Des Plaines (Nov. 4, 2025) Oakton College Vice President for Student Affairs, Bernard Little, Ph.D., earned a prestigious lifetime achievement award from a prominent higher education professional organization.
The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) honored Little with the Region IV-East Fred Turner Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the higher education student affairs profession over a sustained period.
The award is named after Fred Turner, a past NASPA board chair and former student affairs administrator at the University of Illinois. The recognition is widely regarded as NASPA’s lifetime achievement honor, celebrating individuals who have advanced the student affairs profession through years of dedicated service and impactful contributions.
Little, an active NASPA member for over two decades, has served in numerous leadership capacities, including leading regional conferences and serving on the NASPA Board of Directors as a regional director.
“To be named by my colleagues as a nominee for the Fred Turner Award is an honor that stops me in my tracks,” said Little. “It is one thing to do the work you love, but it is another entirely to have that work affirmed by the very people you walk alongside in Region IV-East. The award transcends personal achievement. It is a powerful reflection of the community that raised me.”
As vice president for Student Affairs at Oakton, Little oversees the Division of Student Affairs, which includes enrollment management, student success, access, equity and diversity, wellness, athletics, and student engagement. He leads efforts to strengthen Oakton’s student-centered campus culture and to create programs that promote student success and retention. His passion for supporting students and peers underscores his approach to leadership and service.
“NASPA has been my professional home, my guiding compass, and the source of my deepest professional relationships. Serving this association has never been an obligation,” said Little. “It has been a privilege, a small way to give back to the organization that has poured so much into my life. I am who I am because of NASPA, and this honor is a humbling testament to the profound power of our shared mission.”
In addition to his leadership with NASPA, Little serves as a lead facilitator for LeaderShape, Inc., helping develop student leadership across North America. He also serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and as chair of the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Board of Directors.
Little earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from DePaul University, a master’s in Higher Education Administration from Miami University, and a bachelor’s in Communication and Organizational Development from Bowling Green State University. He also holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.