The NASPA Foundation honors Reed's vice president for student life for his leadership and impact in student affairs.
September 29, 2026
Karnell McConnell-Black, vice president for student life at Reed, has been named a 2027 Pillar of the Profession by the NASPA Foundation. The national award recognizes student affairs and higher education leaders for their service to the profession and lasting impact on the institutions and communities they serve.
McConnell-Black, who has worked in student affairs for more than two decades, said his career grew from his own experience navigating college as a first-generation student.
"I came to this work simply wanting to help students find their way because I knew what it felt like to be a first-generation college student trying to navigate a college environment that wasn’t familiar to me," he said. "I never imagined that student affairs could become my life’s work, or that the journey would transform me as much as I hoped to transform the experiences of students.
For McConnell-Black, the recognition also reflects the mentors and colleagues who helped shape his career.
"This recognition reminds me that none of us gets here alone, and that with every opportunity we receive comes a responsibility to reach back and create opportunities for those coming behind us. If my career leaves any legacy, I hope it is that I helped make the path a little wider for the next generation to walk through and eventually create paths of their own."
McConnell-Black and the other 2027 Pillars will be honored at the NASPA Annual Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, in March.