An ISU professor was named the Iowa Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education.

J. Herman Blake, professor of educational leadership and policy studies, said he lives by a self-adopted motto.

“I developed a philosophy of teaching/learning that has guided all my work: ‘There is no known limit to the capacity of the human mind to learn, grow, develop and change’,” he said. “I think about this a lot because this is my passion and in everything I do I try to promote that approach.”

Blake was nominated by his colleagues last year for the award, which was presented Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill, in Washington D.C.

Blake has been working in higher education since 1966, when he served as a professor of sociology at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He is currently the director of African-American Studies for Iowa State.

One of Blake’s primary reasons for teaching at Iowa State is his wife. Blake is married to Emily Moore, professor of educational leadership and policy studies.

Moore said her husband is passionate about all his academic and personal interests.

“He is dedicated to his profession and very committed to the success of his students,” she said. “We are committed to and support each other, professionally and personally.”

In addition to his work with the African-American studies program, Blake has published articles on topics from HIV to racial and ethnic relations.

Timothy Radloff, graduate in sociology, is a teaching assistant for one of Blake’s African-American studies classes.

“What really amazes me is his tireless commitment. He never gives up,” he said.

Blake works hard to balance both his administrative and teaching duties, as well as his support of the African-American studies program.

“I cannot not teach,” Blake said. “My experience in administration is that you only see students who are problems or who have problems, and that doesn’t give me an accurate view of the students.”

Despite his contributions to higher education, Blake still has goals for the future.

He said he would like to write books about higher education and minority studies and wants to continue his work with the African-American studies program.

Brian Rumsey, junior in journalism and mass communication, is currently doing field work in South Carolina under Blake’s direction.

“I’d say that working with Dr. Blake was the first time in college that I became really enthusiastic about a particular subject,” he said in an e-mail.