The NDSU chapter of the Blue Key National Honor Society will honor Robert Littlefield, professor of communication, with the 2011 NDSU Distinguished Educator Award. He will receive the recognition during a ceremony Thursday, Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Plains room.
Blue Key annually honors an outstanding NDSU educator for their extra interest in students and their programs, education and field of expertise. Presented annually since 1969, the honor is one of the highest awards given by NDSU students.
"Dr. Littlefield has a distinguished record of service to the university, made significant contributions to the field of communication and has an unparalleled level of commitment to students. Blue Key seeks to recognize those educators like Dr. Littlefield for all they do,” said Cory Loveless, a Blue Key member.
Littlefield, who is in his 34th year on campus, earned his bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead, master’s degree in speech at NDSU and doctorate in speech communication and political science from the University of Minnesota.
In addition to teaching, Littlefield directs the Risk+Crisis Communication Project, collaborating with the National Center for Food Protection and Defense of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the NDSU Great Plains Institute of Food Safety.
A member of the Hall of Fame of the Pi Kappa Delta National Forensic Honorary, Littlefield has received the President’s Leadership Medal from Lions Clubs International. In addition, he received the Wayne Brockreide Award for Research from the America Forensic Association, Ralph E. Carey Award for Distinguished Career Service and Double Diamond Coach Award from the National Forensic League. He received the Outstanding Educator Award from the NDSU College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and was twice named the Debate Coach of the Year by the North Dakota Speech and Theatre Association.
Littlefield was installed as a district governor at the 93rd Lions Clubs International Convention in 2010 and serves as council chair for Multiple District 5, including North Dakota, South Dakota and Saskatchewan. He is the faculty adviser for the NDSU-Fargo Campus Lions Club, and the Lincoln Speech and Debate Society.
The Blue Key National Honor Society was founded in 1927 and includes 125 chapters across the United States. The NDSU Blue Key chapter has been actively involved on campus since 1930. Through the award, the chapter recognizes a member of the NDSU faculty who has had a positive impact on students and community members in their pursuit of educational endeavors.