The award was developed to recognize excellence in administration and teaching in an apartment management curriculum. The presentation to Earhart marks only the second time the award has been given. 

"I'm truly humbled to be acknowledged on a national level for my efforts," Earhart said. "Our students speak to the true success of our program. They are in high demand, working throughout the country for many of the National Multi Housing Council Top 50 Apartment Owners and Managers."

Earhart earned the recent honor for working with the Indiana Apartment Association to create Ball State's RPM program in 1999, developing the first RPM online course in 2004, obtaining external grants in 2006 and 2007 to expose high school students to the apartment industry and maintaining a close relationship with the apartment developers and managers through the RPM advisory board.

Currently, Ball State offers an undergraduate major, an undergraduate minor and a graduate program in residential property management. In the near future, the undergraduate minor will be offered online through Ball State's School of Extended Education, Earhart said.