The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) recently presented Wichita State’s Susan Norton with the 2019 AAACE Presidential Award for Exceptional and Innovative Leadership in Adult Continuing Education, an award given to someone who demonstrates exceptional and innovative leadership in the field of adult continuing education.

“I was surprised and honored to receive the award and the recognition,” she said. “I have been fortunate to spend my professional life doing something that I love and that defines me to my core.”

Norton is the director of the Office of Adult Learning at WSU, where she manages the recruitment and retention of the post-traditional population returning to WSU to finish their degrees. She can relate to the students she works with because she pursued her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees as a returning adult.

Her research interests continue to revolve around participation in continuing education, returning adult students in higher education and barriers to participation in continuing education. 

With a long list of contributions to adult learning, Norton has demonstrated her passion for the field for years. She has worked with Kansas institutions to increase opportunities for military and veterans to attain credit for prior learning, presented at conferences and training for elected officials and serves on numerous community and institutional committees.