wide who has contributed to the success of Penn State’s efforts to serve adult learners. The award is named in memory of continuing education advocate Shirley Hendrick (1936–2000), the first recipient, who served as dean for continuing education in the Smeal College of Business and inaugural chair of the Commission for Adult Learners.
Nominators said Wiley is a consummate educator at her core. They said she uses her academic and professional background along with creativity and critical thinking to assist Penn State’s World Campus students.
Wiley has improved education for students by improving existing programs and creating new ones.
She was instrumental in broadening the scope of the SmarterMeasure assessment through the implementation of consultations between staff and students to provide students with a better understanding of their results and resources available for areas of need.
Wiley, along with a team of content experts, planned, developed and implemented "Smart Track to Success," a two-semester course on academic and life skills, mentoring and assistance. It’s designed to connect students to the campus and to beneficial resources. The effort has also increased awareness and access to scholarships, helping to ease financial concerns for adult learners.
“Michelle continues to champion adult learner advocacy and success in all of her work,” a nominator said. “She is laser focused on discovering student needs through both qualitative and quantitative means. I could not be more proud of all that she has accomplished in support of World Campus adult learners! She is an inspiration to students and colleagues alike.”
Wiley partnered with the program planning and management team in the early stages of implementing Tutor.com. She now leads the Academic Development Services team to manage the valuable services it provides to support World Campus students in persisting each semester. Her efforts have led to a permanent tutoring program with World Campus Academic Development.
Wiley also introduced academic coaching, which explores and advocates for training academic coaches who are experts in both traditional and non-traditional learners. Nominators said the program helps all students find a path to success.
“The academic support services available to students at World Campus are a product of Wiley’s innovative ideas and her passion for creating programming that removes barriers for adult learners to achieve their personal and academic goals,” a nominator said. “Her unwavering commitment to helping adult students achieve their dreams is admirable and worthy of recognition.”