Nelson H. Brooks Award

 

The Nelson H. Brooks Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Profession

About the Award

The Nelson H. Brooks Leadership Award honors a passionate leader who has made significant contributions to the world language community layered from the local, state, regional and/or national levels. Applicants’ dossiers include evidence of their dedication, influence, and collaboration in service to language learning, language learners, and language educators.The Northeast Conference Board of Directors has honored a member of the profession for distinguished service and leadership since 1968. In 1978 the award was renamed in honor of Nelson H. Brooks, who, through his work and publications about the importance of culture in the world language classroom, dramatically influenced second language instruction.

Click here to make a nomination.

The 2026 Nelson H Brooks Award Recipient   

Cynthia Chalupa, James Madison University,VA

Cynthia’s leadership is unparalleled and her work in the field deserves recognition. She is always ready to jump into a project and lead. She has a keen eye for the larger frame of the effort while also seeing, clearly, the small details. Her years of dedication to the NECTFL Board in multiple capacities, her leadership on the AATG, her teaching of German for more than 20 years, developing course materials to reflect the globalized world, authoring several instructional volumes used widely across the country, shepherding students to programs in Germany and her work guiding many of them to attain teaching licenses.  Then there is her tenacity. Weathering educational challenges beyond her control yet still rising with strength and professionalism to overcome the past and be prepared to meet and create new possibilities.

Past Recipients
  • 2025: Robert Terry, University of Richmond, emeritus
  • 2024: Leslie Grahn, Howard County Public Schools, (ret.)
  • 2023: John D. Carlino, Northeast Conference (posthumous)
  • 2022: Susanne Nimmrichter, Millersville University
  • 2021: Rita A. Oleksak, Glastonbury Public Schools
  • 2020: Amanda Seewald, Maracas Language Programs
  • 2019: Sr. Mary Helen Kashuba, SSJ, DLM, Chestnut Hill College
  • 2018: Janis Hennessey, Dover HS, (ret.)
  • 2017: Thekla Fall, Pittsburgh Public Schools, (ret.)
  • 2016: Laura Franklin, Northern Virginia Community College
  • 2015: Charlotte E. Gifford, Greenfield Community College
  • 2014: Gladys Lipton, National FLES Institute
  • 2013: Heidi Byrnes, Georgetown University
  • 2012: Richard Brecht, Center for Advanced Study of Language
  • 2011: Gregory Duncan, InterPrep, Inc.
  • 2009: Marjorie Hall Haley, George Mason University
  • 2008: Eileen W. Glisan, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
  • 2007: Stephen L. Levy, ACTFL
  • 2006: Kathleen M. Riordan, Springfield MA Public Schools (ret.)
  • 2005: Ray T. Clifford, Brigham Young University
  • 2004: Martha G. Abbott, Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools
  • 2003: Frank W. Medley, Jr., West Virginia University
  • 2002: Robert J. Ludwig, NYSAFLT
  • 2001: C. Edward Scebold, ACTFL
  • 2000: Protase E. Woodford, Educational Testing Service (ret.)
  • 1999: June K. Phillips, Weber State University
  • 1998: Helene Zimmer-Loew, AATG
  • 1997: Ronald Walton, National Foreign Language Center (posthumous)
  • 1996: Edward D. Allen, Emeritus, Ohio State University
  • 1995: Earl W. Stevick, Emeritus, Foreign Service Institute
  • 1994: Eleanor Jorden, Emerita, Cornell University
  • 1993: Dorothy James, Hunter College
  • 1992: Sandye Jean McIntyre II, Morgan State University
  • 1991: Helen Warriner-Burke, Virginia State Dept. of Education
  • 1990: Ann Beusch, Maryland State Dept. of Education
  • 1989: Dora Kennedy, Prince George’s County (MD) Public Schools
  • 1988: Leo Benardo, New York City Public Schools
  • 1987: Mary P. Thompson, Glastonbury Public Schools
  • 1986: Robert Lado, Georgetown University
  • 1985: James E. Alatis, Georgetown University
  • 1984: Wilga M. Rivers, Harvard University
  • 1983: James R. Frith, Foreign Service Institute
  • 1982: Lorraine A. Strasheim, Indiana University
  • 1981: Laurence Wylie, Harvard University
  • 1980: Richard I. Brod, Modern Language Association
  • 1979: Dwight Bolinger, Harvard University
  • 1978: Howard Lee Nostrand, University of Washington
  • 1977: Kenneth W. Mildenberger, Modern Language Association
  • 1976: Wilmarth H. Starr, New York University
  • 1975: Theodore Andersson, University of Texas
  • 1974: Donald D. Walsh, Northeast Conference
  • 1973: Emma Birkmaier, University of Minnesota
  • 1972: Freeman Twadell, Brown University
  • 1971: Robert G. Mead, University of Connecticut
  • 1970: Harry L. Levy, Fordham University
  • 1969: Nelson H. Brooks, Yale University
  • 1968: Stephen A. Freeman, Middlebury College