Vickie Cook, vice chancellor for enrollment and retention management at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been named the recipient of the 2024 Mildred B. and Charles A. Wedemeyer Award for Outstanding Writer/Scholar in Distance Education from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA).

The honor will be officially bestowed during the UPCEA Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLA+R) and Distance Teaching & Learning Conference (DT&L) Conference in July.

The Mildred B. and Charles A. Wedemeyer Award recognizes those who continued the legacy of pioneers in the distance education field through scholarship and writing. Cook has published over 40 journal articles and book chapters in a variety of national educational publications, and she serves as a peer reviewer for six of the top journals in the field of Online Learning and Education.

“I am deeply honored and grateful for this recognition,” Cook said. “This award, in memory of Charles and Mildred Wedemeyer, is a testament to the importance of the scholarship advancing distance education and ensuring quality online learning experiences for our students. I am committed to continuing the legacy of the many pioneers in the field and contributing to the ongoing development and improvement of online learning through both scholarship and practice.”

Cook has held numerous leadership roles in regional and national organizations. She has been a long-time member of the Illinois Council on Continuing Higher Education (ICCHE), a UPCEA board member and a mentor for both the Association for Continuing Higher Education and UPCEA. Additionally, she is a board member of the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) and serves on the Online Learning Journal Review Board. Cook was recognized as a 2017 University of Illinois President’s Executive Leadership Fellow and an OLC Fellow.