Two Doctoral Graduates Recognized by National Organization for Student Success
Two Doctoral Graduates Recognized by National Organization for Student Success
Two graduates from the Sam Houston State University College of Education’s Higher Education Leadership Doctoral Program were recently recognized by the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS) for their outstanding writing.
Austin Dixon, director of academic outreach and recovery for SHSU’s Academic Success Center, was awarded the NOSS 2026 Susan E. Hashway Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Award. His dissertation explored how additional responsibilities among the ethnoracially minoritized staff in higher education intersect with their organizational commitments. Utilizing qualitative study approaches such as talking circles, he learned how staff navigate these dynamics, find meaning in their work and what institutions could do to better support them.
“One of the most meaningful lessons from this journey was the importance of being undaunted in research, and that creativity and authenticity serve as strengths, not liabilities,” Dixon said. “Scholarship gives us the opportunity to ask intentional questions, to be curious and to generate knowledge that can positively impact people and institutions. I hope this study contributes, in some small way, to ongoing conversations about sustainability, belonging and support within our institutions.”
Dixon will receive a plaque and an invitation to present at the 2027 annual NOSS conference.
Erin Gordon, associate dean of student success and retention for Simpson University, has been awarded the Journal of NOSS (J-NOSS) Award for Outstanding Article. The piece grew out of her dissertation research on the lived experiences of students on academic probation, which shaped her both personally and professionally.
“Though I am being recognized with this award, I want to recognize the students on academic probation who so generously agreed to share their stories with me for my dissertation research,” Gordon said. “Their honesty, vulnerability and trust continue to impact and shape me as I work in college student success.”
Gordon will be presented with her award at the 2026 NOSS Conference in New York, New York.
Both Dixon and Gordon are grateful for the support they received during their time at SHSU, particularly from their doctoral advisors who stood by them every step of the way.
To learn more about SHSU’s Doctor of Higher Education Leadership Program, follow this link.