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UTEP Student Leadership Awards

80 Years of Tradition & Recognition

 Leadership development, academic achievement, and service to the community are key elements for success on any university campus. The Student Engagement & Leadership Center believes wholeheartedly that students who excel in these areas deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments. Our leadership awards are crafted to celebrate and pay tribute to the countless hours and contributions student leaders and student organizations make to the campus, the community, the region, and beyond, throughout the academic year.

The Student Engagement & Leadership Center oversees the following award categories:  Student Organization Awards, Fraternity & Sorority Life Awards, Agent of Change, Emerging Leader, Leaders of Mines, and Distinguished Leader, The Luxe Award, and Resilient Leader.  These awards, and others, are celebrated at the annual UTEP Student Leadership Awards Ceremony.  For more information on each awards, please see below, or download our guidelines.

 

2020 Student Leadership Awards Guidelines

2020 Student Organization Award Guidelines

 

 

2019 SOLaward recipients
   
2018 Student Organization of the Year

Purpose

The Student Organization Awards are the highest forms of recognition that The University bestows upon student organizations and fraternities & sororities.  The Center believes that outstanding student organizations uphold several values including scholarship, campus participation, community service, and support of the University's mission of access & excellence.

Eligibility

The Student Organization Awards are earned by students organizations that are in good standing with the University.

2020 Student Organization Award Guidelines

All Registered Student Organizations may apply for the following awards:

Fraternity & Sorority Life chapters are eligible for the following awards:

To Apply

Interested organizations/chapters should review the criteria for the specific award, then submit the appropriate MineTracker application. Each award application is hyperlinked above. All links can also be found in the 2020 Student Organization Award Guidelines. 

Purpose

Leadership is necessary because Change is necessary.  That statement is the root of the Agent of Change Award.  This award exists to recognize the UTEP students who have dedicated over 100 hours investing in their capacity to create change in themselves, in their organizations, and in their communities.

Eligibility

The Agent of Change Award is earned by student leaders who have completed the three programs outlined by the Social Change Leadership Series.  The recipients of this award will be the students who demonstrate both competence in and application of the Social Change Model for Leadership Development, and their Top 5 CliftonStrengths.  There is no limit to the number of recipients who may earn this award, provided they meet all criteria and score 86.4% or above on their Social Change Leadership Award essay.

To Apply

Interested parties must prepare the following criteria, then submit within the appropriate Mine Tracker application:

  1.  Essay
    1. Must be submitted as a PDF
    2. 1-inch margins
    3. 12-pt font
    4. Double-spaced
    5. Header formatted as follows: 2020 AOC Award application for (Insert Name)
    6. Essay may not exceed 4 pages
    7. Essay must respond to the following prompt:
      1. How do you define leadership?
      2. How have you utilized your Top 5 Strengths to identify purposeful and intentional ways to serve as a leader on- and/or off-campus?
      3. How have you applied the values of Consciousness of Self, Congruence, and Commitment in your role as a leader on- and/or off-campus?
      4. How have you applied the values of Collaboration, Common Purpose, and Controversy with Civility in your role as a leader on- and/or off-campus?
      5. How have you applied the value of Citizenship in your role as a leader on- and/or off-campus?

All individual awards may be applied for under the same application.  Once your materials are prepared, apply here!

 

Purpose

The Emerging Leader Award recognizes first- and second-year students who have begun making noteworthy contributions to the University and/or community. 

Eligibility

The Emerging Leader Award is earned by students classified as freshmen or sophomore with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher.  These recipients must also hold active membership in an RSO, and have been engaged in one or more UTEP Edge Experiences.

To Apply

Interested parties must prepare the following criteria, then submit within the appropriate Mine Tracker application:

  1.  Essay
    1. Must be submitted as a PDF
    2. 1-inch margins
    3. 12-pt font
    4. Double-spaced
    5. Header formatted as follows: 2020 EL Award application for (Insert Name)
    6. Essay may not exceed 4 pages
    7. Essay must respond to the following prompt:
      1. How do you define leadership?
      2. Identify and discuss your most meaningful engagement experiences in regards to:
        1. student organizations at UTEP
        2. campus engagement
        3. community engagement
        4. UTEP Edge experiences
  1. References (recommendation letters will not be accepted)
    1. One reference required (academic or professional)
      1. Name
      2. Title/position
      3. Relationship
      4. Email
      5. Phone number

All individual awards may be applied for under the same application.  Once your materials are prepared, apply here!

