PRESS RELEASE: 2025 NISOD Student Essay Contest Winners Announced

For Immediate Release 

NISOD Announces Three 2025 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners 

Austin, Texas, April 25, 2025 – The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) announced the winners of its annual Scott Wright Student Essay Contest: 

  • Felix Cintron, a student at Hudson County Community College (NJ) 
  • Isaiah Herrero, a student at Del Mar College (TX) 
  • Kristin Kline, a student Glendale Community College (AZ) 

Each year, students at NISOD member colleges are invited to describe in a 500-word essay (or less) a faculty member, staff member, or administrator who encouraged them during their academic journey and how that encouragement helped them reach their goal(s). 

The winning students and those they honor in their essays are invited to NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence that traditionally follows the end of the spring term. At the conference, the students are recognized onstage and invited to read their winning submission at a celebration dinner. To help offset the costs of travel to the conference, NISOD also provides the Student Contest participants with complimentary conference registration, a travel budget and hotel accommodation. The students and the subjects of their essays are also each eligible for $1,000, which may be donated to an organization of their choice. The colleges of the winning students receive a complimentary year of NISOD membership.  

“We received many inspiring stories of caring faculty and staff through this year’s Student Essay Contest,” said Kris Tolman, NISOD Interim Associate Director. “We’re grateful to the students who shared their heartfelt appreciation and proud to recognize the employees at our member institutions who make a difference—one student at a time.” 

This year’s contest, named for journalist Scott W. Wright, drew over 160 entries. For more information about NISOD’s Student Essay Contest, visit www.nisod.org/sec.  

About NISOD
The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) empowers faculty, staff, and administrators at community and technical colleges to support the needs of diverse students in the face of ever-present resource constraints. High-quality, easy-to-access professional development resources connect staff and faculty with applicable knowledge to grow their careers and improve instruction. Meaningful recognition programs can augment the reputation of individual students, employees, and institutions. But perhaps most valuable are the connections NISOD helps build among community and technical colleges to share ideas, strengths, and solutions. 

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