RADFORD -- A popular Radford University professor died suddenly Wednesday.

Paula Stanley, 57, of Radford was director of the university's Faculty Development Center. She died at home early Wednesday of complications from cancer, university officials announced.

Stanley joined the Radford faculty in 1991, according to a letter to the campus community from Provost Wil Stanton.

Stanley was promoted to full professor in 2001 and received numerous awards, Stanton wrote, including the Outstanding Faculty Service Award in the College of Education and Human Development and the Outstanding Counselor Education Alumni Professional Excellence Award at the American Counseling Association Convention.

Earlier this year, Stanley was named a leadership fellow by the International Alliance for Invitational Education for her role as editor for the Invitational Education FORUM, according to The Roanoke Times archive.

Her collection of poetry, "Finding Endurance," was published by Pocahontas Press in 2007.

Stanley's "outstanding contributions to the University, her discipline, the local community, and most importantly, her students have left an indelible mark on the lives of many," Stanton wrote.

Funeral arrangements were not announced.