Andrews University’s Janine Lim awarded 2026 Hall of Fame Higher Education Award

Late in June, the United States Distance Learning Association (or USDLA) presented Andrews University’s Dean of the Global Campus, Janine Lim, with the 2026 Hall of Fame Higher Education award.

Every year the USDLA presents awards to celebrate people and organizations who have used video technologies, innovation, or online learning techniques to go above and beyond. The Hall of Fame award also has the requirement of the potential recipient making significant contributions to global distance learning and participating in USDLA.

Lim has thus far in her career been very engaged in promoting and developing techniques for distance education. In 2008 she was also presented with the USDLA Outstanding Leadership Award. She then went on to serve on the USDLA board. In an article posted on Andrews University’s website, Lim was quoted about her time on the board saying,  “I loved doing it, because I learned so much from other institutions and what they’re doing. [USDLA] is a really interesting group because they have K–12, higher education, corporate, government and health care distance education.”

Prior to joining the faculty at Andrews University, Lim spent 14 years serving as an instructional technology consultant for the Barrier Regional Education Service. While there she specialized in distance education and asynchronous instructional technology. She also instructed courses as part of the Adventist Virtual Learning Network, and was in charge of a video conferencing system that comprised nearly 35 units from several local public school districts. Lim also coordinated various video conference projects like an annual international reading event over four countries and several states, and open heart surgeries from the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio. Lim noted that these projects were foundational to the skills she would later employ at Andrews University.

Lim earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication, MAT, and PhD in leadership all from Andrews University. Back in 2011 she joined the Andrews faculty as associate dean for online higher education. During that time she was charged with improving the design and quality of technological and online tools for the school. She was also tasked with promoting collaboration across several Adventist higher education institutions, as well as course and faculty development. Lim became the interim dean of the Global Campus this March, she was named dean on July 1.

Lim’s role as the dean of the Global Campus is to oversee the Griggs International Academy, the Office of International Student Services, the Center for Digital Learning and Instructional Technology, the Center for Continuing Education, the school of Leadership, and the Adult Degree Completion Center. She noted that she looks forward to continuing her work of “deep collaboration, where each person understands the intent and design of what others bring to fully integrate and learn from each other’s ideas creates really great interactions.”

She also spoke highly of her position, saying, “I feel that working at Andrews in distance education is something that God created and knit me together to do. He gave me the experience, and I am committed to Andrews because I know God wants me here. … For me, this award is a confirmation that God is leading, and He needs me to do something more besides what I’ve done so far.” 

More information about the United States Distance Learning Association can be found on its website.

More information about Andrews University can be found on the school’s website.