Northwest Missouri State University
04/02/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/03/2025 20:12
Hiatt receives Governor’s Award for Excellence
Hiatt receives Governor's Award for Excellence
April 2, 2025
Dr. Shelly Hiatt, a professor of counseling in Northwest Missouri State University's School of Health Science and Wellness, received the 2025 Governor's Award for Excellence in Education today during a ceremony with Gov. Mike Kehoe in Jefferson City, Missouri.
The Governor's Award is sponsored by the Missouri Council on Public Higher Education and presented annually to an outstanding faculty member from each of Missouri's four-year higher education institutions. Northwest's recipient is chosen from faculty members who receive the University's Faculty Excellence Award for teaching. Northwest announced Hiatt as its recipient of the Governor's Award last August.
Left to right are Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum, Dr. Shelly Hiatt, Northwest Provost Dr. Jamie Hooyman and Gov. Mike Kehoe (Submitted photo)
Hiatt, who joined the Northwest faculty in 1997, teaches courses related to psychology and school guidance and counseling.
Her nomination cited a relentless commitment to teaching excellence throughout her career and her use of best practices in curriculum development, pedagogy, delivery format and student support.
Students describe her classroom experience as informative, understanding and compassionate. A graduate student in the school counseling program stated Hiatt "models the behaviors and methods she expects from her school counseling students."
Undergraduate students consistently remark on the hands-on experiences they have in her classroom and that her feedback motivates them to work hard on the work she assigns. During the 2023-2024 academic year, student feedback repeatedly praised her organization, engagement, communication and ability to provide enlightening information without overwhelming students.
Hiatt has an Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and she has a Master of Education degree in guidance and counseling and a bachelor's degree in elementary education, both from Northwest. Her academic interests include comprehensive school counseling programs, suicide prevention, and school crisis and disaster planning.