NACA and the NACA Foundation are thrilled to honor Regina Young Hyatt, Ph.D. as the 2025 Founders Award recipient. The award exemplifies the best in our field, and we are excited to be able to publicly recognize her for her outstanding work. You may consider her a colleague, mentor, former supervisor, friend, or longtime NACA role model. If you would like to make a donation to the NACA Foundation in Dr. Hyatt's honor, you can do so on this page. On behalf of NACA and the NACA Foundation, thank you for joining us in recognizing Regina as the best in our field.

Dr. Regina Young Hyatt is Vice President for Student Affairs at Mississippi State University and has served in this role since July 2015.  In her role as Vice President, she provides leadership for the Division of Student Affairs which includes a wide range of departments and programs focused on student health, wellness & safety; student involvement & engagement; and student success. Additionally, Dr. Hyatt regularly teaches in the Student Affairs & Higher Education graduate program and serves on dissertation committees for the Higher Education Leadership doctoral program at MSU.

Prior to her role at Mississippi State, Dr. Hyatt served as the Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  She additionally worked at the University of South Florida, the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, and Palmer College.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in College Student Personnel both from Western Illinois University, located in Macomb, IL.  Her doctoral work was completed at the University of South Florida in Higher Education Administration.  Dr. Hyatt’s research interests relate to women in higher education, technology in higher education, student sense of belonging, and student retention/persistence.

Dr. Hyatt currently serves on the Executive Committee and Program Committee of the Council on Student Affairs, an Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities operational council.  She is a member of the SACSA (Southern Association for College Student Affairs) Foundation Board of Directors. In 2023, Dr. Hyatt was honored as a NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Pillar of the Profession, where she previously served on the NASPA Board of Directors as Region III Director. Active with NACA from her time as a graduate student, Dr. Hyatt served on the NACA Board of Directors from 2004 to 2010 and was Board Chairperson in 2008-2009. She additionally served the NACA Foundation Board from 2016 to 2019 and was Chairperson in 2017-2018. She chaired the NACA National Convention in 2004 and was one of the co-founders of the NACA Student Organizations Institute. Dr. Hyatt serves as an on and off-site reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC). She regularly presents at national and regional conferences and often writes for blogs and relevant student affairs publications. Dr. Hyatt also serves as treasurer and President-Elect of the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of the Golden Triangle and is a member of the Board of Directors for Sigma Phi Epsilon National Fraternity.