And the Award Goes To... You! Celebrating Higher Ed’s Real MVPs

It’s that time of year in higher education. The stage is set. The bagpipes are warming up. The regalia has been aired out. And somewhere on campus, a rogue inflatable balloon arch is being wrestled by the wind. Yes, it’s commencement season—the crescendo of our academic symphony. We gather to honor student leaders, scholars, and athletes. We pin cords, drape stoles, and try to clap with one hand while holding a cell phone in the other.

But friends, what about us?

This year, higher ed professionals have juggled more than just diplomas and folding chairs. We’ve navigated budget cuts, enrollment shifts, TikTok trends, the growth of AI, and the many existential crises that this academic year presented to us as a field and as a country. Behind the pomp and circumstance lies the reality of what it took to get here. The weight of responsibility you've carried—often invisibly and without recognition—has been substantial. Many of us are arriving at this milestone running on fumes, our professional tanks nearly empty after months of giving our all. Before we celebrate with humor, let's honor this truth: what you've accomplished this year mattered deeply, and the fatigue you feel is both earned and shared by colleagues across higher ed.

Now, with that sincere acknowledgment, let's allow ourselves the healing power of laughter as we recognize the sometimes absurd realities of our chosen profession.

Welcome to the First Annual "Higher Ed: We Made It Awards"!

1. The Golden Coffee Cup Award

For the professional who survived the semester on a precise ratio of caffeine to optimism, powering through countless meetings while maintaining the ability to recall student names. Your travel mug deserves a sabbatical.

2. The Zoom Oscar for Best Performance in a Muted Role

To the colleague who nodded meaningfully on Zoom while frantically trying to find the unmute button. You made it look intentional. The delay only added suspense to our experience. Bravo.

3. The Inbox Zero Unicorn Trophy

Presented to the one person on campus who claims to have “cleared their inbox.” No one believes you. But we respect the myth, you glorious unicorn.

4. The “Other Duties as Assigned” Medal of Valor

For those who added 14 unofficial duties this year, including life coach, campus DJ, event photographer, AI ethicist, and spontaneous crisis communicator. Your business card is now 3 feet long.

5. The Spreadsheet Sorcerer Award

For the colleague whose VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and conditional formatting saved us all—while making Excel look like witchcraft. Your formulas are the stuff of legend.

6. The Lifetime Achievement in Acronym Decoding

Awarded to the champion who can interpret the difference between CRM, LMS, SEM, and OMG. You are the Rosetta Stone of committee meetings and your work is essential.

7. The Digital Diplomacy Award

Celebrating those who mastered the art of appearing deeply engaged on camera while simultaneously responding to urgent emails, troubleshooting technology issues, and preventing household chaos from entering the frame.

Let’s be real: This year was a lot. But you showed up. You adapted. You supported students, each other, and probably a plant in your office that somehow survived too. Whether you feel triumphant or just barely upright, you deserve to be celebrated.

So throw your own metaphorical cap in the air, open a Poppi, and know this: Higher ed is better because of you.

Now, go forth and find a buffet table before the graduates’ families eat all the cake.

You earned it.

Alt Text: "an AI generated image featuring a large gold trophy with the header "Higher Ed We Made It Awards" surrounded by confetti in the shape of gold coins, rolled up diplomas, and gold mortar boards."