Blue Receives Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Debbie Blue, Oklahoma Baptist University senior vice president for academic services, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education during their 43rd annual conference Aug. 2 in Tulsa. 

The Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education (ACTE) is the professional organization for the state's CareerTech administrators, teachers and staff members. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals or organizations outside the field of career and technology education for meritorious contributions to the significant statewide improvement, promotion, development and progress of career and technology education.

For 12 years, Blue served on the State Board of Career and Technology Education and led the adoption of the name "Career and Technology Education" from the previous name, Oklahoma Vocational Association.

A Shawnee native, Blue graduated from OBU in 1972. She completed a master's degree in mathematics from the University of Tulsa in 1975. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Oklahoma State University in 1991.

Blue joined the OBU faculty in 1980. She became dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the University's largest academic division, in 1996. She was named OBU's chief academic officer in 2006. In her current role, she works as OBU's institutional research officer. She ensures the university's compliance with regional and national accrediting standards. She also directs study abroad and international studies programs.

Blue has served in various leadership roles during her OBU career. She chaired the University's "vision team," which worked in early 2005 to assess the institution's core curriculum. From that work, OBU has implemented several curriculum changes in what university officials characterize as a move to strengthen an already respected liberal arts program.

She serves as vice chair of the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and chairs that organization's assessment committee, which oversees the state's teacher certification examinations. She also has served as a mentor for the Executive Leadership Development Institute program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

The mission of the Oklahoma Association for Career and Technology Education is to unite the profession of career and technology education and serve the professional needs of its members. Oklahoma ACTE seeks to provide the kind of foresight and direction needed to develop a productive and competitive workforce for Oklahoma. The association is recognized as a dynamic educational leadership organization anticipating and fulfilling the professional needs of its members and their customers in developing a competitive workforce.

Since 1929, the Oklahoma ACTE has provided members with the resources they need to enhance their skills. With over 3,500 members, Oklahoma ACTE works with its national affiliate, the Association for Career and Technical Education, to help its members stay on the cutting edge of education, family, workplace and community development.

For more information about ACTE, click here.