We have finally set the date for this year’s SEFS Recognition Event—Monday, May 19, from 4-6 p.m. in the Forest Club Room—so mark your calendars for our annual celebration of all things SEFS!
For those who haven’t been to the Recognition Event before, it’s a wonderful occasion to recognize fellow students and colleagues who have made exemplary contributions to the school and academic community. There will be catered snacks, a silent auction to raise money for the SEFS student scholarship fund (more on that later!), an expansive wine tasting, beer and other beverages, and a host of honors and awards presented—in short, a truly excellent time!
At the heart of the event, of course, are the awards, and we have made a few significant changes to the program this year. The biggest change is that we are streamlining the core awards into four categories: Faculty Member of the Year, Staff Member of the Year, Graduate Student of the Year, and Undergraduate Student of the Year.
Each of these awards will be open to nominations from all faculty, staff and students, and our hope is that they will reflect the highest honor for a year of achievement and service. Befitting the lasting contributions these awards reflect, honorees will have their names engraved on a permanent plaque display in Anderson Hall. (That case has been languishing for quite some time, so we’re pleased to restore its role as a showpiece of scholarship and engagement)
Nominations do not need to be long—a good paragraph or two will suffice—but they should be specific and clearly demonstrate the qualities your candidate exemplifies. Nominations can recognize a wide range of strengths and accomplishments, whether in one area or across many, in one instance or sustained throughout the year. (You are not expected to know grant totals or grades or precise figures, though the selection committee may use these metrics as part of the selection process.)
Please send your nominations to Karl Wirsing no later than Friday, April 25; that’s less than three weeks ago, so get cranking on those letters!
Some criteria and characteristics to consider:
(For each category, you may nominate more than one individual, and all nominations will be reviewed by a panel of students, staff and faculty. Also, in addition to these nominated awards, we will also have several other traditional student awards, as well as two Director’s Awards.)
1. Faculty Member of the Year
Exemplary attributes can include, but are not limited to: Quality of teaching, advising and mentoring; student success in the field; new research grants and programs; recent publications, books, patents and invited lectures; contributions to the SEFS community and administration; preeminence in his/her field of study; etc.
2. Staff Member of the Year
Exemplary attributes can include, but are not limited to: Outstanding commitment to the school and supporting students, faculty and other staff; contributing to the positive spirit and cohesiveness of the school; outstanding, creative and/or innovative performance of duties; community participation and outreach; commitment to professional growth and development; etc.
3. Graduate Student of the Year
Exemplary attributes can include, but are not limited to: Academic excellence and accolades; outstanding thesis/dissertation research and progress; extracurricular projects, collaborations and activities; conference presentations and other professional engagements; community participation and outreach; outstanding promise in his/her field of study; etc. Candidates must be enrolled either full-time in a graduate degree program at SEFS, or as part of a joint degree.
4. Undergraduate Student of the Year
Exemplary attributes can include, but are not limited to: Academic excellence and accolades; outstanding research projects; conference presentations and other professional engagements; extracurricular projects, collaborations and activities; community participation and outreach; outstanding promise in his/her field of study; etc. Candidates must be declared ESRM or BSE majors at SEFS.
Remember, nominations are due no later than Friday, April 25, so send them in as soon as possible! And if you have any questions about the awards or event, don’t hesitate to reach out to Karl Wirsing.
