College of Engineering Staff Recognition Awards
The Staff Recognition Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements, leadership, and dedication of staff members in the College of Engineering. These awards inspire a culture of excellence and gratitude while reinforcing the college鈥檚 mission to advance innovation, equity, and service. By honoring staff contributions, we encourage continuous growth and collaboration across the college.
Available Awards
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award recognizes emerging talent and exceptional contributions from newer staff members who show great promise for future impact in the College of Engineering.
Nominees must be:
- Staff members with less than three years of service in the College of Engineering between their hire date and the nomination deadline.
- Meeting job expectations with no disciplinary actions within the last 12 months.
- Quality of Work
Consistently delivers high-quality services that improve operations and outcomes. - Initiative and Innovation
Proactively identifies and implements improvements to processes, systems, or services. - Professional Growth
Pursues learning opportunities, demonstrates adaptability, and actively seeks feedback for development. - Team Contribution
Shows willingness to collaborate, support team goals, and strengthen the work culture. - Impact Potential
Displays promise to make lasting contributions to their department, unit, or the college, such as improving processes, launching new programs, or influencing measurable outcomes (e.g., student satisfaction, program participation, etc.).
Outstanding Service in Engineering Award
The Outstanding Service in Engineering Award honors staff who consistently go above and beyond their job responsibilities to enhance the college鈥檚 effectiveness and reputation. Nominations that improve operational efficiencies or customer satisfaction are especially encouraged.
Nominees must be:
- Employed within the College of Engineering for at least one year at the time of nomination.
- Meeting job expectations with no disciplinary actions within the last 12 months.
- Quality of Work
Consistently delivers high-quality services that improve operations and outcomes. - Efficiency and Impact
Demonstrates resourcefulness, problem-solving, and initiative to improve organizational performance. - Collaboration and Inclusivity
Fosters an inclusive and supportive work environment by promoting teamwork and diversity. - Service-Oriented Mindset
Consistently puts in extra effort to assist students, faculty, staff, or external partners. - Positive Influence
Contributes to a culture of trust, integrity, and shared success while advancing institutional priorities, such as student success, inclusive excellence, or cross-departmental collaboration.
Exemplary Leader in Engineering Award
The Exemplary Leader in Engineering Award recognizes staff in leadership roles who inspire, guide, and mentor their teams to achieve excellence and embody the college鈥檚 mission, as well as model value-driven leadership.
Nominees:
- Must have at least one year of service in the College of Engineering.
- May serve in either formal supervisory roles or demonstrate informal leadership by spearheading initiatives, mentoring staff, or driving collaborative efforts. (Staff members do not have to have staff directly reporting to them to be eligible.)
- Must be meeting job expectations with no disciplinary actions within the last 12 months.
- Visionary Leadership
Develops and communicates a clear vision, aligning team goals with the college鈥檚 values and mission, and leads by example. - Mentorship and Empowerment
Supports staff development, provides constructive feedback, and fosters a growth mindset. - Collaborative Approach
Builds partnerships and maintains open communication to ensure team alignment and success. - Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
Addresses challenges creatively and makes informed, strategic decisions. - Ethical Standards
Models integrity, equity, fairness, and accountability in all aspects of leadership. - Positive Influence
Contributes to a culture of trust, integrity, and shared success while advancing institutional priorities, such as student success, inclusive excellence, or cross-departmental collaboration.
Selection Process
The awards process will begin in the Spring semester of each academic year. The assistant dean of finance or a designated awards coordinator who will manage the timeline and communication processes, including collecting and organizing of nomination materials. The nomination period will be for six weeks annually in the Spring Semester and will be communicated through email listservs and newsletters.
Timeline
Note: The below timeline will be adjusted the first year (2025).
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- Call for : Open on Monday, February 24
- Period: Open until Friday, March 28
- Review Period: Submissions reviewed from Monday, March 31 to Saturday, April 12
- Announcement: Winners notified the week of Monday, April 14 with a staff celebration event at the end of April (TBD)
- Post-Awards: After the awards, participants will be invited to provide feedback via a short anonymous survey to improve future processes. Guidelines will be evaluated and updated annually, with feedback incorporated into revisions.
Nomination Guidelines
Each nominator will need to submit the following information to be considered. Individuals can self-nominate.
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- Includes nominee鈥檚 name, department, and award category.
- Statement summarizing the nominee鈥檚 accomplishments (100 words or less).
- Supporting Documentation:
- One letter of recommendation from a peer, supervisor, or faculty member highlighting the nominee鈥檚 qualifications. The letter should emphasize specific contributions aligned with the award criteria and be 500 words or less.
- Additional optional materials (e.g., specific examples of work, awards, or testimonials) may be submitted to strengthen nominations.
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Selection Committee
The selection committee shall be appointed by the dean after nominations have closed and will include individuals who have not been nominated that academic year. The committee will be re-selected by the dean every year depending on who is nominated that specific year.
The composition will be as follows:
- 1 Associate or assistant dean
- 1 Faculty member
- 2 Staff members from within the College of Engineering
- 1 External staff member outside the College of Engineering
- Evaluate nominations using predefined scoring rubrics aligned with award criteria.
- Maintain confidentiality throughout the process.
- Make final recommendations to the dean for approval.
- At the end of the process, review and revise these guidelines and processes to improve for future academic years.
- Committee members will be asked to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from evaluating nominees they supervise or have personal ties to.
Recognition and Celebration
- Each recipient will receive a $750 monetary award and will receive an individual plaque. (All awards are subject to budget approval in June of the prior fiscal year and alignment with university policies.)
- Winners will be celebrated and announced at the Spring College Staff Meeting and the Engineering Open House in the Spring.
- Winners鈥 names and accomplishments will be featured:
- On a plaque displayed in the Dean鈥檚 Office.
- Via the college newsletter(s), social media, and website.
- In 麻豆传媒 Today (the university newsletter).
- In Annual Reports and press releases (if applicable).