Two staff members from the Division of Student Life have been recognized by their peers and named to leadership positions in professional organizations. Ashley Blamey, director of the Safety, Environment, and Education (SEE) Center, has been selected to serve as the first president of the Higher Education Case Managers Association (HECMA). Frank Cuevas, executive director of University Housing, will co-chair the next Latinos in Higher Education Institute for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).
Blamey will serve a two-year term as the first-ever president of HECMA. The organization was officially formed following the fourth annual Higher Education Case Management Roundtable in May. The annual roundtable discussions began in 2009 in an effort to formalize case management policies and procedures following the April 2007 shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech. Following the inaugural roundtable discussion in Blacksburg, Virginia, UT hosted the second roundtable discussion in 2010.
Cuevas will co-chair NASPA’s 2013 Latinos in Higher Education Institute in Orlando, Florida. The annual event aims to foster a community of understanding and appreciation for issues pertaining to Latinos in leadership positions within higher education. The institute provides a unique opportunity for Latinos to enrich their professional impact through exploration of critical issues, including the history of Latinos and Latinas in NASPA, current higher education policies affecting Latino students, immigration and language issues, family/cultural values, and professional growth in higher education.