LU professor recognized nationally for mentoring

Dr. Tammy Henderson has been recognized for her outstanding mentorship.

The National Council on Family Relations has awarded Henderson, a professor in the Department of Nutrition, Hospitality & Human Services at LU, the Felix Berardo Scholarship Award for excellence in mentoring junior colleagues and students.

“At the end of the day, the current mentoring award reconfirms my commitment to sponsoring, supporting and singing the praises of people of excellence, especially when they face challenges,” said Henderson. “It is easy to be a mentor or sponsor someone when things are going well. True professional grace, support, sponsorship and guidance occur when folks are in the growth spaces called challenges. That is when mentoring and sponsorship is needed most.”

Henderson, who received her doctorate from Oregon State University and her master’s and bachelor’s from Louisiana State University, is passionate about mentoring others, especially women of color and international students who are adjusting culturally to an American university environment. Henderson has created monthly mentorship meetings that include students and professionals across the country, many of which never had her as a professor.

Henderson is an established leader at NCFR and is the conference chair for the 2021 NCFR Annual Conference. She has served in many capacities including chair of the Diversity Task Force and as an elected member of the board, chair of the Family Policy Section, and member of the Elections Counc

il. She has also served as a member of the editorial boards of “Journal of Family Theory & Review” and “Family Relations.”

“Dr. Henderson takes mentoring very seriously and is most deserving of this award,” said Bob Spina, dean of the College of Education and Human Development. “At LU, where the student to faculty ratio is a remarkable 19:1, there are plenty of opportunities to mentor and have a dynamic impact on students. Dr. Henderson has done just that.”

At LU, Henderson conducts research in the area of family policy, law and diversity. She is the author of numerous research reports, translational briefs, book chapters and articles in scholarly journals.

Felix Berardo, the namesake of this award, was a beloved professor at the University of Florida who went beyond expectations in his mentoring of many students who became leaders in the family field.

“I am humbled by the award,” said Henderson. “When I was a master’s degree student volunteering at a NCFR conference, Dr. Berardo shared this piece of wisdom: ‘Everything you write will not be good or published.’ I am glad he used that moment in 1992 to share this wisdom; it has stayed with me.”

The National Council on Family Relations is the premier professional association for the multidisciplinary understanding of families. NCFR has a membership of nearly 3,000 family researchers, practitioners and educators. For more information on the National Council on Family Relations or its scholarly publications, visit the NCFR website at ncfr.org.