Dr. Leah Chambers knows firsthand how access to education and meaningful support can change a student's future.

A first-generation college student from a working-class, single-parent household, Chambers credits supportive professors and mentors with helping her pursue opportunities she once thought were out of reach.

Today, as faculty director of First-Year Academic Success and professor of English at Pennsylvania Western University, she works to create those same opportunities for others.

Chambers has been named PennWest Clarion's recipient of the 2026 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Keepers of the Flame Award, recognizing her commitment to student success, mentorship and community engagement.

“I understand what's possible when educators and leaders pay attention to their students and notice both their struggles and their potential,” Chambers said.

The Keepers of the Flame Award recognizes individuals from each of the 14 State System university campuses who contribute to creating inclusive environments that foster belonging and opportunity. The 2026 awards were presented Oct. 28 during the PASSHE Summit at Kutztown University.

“The Keepers of the Flame Award recognizes people whose work makes a lasting difference for our students and university communities,” said Christa Cobb, assistant vice chancellor and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. “This year's recipients have helped create opportunities for students to succeed, strengthened their campuses and demonstrated the impact that thoughtful, committed leadership can have on others.”

For Chambers, that work is rooted in her own educational journey. She benefited from the McNair Scholars Program, which provided financial assistance and mentorship that helped her pursue a doctoral degree.

“Without that program, a Ph.D. would not have been within reach,” she said.

Those experiences shaped her approach to teaching and student support, particularly her belief that universities must do more than provide access to higher education.

“Belonging has to be mindfully constructed; it comes from program structures, policies, course design, and our day-to-day interactions, all of the things that either make students feel welcome or quietly push them to the margins of academia,” Chambers said. “We have to design for belonging.”

At PennWest, Chambers has helped develop initiatives that put that philosophy into practice. Working with colleague Dr. Rich Lane, she created a directed self-placement program that allows incoming students to choose a first-year writing path suited to their needs.

She also leads efforts to strengthen the first-year student experience through seminar courses, mentoring and course redesign initiatives that emphasize inclusive teaching and structured academic support.

Her commitment to educational access extends beyond campus through the Community Learning Workshop in downtown Clarion, which she co-founded and co-directs with Lane.

The workshop provides free tutoring and educational assistance to community members of all ages while giving PennWest students, many of whom are preparing to become teachers, opportunities to work directly with learners.

Chambers said the relationships that develop between student volunteers and community participants are among the program's greatest rewards.

“The learner gets consistent, free support in a comfortable, safe environment, and our PennWest students learn the importance of paying attention, of noticing, and of understanding learners of all ages as individuals with their own needs, interests, and goals,” she said. “You can't learn that inside a classroom. You have to experience it.”

Chambers joined the Clarion faculty in 2010. She earned a bachelor's degree in English, language and literature from Adrian College, a master's degree in written communication from Eastern Michigan University and a doctorate in rhetoric and composition from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

While grateful for the recognition, Chambers said the award ceremony reinforced her appreciation for the work taking place throughout the State System.

“What made the experience even more gratifying was hearing the introductions and speeches from all the honorees and knowing we have so many dedicated, talented individuals in our PASSHE schools who won't quit until all of our students have an equal chance at success,” she said.

Pictured above: Dr. Rich Lane, Dr. Leah Chambers and Christa Cobb.