Miami University’s Leslie Haxby McNeill Earns Top Advising Honor
Leslie Haxby McNeill, assistant director of student wellness at Miami University, has been honored with the prestigious Tom Goodale Award for Exceptional Advising in Peer Education. Her work with organizations like HAWKS Peer Health Educators has set a national standard for student involvement and well-being.
Miami University’s Leslie Haxby McNeill Earns Top Advising Honor
Leslie Haxby McNeill never expected that educating students about alcohol and wellness would become the foundation of a career dedicated to student wellness. From the moment she began working with student groups, she saw firsthand how peer education could transform campus life. “Much of my student life work is and has been advising student groups and helping students charter organizations including Miami’s NRHH, HAWKS Peer Health Educators, Sober Squad, and Miami Hope,” Haxby McNeill said.
Her dedication to student wellness and peer education has not gone unnoticed.
At the 2025 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Strategies Conference, Haxby McNeill, assistant director of student wellness at Miami University, received the Tom Goodale Award for Exceptional Advising in Peer Education. This award is a top honor in NASPA and is considered the lifetime achievement award for peer education advisors.
NASPA supports more than 15,000 student affairs professionals and 1,200 institutions worldwide.
The Tom Goodale Award is presented annually to one outstanding peer education advisor. This person must show strong leadership, dedication to mentoring students and a commitment to improving peer education programs.
“Being recognized by NASPA is an honor,” Haxby McNeill said. “The reward is seeing students grow through their student group involvement and the ways in which they impact."
Haxby McNeill has dedicated her career to supporting student growth and success. She started her career in residence life before becoming a leader in student wellness initiatives. In 2003, she founded HAWKS (Health Advocates for Wellness, Knowledge, and Skills) Peer Health Educators, a program that has become a national model for peer education. Under her leadership, HAWKS has won several national awards, including Outstanding Peer Education Group in 2015 and additional honors in 2017, 2019, and 2023.
Haxby McNeill also received the Outstanding Advisor Award in 2016 for her dedication to peer education and has mentored many students, including the 2021 Outstanding Peer Educator recipient.
Her impact reaches far beyond campus, as HAWKS alumni frequently return to reconnect with her during homecoming, alumni events, and Family Weekend. "They come to visit her and update her on their lives, bringing their parents, partners and children to meet her," said Rebecca Young, director of student wellness. "These reunions are filled with hugs, tears, and the sharing of cherished memories, all reflecting the profound role she has played in their journeys — making their Miami experience a pivotal point in their lives."
Haxby McNeill's impact extends far beyond the recognition of this award. “At the heart of everything Leslie does — every initiative, every student interaction — is her unwavering commitment to serving students," continued Young. "She empowers them to become the best version of themselves and helps them achieve their life goals.”
