Ashley Harvey, professor of human development and family studies at Colorado State University, is this year’s recipient for the Board of Governors Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, a prestigious award only granted to one faculty member at CSU each year. Harvey is being recognized for her dedication to students as well as her incredible work for the department and the field of human development and family studies.
This annual award was established in 1993 with a goal to support excellence in undergraduate teaching. The award is sponsored by the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System. The intense nomination process includes department and college approval with a detailed list of the nominee’s achievements in teaching, courses taught with accompanying information, instructional impact, peer evaluations, student feedback, evidence of professional development, and more.
Many individuals – students, peer faculty, and the department head – contributed to this nomination process to provide the information and personal stories on how Harvey has made a difference in many lives during her impactful career.
Leaving her mark
Since 2007, Harvey has had a positive impact on over 10,000 students, in the classroom and beyond. She has taught 15 different courses in 150 undergraduate and graduate sections and has consistently received glowing reviews from her students, peers, and supervisors.
“Dr. Harvey has been a role model for me and inspired my decision to pursue a career in marriage and family therapy,” said Alyssa Benson, a recent CSU graduate and past student of Harvey’s. “In the four semesters I spent learning from Dr. Harvey, I noticed her unfailing ability to develop the classroom climate into a place where people feel comfortable and safe sharing their thoughts and stories in a judgment-free zone.”
According to survey data from the last six years in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, around 60 graduating seniors each year identified Harvey as a positive influence on their college career.
“Dr. Harvey has contributed considerably to our department’s undergraduate teaching mission in terms of impacting students both in and outside the classroom,” said Julie Braungart-Rieker, head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. “She has developed curricular innovations, attended to issues surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, and sought out opportunities for professional and pedagogical development.”
From large introductory classes to smaller capstone courses, Harvey teaches a variety of groups, utilizing different skillsets for both in-person and online formats.
Harvey has made important contributions in research despite having just five percent of her workload dedicated to it. A recent article she wrote describes the emotional challenges that faculty often face and offers helpful suggestions for how to navigate these challenges. This article has received over 30,000 views. She also spoke at CSU TEDx on romantic attachment styles, which has garnered more than 40,000 views.
“Dr. Harvey seeks to continuously improve not only her own teaching, but also develops teaching resources for the department as a whole,” said Janice Nerger, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, in her speech about Harvey at the award celebration. For the award process, after committee review, Nerger was the final decision maker for selecting Harvey for the award. Addressing Harvey directly, Nerger said, “Dr. Harvey, for your dedication to undergraduate learning and student success and your inspirational excellence in teaching, we’re truly honored to recognize you with this prestigious award.”
Currently, Harvey serves as the director of undergraduate academic affairs in HDFS, leading the implementation of important curricular changes. In addition to this, the list of important services Harvey provides is long. She co-developed and maintains a Canvas-based library that serves as a teaching resource for all faculty, which many have commented is an invaluable resource for them; she seeks grants to support student success; she served as a trainer in the CSU First Four Weeks Initiative, and materials developed from that effort were incorporated into The Institute for Learning and Teaching best practices course; she helped develop and implement the Department of Human Development and Family Studies’ first online master’s program; and the list goes on.
“Her scholarship, particularly in the area of teaching and pedagogy, not only impacts those of us at CSU but those outside of our university as well,” said Braungart-Rieker.
In her acceptance speech during the award ceremony, Harvey expressed her gratitude to the CSU Board of Governors for creating the award as well as to her students, colleagues, and Braungart-Rieker for nominating her.
“When I think about what drives me, I also think about what drives us all: the need for competence, mastery, expertise, and to help others, and for me, that funneled into teaching,” said Harvey. “I already had my dream job, and receiving this award is truly a dream come true.”
A career of excellence
Harvey graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, magna cum laude, from Florida State University in 1994. She went on to get her master’s degree in human development and family studies from Colorado State University (’98), then started employment at CSU as a grief counselor at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and instructor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
In 2001, Harvey went back to school to earn her doctoral degree in child development and family studies from Purdue University. After serving in a lecturer position at the University of Colorado, Harvey found her way back to CSU in 2007, joining the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. She has continued to be promoted from assistant professor in 2007 to associate professor in 2014 and now to professor as of July 2023.
Harvey has received several awards over her career including the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2017 from the CSU College of Health and Human Sciences. She is also regularly nominated for the CSU Alumni Association Best Teacher Award with nominations in 2012, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Harvey shared how over the years she has listened to her kids, who are now 17 and 21 years old, talk about their teachers at family dinners – both the inspiring and disappointing experiences.
“When headed into class, I regularly remind myself to be the good story at the dinner table,” said Harvey.
Summarizing Harvey’s accomplishments, Braungart-Rieker said, “Dr. Harvey’s service represents how a teacher-scholar can integrate research, teaching, and service in ways that are highly valued and in particular, support efforts to improve the curriculum, faculty’s pedagogical skills and practices, and ultimately, student success.”
Congratulations to Ashley Harvey on this well-deserved recognition!
The Department of Human Development and Family Studies is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
