Amber Bell Receives 2026 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education

Amber Bell, associate professor of social work at Lincoln University of Missouri, has received the 2026 Missouri Governor's Award for Excellence in Education.

Bell was recognized for her work challenging and motivating Missouri students to reach their maximum potential through teaching, mentorship and academic leadership.

Bell serves as director of Lincoln University's Bachelor of Social Work program and has been a faculty member in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences since 2019. She assumed the role of program director in 2020 and was promoted to associate professor in 2025.

During her tenure, Bell has developed courses focused on peer mentoring and digital mental health while also redesigning curriculum in social justice, community practice and human behavior. She advises both the Social Work Student Association and the Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work.

Bell also led the BSW program through the reaffirmation process with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the national accrediting body for social work education programs.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Bell has contributed to research and community initiatives involving health equity, prison education and workforce development. She has collaborated on projects supported by the National Institutes of Health, AmeriCorps and the U.S. Department of Education.

Bell earned her doctorate in social work from the University of Alabama in 2018. She also holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Missouri.

The Governor's Award for Excellence in Education recognizes outstanding faculty at Missouri colleges and universities for excellence in teaching, mentorship, innovation and academic leadership.