Higher Ed Dive President of the Year
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OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis Selected as President of the Year by Higher Ed Dive for the 2020 Dive Awards

  • Industry Dive recognizes companies and people who led through the unprecedented challenges of 2020
  • The Dive Awards of 2020 highlight what leadership means in a time of crisis

On December 9, 2020, Dr. Roslyn Artis was announced as the President of the Year by Higher Ed Dive, a publication of Industry Dive. Leveraging its in-depth expertise across 21 different markets, business journalism company Industry Dive recognized frontline workers, innovators, disruptors and executives among the honorees of the Dive Awards for 2020. 

Since 2016, each Industry Dive publication selects the most impactful achievements, people and companies across the industry it covers. With the coronavirus pandemic, economic and workplace shifts, racial upheaval and a deep political divide in a presidential election year – along with everything else that happened in 2020 –  the editorial team focused on recognizing leadership in a time of crisis.

“2020 was no ordinary year for business. After reporting on how people and companies adapted to the new normal this year, we decided our annual Dive Awards needed to recognize leadership in a time of unprecedented crisis,” said Industry Dive Editor-in-Chief Davide Savenije. “The Dive Awards for 2020 highlight the stories of the organizations and leaders who met the moment by showing empathy for the human condition, agility amid uncertainty and disruption, and resilience in the face of adversity.”

For the Dive Awards of 2020, Higher Ed Dive selected:

  • College of the Year: The California State University system
  • President of the Year: Roslyn Clark Artis, Benedict College
  • Watchdog of the Year: The Daily Tar Heel

“Roslyn Clark Artis made tough calls during the pandemic that balanced students’ health and safety with their educational needs,” said Natalie Schwartz, Higher Ed Dive reporter

“I am deeply honored to have been selected as President of the Year by Higher Ed Dive for the 2020 Dive Awards,’ said President Artis.  “This award is not a reflection of my work alone; it is the collective recognition of the commitment, stamina, and care that Benedict College trustees, faculty, staff, and students have displayed throughout this unprecedented time in our nation. The pandemic has challenged us all in unimaginable ways, and I am immensely proud of how the Benedict College community has thoughtfully managed this crisis, by creating a culture of care – BC = Benedict Cares.”  

Zoom, Target, Chipotle, Turner Construction, Amazon and Impossible Foods are just some of the other companies recognized by Industry Dive for the 2020 Dive Awards.

See more on the pattern of empathy, agility, and resilience Industry Dive saw among those selected, along with the complete list of awardees at industrydive.com/dive-awards-2020.

About Benedict College

Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution, offering 25 competitive baccalaureate degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from all 46 counties in South Carolina, 30 states across America, and 26 countries around the world. 

Benedict offers several high-demand fields of study in STEM, Cyber Security, Mass Communication, Sport Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, and Education. The College also has a diverse faculty and importantly, 80 percent of courses are taught by full-time faculty. 

Over the past ten years, three out of five Benedict College graduates have attended professional or graduate schools. There are over 18,000 proud Benedict Tigers throughout the nation. Benedict College has been a community leader for over 150-years and is a significant contributor to South Carolina and the region. Contributing $130 million and 1,218 jobs in total local and annual economic impact, a Benedict graduate working full-time throughout his or her working life can expect to earn $1.1 million in additional income because of their Benedict College degree. 

The College made front-page news in the spring of 2018 when it became the first South Carolina college to lower its tuition by 26 percent. Cutting tuition drew praise from the Commission on Higher Education, South Carolina’s education oversight body. The commissioner noted that the move Benedict College made should be applauded because it offers families affordability and students greater access to higher education. 

Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications.  For example, Benedict College was ranked as one of the top baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly magazine for creating social mobility and producing cutting-edge scholarship and research.  In 2019, Benedict College received the 2019 ACE/ Fidelity Investments Awards for Institutional Transformation and was named the HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest

Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: The School of Education, Social Work, Environmental Health Science, Arts and Sciences and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship. 

About Higher Ed Dive
Higher Ed Dive
provides in-depth journalism and insight into the most impactful news and trends shaping higher education. The newsletters and website cover topics such as online learning, policy, legal, leadership, enrollment and more.  

Higher Ed Dive is part of Industry Dive, a leading business journalism company. More than 11 million decision-makers across 21 competitive industries rely on Industry Dive’s exclusive insight and analysis delivered through 22 publications.    

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Contact:

Kymm Hunter, Assistant Vice President

Kymm.Hunter@Benedict.edu  or 803.705.4519     

Suzanne Struglinski, Public Relations Manager

media@industrydive.com or 202.321.4056

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