CEIA Distinguished Achievement and Excellence Nomination form: The Dan Cayse Leadership Award
CEIA recognizes distinguished achievement and excellence by annually recognizing educators and employers who have excelled or made significant impact in work-integrated learning. Previous Achievement and Excellence Award winners for all CEIA awards can be viewed online.
The Dan Cayse Leadership Award
Introduced in 2025, this award is intended to honor a leader whose work has positively impacted the field of work-integrated learning. It is broad in intention, as true leadership can be found at every level of an organization. Members of the faculty, administrative leadership, senior leaders, and others can all be eligible for this award if their work has produced a meaningful contribution to the field and/or they have gone above and beyond in supporting Work Integrated Learning at their institutions. The Dan Cayse Leadership Award honors Dan Cayse, retired Vice President at Cincinnati State College. Joining in 1974, he led cooperative education for 38 years and twice served as Dean of the Business Technologies Division. As Dean, he significantly enhanced the co-op program, creating partnerships with Disney, P&G, and Kroger. Cayse was influential nationally, consulting for colleges and corporations, giving over 500 presentations, representing the US in Canada, testifying before Congress, and helping launch the co-op national ad campaign. A dedicated leader in the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA), he served two terms as President and multiple terms as VP of Finance. In 2005, CEIA awarded him the Dean Herman Schneider Award for his lifelong commitment to work-integrated learning. He was also honored with the E. Sam Sovilla Award by the Midwest Cooperative Education & Internship Association (MCEIA) and was named Educator of the Year by the Ohio Cooperative Education Association (OCEA).
Crucially, Cayse mentored numerous leaders and practitioners, teaching at the Academy, building relationships, and training board members and volunteers, embodying true leadership.
