UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Brian Cameron, associate dean of the Office of Professional Graduate Programs and Executive Education in the Smeal College of Business, has been honored with the 2022 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 Shirley Hendrick (1936 to 2000), the first recipient, dean for continuing education in the Smeal College of Business and inaugural chair of the Commission for Adult Learners, who advocated for continuing education.
Nominators said Cameron relies on creativity, energy, passion and talent to build programs that extend opportunities, tools and experiences for adult learners.
In his role, Cameron spearheaded the design and implementation of an extensive portfolio of online and resident professional master’s degree programs, online graduate certificates, and a new executive doctor of business administration. Cameron made sure these programs were suited for online learners and working professionals by making them innovative, flexible and for a broad range of learning styles, nominators said. He worked with colleges and campuses across Penn State to create new elements that engaged and appealed to adult learners.
“Those of us working and learning with him have had the chance to see his intensity and focus on deep understanding and empathy for adult learners,” a nominator said. “He has worked to provide flexible options for adult learners in all parts of their career. He has been especially creative in fostering learning opportunities through the past few trying years.”
His work has been the topic of several articles through AACSB, the international business school accreditation body. He is very active in the professional graduate education community and serves on several international boards and working groups. Cameron was appointed by the Provost to the Transforming Education Task Force for the Future of Online Learning and World Campus and is a graduate of the Big 10 Academic Alliance’s Academic Leadership Program.
Cameron created one of the largest and most integrated professional graduate business portfolios in the country consisting of 17 online and resident masters’ programs, an executive doctor of business administration, and 14 online graduate certificates serving over 2,600 students. Professional master’s programs include inter-college collaborations with several Penn State colleges and campuses. In July, Cameron added the Smeal executive education unit under his umbrella of responsibilities and is currently exploring tighter integration between noncredit and credit education for effective lifelong learning.
“Cameron’s creativity – and sensitivity to the adult learner environment and needs – continues to spawn innovations in making Penn State – especially Smeal College,” a nominator said. “He offers the resources our students need for lifelong engagement.”