Capella University

Harold Abel

The Harold Abel Distinguished Faculty Award

The Harold Abel Distinguished Faculty Award is named for the late Dr. Harold Abel, who along with Steve Shank co-founded Capella and served as its first president, as well as chancellor and chair of the University's board of directors. Harold had a 44-year career as an educator and helped Capella acquire accreditation and pioneered our innovative approach to online learning. These awards have been given each year since 1999.

The Harold Abel Distinguished Faculty Award is presented to faculty members who:

Read the news release announcing the 2008 Harold Abel Distinguished Faculty Award winners.

2008 Award Winners

Brian Barton, MBA | School of Undergraduate Studies

Brian Barton

Brian Barton is a faculty member in Capella University's School of Undergraduate Studies, teaching in areas such as management, e-business, and marketing, and serves as the faculty chair for marketing and capstone courses. He received his BSEE and MBA from the University of Michigan, and has more than 30 years of experience in technology and business.

Brian was selected as a 2008 Harold Abel Distinguished Award winner for his commitment to Capella University's values and his contributions to the University. He develops and shares innovative techniques and processes for providing complete evaluation information to learners. In 2007, Brian participated in the Faculty Symposium on teaching excellence, and contributed to the planning and implementation of the Transparency by Design initiative.

Skot Beazley, EdD | School of Education

Skot Beazley

Jackson "Skot" Beazley is a public school principal with a passion for education and school improvement. He currently serves as the principal of an excelling middle school in the Cave Creek Unified School District in Arizona. Skot received his EdD in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University, a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Chapman University, and his BS degree in Management Studies from the University of Maryland, European Division, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Navy.

Skot received this year's distinguished faculty award for his significant contributions to Capella University. He has been an adjunct faculty member in the Leadership in Educational Administration specialization since October 2001, teaching five different courses in the PhD and MS programs. He has revised and updated three courses in the PhD program, and has authored two master's degree courses. Skot has also mentored 40 Capella learners through completion of their dissertation research and currently is mentor to 30 Capella researchers and is serving on 20 dissertation committees.

Randy Johnson, EdD | Harold Abel School of Psychology

Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson is the chair of the General Psychology specialization in Capella University's Harold Abel School of Psychology. Randy spent 20 years as a practicing counselor before entering higher education to share his experiences and help others prepare to enter the field of psychology. Randy holds an EdD in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University—Sarasota, an MRC in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Florida, and a BA in History from Valdosta State University.

In 2007, Dr. Johnson implemented changes to colloquia sessions, moving from presentations to a format that engages learners and faculty by walking them through brief, hands-on exercises. Based on the Learning Outcome Transparency model, Randy developed a transparent process for the PhD program of study beginning with the first course through the dissertation. This model integrates courseroom and residence experiences to deliver superior learning outcomes and superior learner experiences. Randy also led the implementation of a responsive and efficient IRB review process that improved the quality of IRB applications and reduced turnaround time from a month to less than a week.

Amy Donovan, PhD | School of Human Services

Amy Donovan

Amy Donovan is a core faculty member in the School of Human Services, where she teaches research courses, conducts IRB reviews, and engages in committee work and mentoring. She holds a PhD and MA from the University of Minnesota in Educational Psychology, and a BA in Psychology and Family Studies from Saint Olaf College. Prior to coming to Capella, Amy worked for Minneapolis Public Schools as a school psychologist and behavior grant researcher, and taught classes in educational research and assessment at Saint Mary's University. She also worked as an independent consultant and trainer on early childhood behavior issues and in early childhood education. Amy continues to engage in independent research activities, as well as provide training and consultation in association with local and state organizations.

Amy has been recognized as a distinguished faculty member because of her significant contributions through the academic steering committee on the revision of the comprehensive examination and dissertation process. She has also shown continued commitment to the learners in her courses, and consistently goes the extra mile to work with them. She has shown outstanding teamwork and collaboration, and is a trusted resource to many faculty and learners in the IRB application process in the dissertation stage.

Maudie Holm, PhD | School of Business and Technology

Maudie Holm

Maudie Holm is a core faculty member in the School of Business and Technology. She has more than 30 years of diverse organizational development and training experience in private sectors, public sectors, manufacturing, publishing, and academe. She holds a PhD in Urban Education Administration and Organization Behavior from Cleveland State University, and an MEd in Adult Development and Learning Psychology and a BA in Organizational Communications from Cleveland State University.

Maudie has been selected as a 2008 distinguished faculty member because she models the attributes of this award in many ways. She is dedicated to student retention and learning and is committed to working with learners to ensure they meet the competencies of their course and understand and accomplish the outcomes of the program. She has published over 20 articles in practitioner journals and has presented fieldwork at national and international conferences. Maudie serves as a subject matter expert for Organization Theory and the new Management Education specialization in the PhD in Organization and Management program. Additionally, she mentors PhD learners and manages the MBA coaches.