Carol Mullen, a professor of educational leadership in the Virginia Tech School of Education, has received a prestigious honor from the International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership.

The council named Mullen recipient of the 2020 Theodore “Ted” Creighton Publication Innovation Award. The honor recognizes her scholarly contributions to the field of educational leadership.

As a leading professional academic organization, the council is dedicated to the advancement of educational leadership through research, teaching, and service. Its publication innovation award is named for Theodore Creighton, a Virginia Tech professor emeritus who is a former executive director of the organization and now serves on the council’s executive board.

The honor recognizes Mullen’s record of publications and presentations, as well as her innovative ideas, projects, and approaches to improving practice, communication, and scholarship in the educational leadership field. The annual award also acknowledges her commitment to helping graduate students publish their early research and scholarship.

In addition, the organization named Mullen its editor emerita, creating a new honor tied to her pioneering journal work.

Mullen was nearly speechless after learning she had won this year’s award.

“The support and recognition of the executive board of my work in the area of innovations in publication is truly humbling,” said Mullen. “The award itself is unusual in recognizing innovations in publication, given the invisible nature of this kind of effort, which doesn’t fit neatly into the boxes of research, teaching, and service.”

Written by Andrew Adkins