Purpose

The Leaders of Mines Award is the University’s oldest student leadership recognition. The recipients will be students who have demonstrated significant and sustained leadership while maintaining evidence of quality academic achievement.

Eligibility

The Leaders of Mines Award is earned by students classified as juniors or seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.  These recipients must also have maintained membership in an RSO for at least one academic year, held a leadership role in an RSO for at least on academic year, and have been engaged in two or more UTEP Edge Experiences.

To Apply

Interested parties must prepare the following criteria, then submit within the appropriate Mine Tracker application:

  1.  Essay
    1. Must be submitted as a PDF
    2. 1-inch margins
    3. 12-pt font
    4. Double-spaced
    5. Header formatted as follows: 2020 LOM Award application for (Insert Name)
    6. Essay may not exceed 4 pages
    7. Essay must respond to the following prompt:
      1. How do you define leadership?
      2. Identify and discuss your most meaningful engagement experiences in regards to:
        1. student organizations at UTEP
        2. campus engagement
        3. community engagement
        4. UTEP Edge experiences
  1. References (recommendation letters will not be accepted)
    1. Two references required (one academic and one professional)
      1. Name
      2. Title/position
      3. Relationship
      4. Email
      5. Phone number

All individual awards may be applied for under the same application.  Once your materials are prepared, apply here!

Purpose

The Luxe Award recognizes graduate and doctoral students who have demonstrated excellence in academic achievement as well as campus and community engagement, and have made a contribution to the UTEP community through their leadership.

Eligibility

The Luxe Award is earned by students classified as graduate or doctoral, who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.  These recipients must also have maintained membership in an organization (on-campus, in the community, or otherwise), have held a leadership role in one or more organizations, and have been engaged in at least one UTEP Edge Experience while enrolled in their graduate/doctoral program at UTEP.

To Apply

Interested parties must prepare the following criteria, then submit within the appropriate Mine Tracker application:

  1.   Essay
    1. Must be submitted as a PDF
    2. 1-inch margins
    3. 12-pt font
    4. Double-spaced
    5. Header formatted as follows: 2020 LUXE Award application for (Insert Name)
    6. Essay may not exceed 4 pages
    7. Essay must respond to the following prompt:
      1. How do you define leadership?
      2. Identify and discuss your most meaningful engagement experiences in regards to:
        1. organizations (at UTEP or otherwise)
        2. campus engagement
        3. community engagement
        4. UTEP Edge experiences
  1. References (recommendation letters will not be accepted)
    1. Two references required (one academic and one professional)
      1. Name
      2. Title/position
      3. Relationship
      4. Email
      5. Phone number

All individual awards may be applied for under the same application.  Once your materials are prepared, apply here!

Purpose

The Resilient Leader Award recognizes student leaders who have experienced obstacles on their path to completing their degree.

Eligibility

The Resilient Leader Award is earned by one student who graduated in Fall 2019 or who will be graduating by Summer 2020.  There is no GPA requirement for this recognition.  The recipient will be a student leader who overcame hardship while positively impacting others.

To Apply

Interested parties must prepare the following criteria, then submit within the appropriate Mine Tracker application:

  1. Essay
    1. Must be submitted as a PDF
    2. 1-inch margins
    3. 12-pt font
    4. Double-spaced
    5. Header formatted as follows: 2020 RL Award application for (Insert Name)
    6. Essay may not exceed 4 pages
    7. Essay must respond to the following prompt:
      1. How do you define leadership?
      2. Identify and discuss your most meaningful engagement experiences in regards to:
        1. Campus engagement
        2. Community engagement
        3. UTEP Edge experiences
      3. Discuss the challenge you overcame to complete your degree.
      4. Discuss an impact you made on campus or in your community, despite your challenges.
  2.  References (recommendation letters will not be accepted)
    1. Two references must be submitted
      1. May be academic, professional or personal
        1. Name
        2. Title/position
        3. Relationship
        4. Email
        5. Phone number

All individual awards may be applied for under the same application.  Once your materials are prepared, apply here!

Connect With Us

The University of Texas at El Paso
Student Engagement & Leadership Center
Union Bldg. West, Room 106
351 W. University Ave.
El Paso, Texas 79968

E: selc@utep.edu
P: (915)747-5670
F: (915)747-7400