Review each award’s eligibility requirements and criteria before submitting a nomination.

Faculty: Excellence in Teaching Award

Eligibility requirement: The nominee must be a College of Education faculty member.

Description and criteria: Recognizes a faculty member whose teaching exemplifies excellence, innovation, and impact in the classroom. This educator inspires students, elevates learning, and consistently demonstrates outstanding instructional effectiveness.

Faculty: Distinction in High-Impact Educational Research Award

Eligibility requirement: The nominee must be a College of Education faculty member.

Description: Honors a faculty member whose distinguished research and scholarly inquiries have culminated in a groundbreaking publication, landmark study, or tangible educational artifact that stands out significantly in the field. This award celebrates research excellence that moves beyond routine inquiry into profound, measurable application and recognizes scholars whose work actively transforms educational landscapes, systems, or practices.

Eligible work must demonstrate:

• Exceptional methodological rigor.
• Active field engagement.
• Clear evidence of elevating both the broader educational community and the reputation of the College and University.

Faculty: Rising Star Award

Eligibility requirement: The nominee must be an early-career faculty member within their first three years in the College.

Description and criteria: Recognizes a faculty member who has shown exceptional potential in teaching, research, service, or leadership. This award honors new faculty whose early contributions signal a distinguished career ahead.

Staff: The Pillars of the College Staff Award – Honoring Service and Excellence

Eligibility requirement: The nominee must be a College of Education staff member.

Description and criteria: Honors a staff member whose exceptional dedication and behind the scenes contributions form the foundation of the College’s daily success. This award celebrates an unsung hero who exemplifies a profound spirit of service through reliability, expertise, and willingness to support the team.

Faculty or Staff: Dean’s Award – Community Engagement & Impact

Eligibility requirement: The nominee must be a College of Education faculty or staff member.

Description and criteria: Honors a faculty or staff member whose community outreach, service, or advocacy creates strong, purposeful connections between the University and the broader community. This award celebrates efforts that strengthen partnerships, expand opportunities, and generate positive, lasting impact beyond campus.

Feel like you or someone you know is deserving of a 2027 College of Education Award? Use the nomination link above to nominate yourself or someone you know!

Nominations for the 2027 College of Education Awards will recognize exceptional faculty and staff whose leadership, innovation, research, teaching, service, and dedication enrich our College, elevate our University, and positively impact the communities we serve.

Each award has specific eligibility requirements, so be sure to review the Award Descriptions and Requirements section above before submitting a nomination.

Beginning November 13, 2026, we will accept nominations for all announced 2027 College of Education Awards. Nominations must be submitted using the nomination link above.

Once a nomination is submitted, the nominee will be notified that they have been nominated for a specific award. They will receive a link to a form asking whether they would like to proceed with the nomination.

If the nominee chooses not to proceed, they will not be considered for that award and no additional response will be required from them.

If the nominee chooses to proceed with the nomination, they will receive an email with information about creating and submitting their Award Nomination Review Package. Completion of this package is required for award consideration.

Additional information about creating the Award Nomination Review Package can be found in the Creating and Submitting Your Standardized Nomination Review Package section below.

All Award Nomination Review Packages must be submitted by February 1, 2027 so the award committee has time to review the submitted packages and select award recipients.

Once selections have been made, award recipients will be notified of their selection.

If you accept a nomination for a College of Education Award, you will be asked to complete a Standardized Nomination Review Package. This package provides the awards committee with the information and supporting evidence needed to review your nomination.

To make this process easier and ensure that all nominees submit materials in a consistent format, the College of Education provides an online Award Consideration Package Builder.

How It Works

If You Were Nominated for Multiple Awards

Being nominated for more than one award does not require you to use the same materials for every award.

If you accept multiple nominations, complete and submit a separate package for each award. This gives you the opportunity to tailor your statement and supporting evidence to the specific criteria of each award.

For example, evidence used for the Excellence in Teaching Award may be different from evidence you choose to submit for the Faculty Distinction in High-Impact Educational Research Award.

What You Need to Do

Your responsibility is simply to:

• Complete all requested information in the package builder.
• Respond to the guided statement prompts.
• Upload the supporting evidence you want the committee to consider.
• Review your information for accuracy and completeness.
• Submit a separate package for each award you have accepted.