Morgan State HESA PhD Student Serena Studivant Receives 2026 NASPA Excellence Award for Commuter Student Success

The Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership, and Policy (DASLP) at Morgan State University is proud to share that Serena Studivant, M.A., a current PhD student in Higher Education and Student Affairs, recently received a Silver 2026 NASPA Excellence Award for her work supporting commuter students. She was recognized in the Commuter, Off-Campus, Military-Connected, Non-traditional, and Related category at the NASPA 2026 Conference.

Studivant serves as Assistant Director for Commuter Student Success at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she leads the Commuter Connections program. Her award-winning work focuses on building belonging, engagement, and success for students who commute to campus - a student population that is often underserved in higher education.

At the conference, Studivant presented a poster on the Commuter Connections program, highlighting strategies that support a majority-commuter campus. Her presentation featured initiatives such as Good Morning Commuters, commuter retreats, campus partner resources, and efforts to center student voice in program design. The session shared practical approaches for helping commuter students feel connected to campus life and supported in their academic journeys.

Studivant also co-presented a general session with UMBC colleague Lauren Allen, LMSW, M.Ed. titled “Different Roads to Campus: Centering Commuter and Adult Learners’ Voices on Belonging.” Their session examined the experiences of commuter and adult learners at UMBC and offered recommendations for creating more equitable and inclusive conditions for belonging.

“Over the past almost three years that I’ve been working directly with commuter students I’ve realized how much they are underdiscussed and nationally underserved. This work is so important to continue to keep them engaged, retained, and encouraged to the finish line of their higher education journeys.” said Serena Studivant

NASPA Excellence Awards recognize higher education professionals whose programs and services are making significant contributions to student success. Studivant’s recognition highlights the importance of innovative, research-informed support for commuter students, adult learners, and other students whose experiences do not always align with traditional residential models of college life.

This recognition reflects the kind of equity-oriented leadership and student-centered practice that DASLP seeks to cultivate in its graduate programs in higher education.