BROOKINGS – Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, the coordinator of disability services at South Dakota State University, received the 2021 Friend of the Great Plains IDEA Award. She was one of five individuals honored at Tuesday’s Great Plains IDEA annual meeting.
“Nancy is an advocate, educator and leader in her field. We are fortunate to have her at SDSU,” said Kas Williams, SDSU’s chief diversity officer. “Students, even years later, often communicate with our office on how critical she is/was to their success at SDSU. During the pandemic, Nancy’s advice, guidance and commitment ensured equitable access to education for all students.”
Carla Peterson, the Nancy Rygg Armbrust professor of early childhood education at Iowa State University, said each recipient has played key roles in establishing protocols for communications among universities regarding students’ disabilities and needs for instructional accommodation, thus making participating in GP IDEA programs possible for many students.
“It is an honor to be recognized for this award. Collaborative efforts with all of my colleagues at GP IDEA institutions makes access possible for all our students,” Hartenhoff-Crooks said.
Disability Support Services team members work with students in all programs across the alliance. Each person plays an important role in the success of Great Plains IDEA. Great Plains IDEA brings together faculty from accredited universities to offer high-quality online academic programs cost effectively. To take part in the interinstitutional programs, a student chooses one partner as a home institution for enrollment, transcript and graduation.
