In 1999, as today, a number of colleges and universities were struggling to become more effective, efficient, service-oriented institutions.
NCCI was formed to foster collaboration across institutions to achieve greater excellence and impact throughout the higher education sector. Dr. Brent Ruben Award winners have succeeded in working collaboratively to demonstrably impact the quality of higher education in ways that shift the culture toward sustainable excellence across the higher education sector.
The Dr. Brent D. Ruben Award is presented to a NCCI member in appreciation of their leadership in supporting and advancing the goals and impact of NCCI to advance excellence in higher education.
Award Recipients
2025 Recipients
Kim-Marie Jenkins
Kim-Marie has played a pivotal role in the success – and survival – of NCCI in recent years. While serving as President, she provided a calming voice for the Board of Directors and the organization as a whole. Her collaborative and inclusive talents have resulted in the creation of new ideas, such as the branding of the Power 60’s we’ve all come to appreciate, as well as developing NCCI’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging initiative in 2020.
Mary Byrde
Mary has served as a devoted officer, presenter, and champion of NCCI for many years. Her thoughtful consideration of the association’s needs, enthusiasm shown to new members and interpretation of policy and sustainability has made a significant impact on the success of NCCI. She served multiple terms as Secretary and held the position of Chair for the first Governance subcommittee through bylaw revisions and development of KPI’s for NCCI’s Strategic Plan.