Student Center for the Public Trust

Since 2006, the NASBA Center for the Public Trust (CPT) has honored professionals who positively impact  business with strong, ethical leadership through the Being a Difference  Award. The CPT recognizes  these individuals practicing high standards of ethical, business leadership by traveling  to their hometown to present the award in front of their peers and family.

This spring, the CPT launched a  parallel program, the Campus Being a  Difference Award, for college and university campuses where Student Center  for the Public Trust (Student CPT) chapters are established. Lipscomb University  was the first campus to establish a Student CPT chapter, and has embraced the  new awards programs by once again serving as the pilot campus. In this awards  program, students on campus nominate both students and faculty members. An  honoree is selected in each category by the campus Student CPT leadership with  the guidance of the chapter faculty advisor and the CPT national office.

The recipients of the award do  not simply aspire to make a difference – they are Being a Difference on  their campus and other endeavors by embodying the very best in principled  behavior and integrity.

The honorees of the inaugural Campus Being a Difference Award at Lipscomb  University are student, Elizabeth Hayes, and faculty member, Dr. Ray Eldridge.  They were honored at Lipscomb University’s College of Business Graduation  Luncheon on May 4, and presented their awards by CPT Manager of Programs, Amy  Walters.

“Elizabeth is  extremely involved in several organizations on campus. She establishes great  relationships with people and is good at getting things done. Her leadership  roles include being president of the Multicultural Organization for the past three  years and being a member of the Orientation Team,” said nominator and  fellow student Jessica Moore. “Elizabeth has truly made a difference on  Lipscomb’s campus. She is known for her outgoing personality and willingness to  help others. She has made changes on the campus that will be carried on once  she leaves. She enjoys learning about other cultures and coming up with new  ideas.”

Associate  Dean of the College of Business, Dr. Ray Eldridge, was surprised and deeply  touched by being honored with the award. Eldridge also served as the host of  the luncheon.

“Aside  from the obvious leadership responsibilities Dr. Eldridge displays every day as  the Associate Dean of the College of Business, he is also very sympathetic to  veterans as a former member of the armed forces himself,” said student and  nominator Brett Pulley. “He’s approachable and can offer advice or wisdom to  the numerous veterans who attend Lipscomb under the Yellow Ribbon Program.”

Over  the next year, the Campus Being a  Difference Award program will be carried out on the numerous campuses where  Student CPT chapters are established. A representative from the CPT national  office will travel to those campuses to present the award to the honorees.