ArSAA Names Dr. Lori Lander as 2025 Recipient of the Dr. Mossie J. Richmond, Jr. Outstanding Leadership Award
The Arkansas Student Affairs Association (ArSAA) is proud to announce that Dr. Lori Lander of the University of Arkansas has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Mossie J. Richmond, Jr. Outstanding Leadership Award, the highest honor bestowed by the student affairs profession in Arkansas.
The Richmond Award recognizes exemplary student affairs leaders who have made significant and sustained contributions to both the profession and ArSAA as an association. Dr. Lander’s career reflects a deep commitment to leadership, professional engagement, and advancing student success across the state and beyond.
In her nomination, a colleague shared, “Lori is our steady champion for the Student Affairs profession, always thinking about how we can introduce undergraduates to our field, provide meaningful experiences for graduate assistants, remain connected to national organizations, and stay ahead of trends impacting our students and staff.”
Dr. Lander currently serves as the lead for the University of Arkansas’s People & Culture initiative, where she has assessed staff members’ sense of value and workplace well-being, developed an employee recognition program, and guided talent development initiatives focused on strengthening core Student Affairs competencies. She also actively promotes engagement with state, regional, and national professional associations, conferences, webinars, and award opportunities to expand professional development and institutional partnerships.
A highlight of Dr. Lander’s service to the profession includes three academic years on the ArSAA Executive Board. After relocating to Arkansas in 2014, she quickly became involved with the association, contributing to conference planning, presenting at statewide conferences, and supporting ArSAA’s mission across campuses. In her current role as NASPA IV-West Regional Director, she was instrumental in facilitating ArSAA’s partnership with NASPA IV-West for the Critical Conversations Drive-In Conference on First-Generation Student Success held in April 2025.
With more than 30 years in higher education, Dr. Lander has remained actively engaged with NASPA, ACPA, ArSAA, and multiple housing organizations. She currently serves on the NASPA National Board and as NASPA IV-West Regional Director, and has previously been involved with the Arkansas Council for Women in Higher Education. Throughout her career, she has been a strong advocate for giving back to the profession through conference presentations, scholarship support, and expanding access to professional development opportunities for students and staff.
ArSAA is honored to recognize Dr. Lori Lander’s outstanding leadership and lasting impact on the student affairs profession in Arkansas.
