MSU’s Hyatt to receive NACA Founder’s Award
Contact: Brock Turnipseed
STARKVILLE, Miss.—The National Association for Campus Activities is recognizing Mississippi State Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt with the 2025 Founders Award, the organization’s highest honor.
NACA’s Founders Award recognizes individuals whose contributions of time and talent have significantly impacted this leading organization for professionals, student leaders, entertainers, agents, vendors and others involved in campus event planning and activities. Recipients demonstrate professional integrity and conduct, achieve distinction in their field and work to advance campus activities programming.
Hyatt will be honored Feb. 14 during the NACA Live conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Since 2015, Hyatt has led MSU’s Division of Student Affairs, overseeing a wide range of programs and departments focused on supporting student success, well-being and growth. She also teaches in the university’s Student Affairs and Higher Education graduate program and serves on dissertation committees for the Higher Education Leadership doctoral program.
A graduate of Western Illinois University, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and the University of South Florida, where she earned a doctorate, Hyatt has been involved with NACA since her time as a graduate student. Her service includes membership on the board of directors from 2004-2010, serving as chairperson in 2008-2009, and on the foundation board from 2016-2019, including a term as chairperson in 2017-2018. She also co-founded the NACA Student Organizations Institute and chaired the 2004 NACA national convention.
“My involvement with NACA was integral to my success as a student affairs professional,” Hyatt said. “Serving on committees, planning conferences and eventually serving on the board of directors helped me to develop skills that I have used throughout my career. I am honored to be recognized with the Founders Award and grateful for the incredible colleagues who I worked with through NACA over the years.”
Hyatt’s extensive leadership roles include service on the executive and program committees of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Council on Student Affairs and the Southern Association for College Student Affairs Foundation board of directors. In 2023, she was recognized as a NASPA Pillar of the Profession and previously served as Region III director on the NASPA board of directors.
She regularly serves as an on- and off-site reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, presents at national and regional conferences and contributes to student affairs blogs and publications. Hyatt also is treasurer and president-elect of the Boys & Girls Club of the Golden Triangle board of directors and serves on the Sigma Phi Epsilon National Fraternity board of directors.
Before joining MSU, Hyatt held positions at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, University of South Florida, University of South Florida St. Petersburg, University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Palmer College.
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