With a lifetime of professional training, accreditation, and serving as various high ranking positions in Education, it is no wonder that Martha D. Saunders also has won a number of awards and accolades for her austere career and ambitious mindset. While below you will find a simple overview of Martha’s most recent awards, it is certainly not an exhaustive list of achievements; and moreover, Martha D. Saunders has accomplished so much without formal award for all of the universities she has worked for to include the University of West Florida, University of Southern Mississippi, Columbus State University, and University of Wisconsin. These academic and administrative wins are too many to list-all for the better of the university, students, and community to which she has given her time. In a general sense, fellow educators, education professionals, peers, and community members all view Martha D Saunders as: a successful university president, a savvy and formidable business woman, a student-centered educator, an effective fundraiser, and world traveler. As for her top awards and achievements, they include the most recent:
- 50 Top Business Women in Mississippi, Class of 2012
- National Stevie Award for Women in Business, 2011
- National Silver Anvil Award, Public Relations Society of America, 2011 for campaign to enrich the brand of a research university.
- Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, 2011
- Alumni Hall of Fame, University of Southern Mississippi 2010
- The Hub Award (City of Hattiesburg) 2010
- Chi Omega Fraternity, Roselyn Dabbs Outstanding Alumna 2008
- Woman of Excellence Award, Diabetes Foundation of MS, Inc. 2008
- National Silver Anvil Award, Public Relations Society of America, 1994, for campus public safety campaign.
- University of West Florida Distinguished Service Award, 1996.
- Florida Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award, 1994.
- Invited faculty, The Florida State University’s London Study Center, Fall Semesters 1992 and 1993.
- Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching and Advising Award, University of West Florida, 1992.
- Distinguished Teaching Award, University of West Florida, 1992.
- Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence, Escambia County [FL]Foundation for Excellence, 1991.