(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Anne Flaherty has earned a top honor —the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)’s 2025 “Pillar of the Profession” award—for her exceptional leadership in student affairs and higher education.
“I am humbled and overjoyed to have received this recognition, especially so because it stems from the nominations of other impactful professionals and advocates in the field,” Flaherty said. “I’m proud of the work Student Affairs professionals do for our students nationwide and proud to represent Eastern Illinois University in accepting this amazing recognition.”
Each year at the NASPA Annual Conference, the NASPA Foundation recognizes a series of distinguished individuals who have served as leaders, educators, and scholars in student affairs and higher education. For those selected as Pillars, the nominator(s) and a selected NASPA Foundation Board member commit to raising $3,500 in the name of the recipient to further research and scholarship in Student Affairs.
Her nominators outlined their support in their submission materials, calling out Flaherty’s extraordinary commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as her strong support of her institution’s staff and students. One nominator shared “Anne is a highly respected Senior Student Affairs Officer (SSAO) and an exemplary NASPA volunteer. Her contributions to our field embody the Pillar of the Profession criteria, and it is an honor to support a trusted colleague, friend, and mentor to many in our profession.”
Flaherty joined EIU as its Vice President for Student Affairs in 2020. She is an advocate for holistic health and student well-being, as well as creating inclusive communities where all students feel respected and safe.
Prior to joining the EIU team, Flaherty held roles at Washington University (WashU) in St. Louis, where she served as senior consultant for the Division of Student Affairs, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Support, and Interim Assistant Dean of Students and Director. Prior to her time at WashU, Flaherty held roles as Dean of Student Life in the Division of Student Affairs and Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean at Butler University in Indianapolis. She also served as Assistant Dean for Medical Student Affairs at Indiana University School of Medicine, and a variety of Student Affairs and instructional positions throughout her career at the University of Kansas and Park (College) University in Missouri.
Flaherty earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration with a minor in Health Policy and Management from the University of Kansas in 2011 following an M.S. in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in Student Affairs at the University of Kansas and a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology at the University of Iowa.