Lindsey Wilson University Education Program Receives National Award
Lindsey Wilson was one of nine recipients of the 2025 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement, presented by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
COLUMBIA, Ky. (09/18/2025) — The Lindsey Wilson University Education Program received a national honor on Thursday, Sept. 18, for its leadership and commitment to continuous improvement.
Lindsey Wilson was one of nine recipients of the 2025 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement. The prestigious award is presented annually by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, also known as CAEP, the national body that evaluates and accredits teacher-preparation programs.
CAEP presents the Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement award to education providers that demonstrate evidence and data trends leading to CAEP accreditation with no stipulations or areas for improvement.
Lindsey Wilson was honored on Thursday at a CAEP national meeting in Arlington, Virginia, because earlier this year the Lindsey Wilson education program received a seven-year affirmation from CAEP without any recommendations.
Recipients of the national award are selected from providers granted accreditation by CAEP at the initial level in the previous year. According to CAEP, the providers "advance equity and excellence in educator preparation through the purposeful use of self-study procedures and evidence-based reporting that assure quality and support continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 learning."
Lindsey Wilson Education Program Director Jennifer Antoniotti-Neal '98 said that a big reason for Lindsey Wilson's success is a strong, seasoned group of faculty members who work well together as a team and are "laser focused" on students' success.
"One of the things we always talk about in our department is that we are a family," said Antoniotti-Neal. "We use the hashtag '#LWUEdFam' in our work and communications because we support one another, we make sure everyone has the tools they need to be successful, and if we don't understand something, we help one another out. Our culture is so positive, and students can sense that when they see that we are laser focused on making sure they graduate prepared to be great teachers."
This is the second round of recent good news for Lindsey Wilson's education program. Earlier this month, the program learned that for the second consecutive year Lindsey Wilson education graduates recorded a 100% pass rate on the Praxis II and Principles of Learning and Teaching examinations -- tests required of all new teachers.
"Our faculty love their jobs," said Antoniotti-Neal. "Because of that, students know that they are loved, we have a positive culture, and we want what's best for them."
Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university's 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.
Media Attachments
Members of the Lindsey Wilson University Education Program are presented the 2025 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation on Thursday, Sept. 18, in Arlington, Virginia. From left: CAEP representative Yuhang Rong; Robin Franklin, LWU education administrative assistant; Carlie Meece, LWU education faculty member; Jennie Shelpman, LWU academic affairs administrative assistant; Ray Lutgring, LWU vice president for academic affairs; Jennifer Antoniotti-Neal, LWU education program director; Lisa Newell-Hare, LWU education faculty member; Brennon Sapp, LWU education faculty member; Wonhee Lee, LWU education faculty member; and CAEP President Christopher Koch.