The NASPA Foundation is pleased to recognize outstanding members of the student affairs and higher education community through the Pillars of the Profession.
Joy Hoffman, who works as an independent trainer and consultant for multicultural education in higher education out of Crookston, MN, has been named a 2019 NASPA Pillar of the Profession. NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education is the leading association for student affairs professionals, provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 16,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories. The Pillar of the Profession Award is one of the highest awards given by the association and has gone to less than three percent of the association’s membership over the past 20 years.
“Joy has been a dedicated, loyal, and passionate supporter of anyone and everyone in the field of higher education and her selfless volunteerism has been a reflection of what her values are,” says Henry Gee, Vice President, Student Services, Rio Hondo College. “She is a committed social justice advocate and spokesperson and I couldn’t be more thrilled to see her honored this year as a Pillar…it is well deserved.”
Joy L. S. Hoffman has worked for 25 years in higher education and the last 18 in multicultural affairs. After serving in multicultural director roles at two small private institutions, Joy became the inaugural Director of Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers at California State University, Fullerton where she oversaw five identity-based resource centers including the California State University System’s first Dreamer Center. Joy’s scholarly work and presentations at national conferences have brought attention to the identity development of transracial adoptees within a higher education context. Joy currently works independently as an educational trainer and consultant addressing issues of equity, justice, and inclusion.
Joy has been actively involved with NASPA throughout her career. Her involvement includes serving on national and regional conference committees, the Region VI board, and the NUFP board as well as holding leadership roles for the Asian Pacific Islander Knowledge Community and the International Education Knowledge Community. In 2016, NASPA invited Joy and Dr. Bobby Kunstman to help establish NASPActs in order provide an avenue for political action and advocacy at the Indianapolis annual conference. Among Joy’s awards for professional and community work are the NASPA Region VI mid-level professional award, the APIKC Henry Gee Outstanding Mentoring Award, the ACPA Daniello Balón Mentoring Award, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award at Cal State Fullerton, and the Associated Student Body Key to the College Award at Whittier College. She is also a Heritage and Legacy Society donor to the NASPA Foundation.
Joy is the proud parent of two college students, Hanna and Clifton Alexander, as well as the grateful daughter of Clifton and Isabel Stuewe who adopted her from Seoul, Korea when she was 10 months old. She has been active in various community organizations having served on the boards of the Intercommunity Counseling Center in Whittier, California and Preparing 4 a Degree in Los Alamitos, California. Joy is thankful for her partner, John L. Hoffman, Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Minnesota Crookston, who has supported her personally and professionally over the past 17 years.
The class of Pillars were honored at the 100th Annual Conference of NASPA on March 11 in Los Angeles, CA. As part of the Pillars program, the NASPA Foundation accepts gifts in the name of each honoree. These gifts come back to the student affairs profession as scholarships, research grants and awards.
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