Each year, Administrative Professionals Week gives organizations across the country an opportunity to recognize the vital work of administrative assistants, executive assistants, chiefs of staff, office managers, receptionists, and support professionals.

At NAPAHE, we believe this week tells the story of our members.

Our community is made up of professionals who support presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, and governing boards across higher education. You work behind the scenes in roles that demand discretion, judgment, agility, and an extraordinary understanding of institutional culture and leadership dynamics. More often than not, you do this work quietly, without fanfare, and without a desire for recognition.

Administrative Professionals Week is a moment to pause and say what we all know to be true:

Your work matters. Your role matters. And you matter.

Earlier this year, at NAPAHE’s Annual Conference, we reflected on five touchstones that define this profession and guide the work you do every day. As we celebrate Administrative Professionals Week, we return to those five reminders, both as recognition and as affirmation.

Administrative professionals in higher education are not “just support.” You are strategic partners and trusted advisors.

You anticipate needs before they’re voiced. You stage the right conversations at the right time. You help leaders navigate complex environments where context, timing, and institutional memory matter. Long before decisions are public, your insight and judgment shape outcomes.

You may support a president, chancellor, provost, vice president, dean, or board—but in reality, you serve something much bigger.

You serve an office, an institution, and ultimately the students and communities whose lives are shaped by higher education leadership. Knowing who you serve means understanding your leader’s priorities, pressures, communication style, and decision‑making rhythm—and translating those insights into clarity and execution.

Confidentiality is not simply a responsibility of the role—it is the foundation of your credibility.

You hold sensitive information, early drafts, difficult conversations, and moments of uncertainty. Leaders trust you because you protect that trust. In many ways, your influence comes not from formal authority, but from the confidence others have in your discretion and integrity.

This profession is service‑oriented by nature. Many administrative professionals spend their days absorbing urgency, solving problems, and supporting others—and it can be easy to put yourself last.

Administrative Professionals Week is also a reminder that sustainable excellence requires boundaries. Rest, renewal, relationships, and interests outside of work are not indulgences: they are necessities.

Supporting senior leaders can feel isolating. That is why NAPAHE exists.

NAPAHE is a professional home for those who lead from behind the scenes, a community built by and for administrative professionals in higher education. Through conferences, webinars, affinity groups, discussion boards, and peer connections, NAPAHE provides spaces to ask honest questions, share best practices, and support one another through the complexities of the work.

Administrative Professionals Week is not just about appreciation: it’s about recognition of a profession that quietly anchors our institutions every day. The work you do enables leaders to lead, institutions to function, and missions to move forward.

At NAPAHE, we are committed to supporting you through community-building, professional development, connection, and advocacy, not only this week, but throughout the year.

To our members: thank you for your expertise, integrity, and commitment to higher education.

To those considering joining us: you belong here.

Happy Administrative Professionals Week.

The National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education (NAPAHE) proudly announced the recipients of its 2026 Distinguished Service Award during the 39th Annual National Conference & Business Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. This year, the association honored two former board members—Dr. Melissa A. Maszczak and Steve Frieder—whose exceptional leadership, service, and commitment have strengthened both NAPAHE and the broader higher education community.

First established in 2003, NAPAHE’s Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals whose personal and professional contributions have meaningfully enhanced the organization’s presence, growth, and impact within the field. Both recipients exemplify the award’s purpose through their sustained dedication, exemplary leadership, and unwavering support for higher education professionals across the country.

The second Distinguished Service Award was presented to Steve Frieder, a respected leader whose influence has long shaped NAPAHE’s mission and whose mentorship and strategic insight have supported countless colleagues in higher education. Steve currently serves as the Senior Advisor to the President of Marquette University.

Frieder’s long-standing service to NAPAHE includes his tenure on the Board of Directors, where his contributions to organizational strategy, leadership development, and community building left a lasting imprint. Widely admired for his professionalism and integrity, he is known across the profession as a steady, trusted voice, especially during moments of institutional change.

During the ceremony, Frieder was introduced by longtime colleague and fellow NAPAHE Board Member Heather Fehn, who described him as her “North Star”:

Frieder’s nomination included praise from colleagues across the country, citing his exemplary mentorship, leadership, and commitment to the values that define NAPAHE.

In his remarks, Frieder reflected on his journey within the profession and the importance of finding one’s voice:

The 2026 Distinguished Service Awards honor not only the remarkable achievements of Dr. Maszczak and Mr. Frieder, but also the essential, often unseen work of presidential assistants, board professionals, and higher education leaders whose service strengthens institutions nationwide.

NAPAHE congratulates both recipients for their extraordinary contributions and extends its gratitude for their continued impact on the profession.