Dr. Jodi Cronin Wins Blazer Creed Award at VSU

Dr. Jodi Cronin from the James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services is the recipient of Valdosta State University’s 2024 Blazer Creed Award for Civility, Citizenship, and Integrity. She joined the VSU faculty in July 2023 and currently serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education. She is pictured with Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of VSU.

VALDOSTA — Dr. Jodi Cronin from the James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services is the recipient of Valdosta State University’s 2024 Blazer Creed Award for Civility, Citizenship, and Integrity.

As the Blazer Creed states, VSU is a learning environment based on trust and mutual respect, in which open dialogue, vigorous debate, and the free exchange of ideas are welcome. The university is dedicated to the core values of community, including a commitment to practice the following:

Civility — A Blazer shows courtesy and compassion as well as respect for the dignity of every human being.

Integrity — Each Blazer is responsible for his or her own actions, and our community is stronger when we contemplate the context of our decisions and uphold the principles of trust and honesty.

Citizenship — Every Blazer has an interest in the wellbeing of the community and, therefore, a duty to stay informed, to make positive contributions, and to offer support to those who need help.

 “As educators, we must model the values we expect from our students in and out of the classroom,” Cronin said. “Every day in my classroom is a new opportunity to share and learn best practices that extend beyond the syllabus objectives with skills such as those in the Blazer Creed. I believe integrity is one of the most important soft skills we can model for our students. Be true to your word. As Stephen E. Covey said, ‘Integrity is conforming reality to our words — in other words, keeping promises and fulfilling expectations.’”

Cronin joined the VSU faculty in July 2023. She currently serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education.

“The best part of my job at VSU are the students,” she said. “I love being able to impact our future educators and empowering them to be the best version of themselves.”