Auburn College of Education alumni honored with top national awards in art education

Two Auburn University College of Education alumni are being recognized at the highest level of their profession, earning multiple national honors from the National Art Education Association (NAEA) for their leadership, service and lasting impact on art education.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Logan ’78 and Linda W. Kieling ’82, both graduates of Auburn’s former Art Education program, have each received prestigious 2026 NAEA awards, underscoring the enduring excellence of Auburn-trained educators across the country.

Logan has been named the 2026 NAEA National Emeritus Art Educator of the Year and the recipient of the National MacArthur Goodwin Award for Distinguished Service within the Profession — two of the organization’s highest honors recognizing lifetime achievement and leadership in art education.

A 1978 Auburn graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Art Education, Logan went on to earn a Master of Education degree from the University of Houston–Victoria in 1985. In 2000, she became the first National Board Certified Art Teacher in the state of Alabama.

Logan retired from full-time classroom teaching in 2015 after 34 years of service, with a career that included positions at Howell Intermediate School in Victoria, Texas; Opelika Middle School; and Auburn Junior High School. Notably, she concluded her teaching career at Auburn Junior High — the same school where she began as a student teacher in 1978 under the mentorship of Tana Branch. Today, she continues her work in education through Alabama’s Virtual ACCESS program and is completing her 46th year in the field.

Beyond the classroom, Logan has played a significant leadership role in professional organizations. She served as the first Middle Level Division Director for the NAEA and later as its Southeastern Vice President. She is also a newly elected Trustee for the NAEA Foundation Board and remains active in the Alabama Art Education Association, where she serves as Parliamentarian.

Reflecting on her Auburn experience, Logan credits the faculty and formative experiences she encountered as a student for shaping her career.

“I loved my time at Auburn,” Logan said. "The Education Department was a huge part of that experience, and I truly would not have become the teacher I was without the guidance, encouragement and example of the faculty and staff who shaped me there.”

Logan and Kieling recalled the profound influence of faculty mentors, including professor Christine Danner, who inspired Logan to switch majors and pursue teaching, as well as professor Earl Smith, whose practical coursework emphasized real-world preparation for the classroom.

“She was warm, personable and completely dedicated to helping us become successful art teachers,” Logan said of Danner.

Logan currently resides in Auburn, Alabama, where she remains engaged in the arts community and continues to create and exhibit her work.

Kieling, who will soon retire after 36 years in the teaching profession, has also been recognized with two of the NAEA’s most prestigious honors, earning the 2026 National Art Educator of the Year and Secondary Art Educator of the Year awards.

Kieling earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from Auburn and completed her student teaching at Auburn Junior High School. She is currently in her 36th year of teaching and serves as an educator at Adrienne C. Nelson High School in Happy Valley, Oregon, with experience spanning K–12 and higher education.

Throughout her career, Kieling has demonstrated extensive leadership within the profession, having served as both Middle Level Division Director and Secondary Division Director for the NAEA. Her work has earned recognition at the state, regional and national levels.

In addition to her leadership roles, Kieling is an active member of the Council for Art Education and a practicing artist whose work has been featured in exhibitions, including the Small Works Exhibit in Clifton Springs, New York, and the NAEA Member Exhibit Virtual Gallery.

Kieling also reflects fondly on her time at Auburn, where her academic and practical experiences shaped her path as an educator.

“I loved my time at Auburn and always represent it,” Kieling said.

She highlighted influential faculty and hands-on learning experiences that prepared her for teaching, including coursework in art education and her internship experience at Auburn Junior High. She has continued that Auburn pride throughout her career, including service as president of the Pacific Northwest Auburn Alumni Club.

Although Logan and Kieling graduated four years apart, their paths later converged when they met at the 2001 NAEA Convention in Miami, forming a lasting professional friendship rooted in their shared Auburn experience.

“The two of us met in 2001 at the NAEA Convention in Miami and have been friends ever since,” Logan said.

The meeting was a chance encounter that quickly turned meaningful — Kieling had recognized Logan’s name from a vendor mailing list and, by happenstance, spotted her shortly after leaving the convention hall, connecting through mutual Auburn ties and shared colleagues.

Today, despite living in different parts of the country, the two remain closely connected and continue to represent Auburn’s legacy in art education. Together, their accomplishments highlight the lasting impact of Auburn University’s College of Education and its role in preparing generations of educators who lead and innovate in classrooms and communities nationwide.