Dr. Scott Snell Named 2025-2026 College of Education Kole-McGuffey Award Recipient 

Scott Snell, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025-2026 Kole-McGuffey Award for Excellence in Educational Research. This prestigious award is given to a graduate student whose research has made an impactful contribution to the field of education.

“Receiving the Kole-McGuffey Prize is incredibly meaningful to me, both personally and professionally,” Snell said. “Personally, it represents the culmination of years of growth, persistence and a willingness to step outside of my comfort zone. Earning my doctorate was a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, but having the work itself recognized at this level makes it even more meaningful.”

Snell is a certified nurse educator and emerging scholar with over 19 years of experience in higher education. He recently earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Idaho State University, where he also served as a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of School Psychology and Educational Leadership. During his time at ISU, he contributed to graduate education and scholarly work, including serving as an editorial contributor for New Directions for Community Colleges, supporting manuscript review and publication processes.

Snell’s professional background is rooted in academic nursing, where he previously served as an associate professor and registered nursing program manager at the College of Southern Idaho. His work has focused on curriculum development, student learning and the integration of high-fidelity simulation in nursing education. He currently serves as simulation clinical lab supervisor at Coastal Alabama Community College and as adjunct faculty in the direct-entry Master of Science in Nursing program at the University of West Florida, where he teaches simulation-based and graduate-level courses.

His research centers on leadership development and role transition in higher education, with a particular focus on academic nurse administrators. His dissertation explored the lived experiences of nurse faculty transitioning into administrative roles, highlighting the importance of mentorship, leadership preparation, and institutional support in shaping successful transitions. His work aims to inform leadership development practices and strengthen administrative pathways within higher education. 

“At its core, this study offers reassurance to current and aspiring academic nurse administrators who may feel uncertain or isolated,” Snell explained. “It highlights that their experiences are shared and that peer support, mentorship and collaboration can play a critical role in their success."