Faculty Member Honored by SAS Institute’s Global Academic Programs

In honor of his significant contributions to the advancement of analytics education, Associate Professor Michael Salé, director of Stonehill College’s Data Analytics Master’s Degree Program, has been chosen as the 2023 SAS Distinguished Educator. This recognition was awarded by the SAS Institute’s Global Academic Programs, which works with higher education institutions to help support academic initiatives to teach data analytics skills to both students and educators.

“I am truly humbled to be named this year’s Distinguished Educator,” Salé said. “I am grateful to my colleagues from the Leo J. Meehan School of Business for their continued support as we’ve built our data analytics programs on campus. The academic initiatives we’ve launched with the help of SAS have helped differentiate Stonehill students in today’s workforce.”

The faculty member traveled to SAS headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, to receive his award. While there, he served on a panel and gave a plenary talk at the SAS Educator Conference, an event that brings together some of the best and the brightest in analytics education. 

In a letter notifying Salé of his award, Liz Moran, director of SAS Academic Programs and Certifications, highlighted his use of SAS tools to enhance teaching, research and service at Stonehill and beyond.

“Your engagement with SAS Academic Programs and passion for teaching is far-reaching and commendable,” she wrote. “Furthermore, your commitment to support students develop SAS skills, pursue certification, and launch successful careers in data analytics exemplifies your contributions to the advancement of data analytics education.”

About SAS and Stonehill’s Data Analytics Program

Stonehill’s Data Analytics Master of Professional Studies Degree Program provides students with the skillset to analyze data and extract actionable information from complex data sets. Several years ago, the program partnered with SAS, a worldwide leader in analytics software, to provide graduate students valuable resources as they seek new opportunities after graduation.

SAS has granted Stonehill with the ability to award students a Tier 3 SAS Academic Specialization. Students will receive both a master’s degree and this credential, which affirms their expertise in using SAS products to analyze data. 

“Fusing a Stonehill graduate degree with a credential from the market leader in analytics has been a game changer for our program,” Salé said. “This partnership has been incredibly fruitful as we have prepared degree recipients to compete in an ever-changing marketplace.”