Dr. Sawyer

Camarillo, Calif., March 4, 2015 – Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Vice President for Student Affairs at CSU Channel Islands (CI), has received national recognition for his 35-year career as a mentor and student advocate, providing a genuine opportunity to “pay it forward.” 

Sawyer will be recognized this week in Tampa, Florida as a 2015 Diamond Program Honoree at the annual convention of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). The national association’s highest honor, the Diamond Honoree Program is a philanthropic award that pays tribute to recipients by collecting donations for the ACPA Foundation in the honoree’s name. The funds support scholarships, research, and professional development opportunities for other ACPA members.

“What I love about this award is that it’s not an award that hangs on your wall – it’s an award that gives back,” Sawyer said. “It’s humbling and heartwarming to be recognized in a way that supports the ACPA and increases opportunities for young people to learn and advance in their careers.”

Sawyer was nominated by his colleagues Tony Ross, Vice President for Student Affairs at CSU Los Angeles; Harry Le Grande, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UC Berkeley; Patrick Day, Vice President for Student Life at University of the Pacific; and Trae Cotton, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Winston-Salem State University.

“Greg is acknowledged as an advocate, educator, mentor, as well as a consummate leader in the student affairs profession,” colleagues shared in their collaborative nomination. “Perhaps even more importantly, he is known for his friendship, kindness, and support. Thus, we are honored to have the opportunity to recognize and publicly thank him for his many contributions to the field of student affairs by making a donation to the ACPA Foundation for the Diamond Honoree Award.”

Sawyer, is no stranger to awards and recognitions. In 2013, he was appointed by Governor Brown as the sole CSU representative on the California Student Aid Commission. He earned the Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Vice President from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) in 2012, and was presented with the prestigious Wang Family Excellence Award, which recognized five outstanding faculty members and one university administrator of the year out of 46,000 faculty and staff in the CSU in 2008.

As CI’s founding Vice President for Student Affairs, Sawyer has helped create, direct, and guide co-curricular programs and services that enhance the student experience and promote learning beyond the classroom. For the past 13 years, Sawyer has been responsible for oversight of the Division of Student Affairs (DSA), which includes Assessment & Strategic Operations, Associated Students Incorporated, Housing & Residential Education, Student Life, and Wellness & Athletics, as well as a number of programs that emphasize leadership, service and diversity.

Affectionately known on campus as “Doc,” Sawyer regularly teaches communication courses, holds leadership retreats and speech tournaments, and actively participates in student advisory boards and training sessions.

Before coming to CI in 2002, Sawyer served as the Founding Dean of Students and Chief Student Affairs Officer at Florida Gulf Coast University for seven years and Dean of Students at University of North Texas for five years. He earned a Ph.D. from University of North Texas, an M.A. from Eastern New Mexico University, and a B.A. from Mount Union College.

For more information on the Diamond Honoree Program or to make a tax-deductible donation in his name, visit https://acpa.ejoinme.org/MyPages/Donation/tabid/412764/Default.aspx.

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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands
(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.

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