°®¶¹´«Ã½

2021 Winners

Thank you to all who participated and congratulations to this year's winners! °®¶¹´«Ã½ University is proud to honor and recognize the outstanding achievements of our students who shine in and out of the classroom, who lead by example and who have made significant contributions to the University community. 

Awards

Individual students

• Student of Distinction Award

  About:

  The °®¶¹´«Ã½ Student of Distinction Award is awarded to an undergraduate student who exemplifies academic performance, extra-curricular achievement, and service to the University and beyond. Eligibility requires engagement in at least one high-impact learning endeavor resulting in a significant achievement and/or contribution to the °®¶¹´«Ã½ community. The award will be presented on the basis of how the applicants' achievements have contributed to the betterment of the University community.

  Qualifications:

  • Full-time undergraduate student
  • Involvement in an organization(s)
  • Involvement in community service and/or philanthropic work
  • Achieves academic success
  • Participates in at least one high-impact learning experience (e.g. internship, education abroad, undergraduate research, etc.)
  • Promotes the University (examples include but are not limited to: attending conference(s), published work, projects in major)

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• RA of the Year Award

  About:

  The RA of the Year Award recognizes an individual Resident Assistant who has demonstrated excellence in community building through BConnected and other endeavors. With Residential Life focusing on our theme of "Community" through BConnected, it is important that the selected RA has shown exceptional ability to work with residents on connecting them to others, help residents become active members of the community, discover and appreciate differences, and act with a sense of responsibility. 

  Qualifications:

  • Demonstrates a commitment to engagement through BConnected
  • Showcases the learning that took place in their community as a result of their work
  • Exemplifies a commitment to serving others and building community
  • Serves as a positive role model for their peers

  Nomination:

  FIll out the

• Graduate Student Employee of the Year Award

  About:

  The Graduate Student Employee of the Year Award recognizes the contributions of an exceptional graduate student employee in the University community. The selected student will have shown excellence in the areas of professionalism, initiative, customer service, communication, teamwork/collaboration, and critical thinking, and will have displayed a positive work ethic, demonstrated strong leadership qualities within their role, and maintained a high quality level of work throughout their employment.

  Qualifications:

  • Demonstrates contribution to the University as a graduate student employee
  • Has worked at least six months within the same graduate student employment position
  • Shows a positive work ethic and leadership ability within their graduate student employment role
  • Consistently demonstrates high quality work

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Award

  About:

  The Student Employee of the Year Award recognizes the contributions of an exceptional undergraduate student employee in the University community. The selected student will have shown excellence in the areas of professionalism, initiative, customer service, communication, teamwork/collaboration, and critical thinking, and will have displayed a positive work ethic, demonstrated strong leadership qualities within their role, and maintained a high quality level of work throughout their employment.

  Qualifications:

  • Demonstrates contribution to the University as an undergraduate student employee
  • Has worked at least six months within the same undergraduate student employment position
  • Shows a positive work ethic and leadership ability within their undergraduate student employment role
  • Consistently demonstrates high quality work

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Resilience Award (B-First Network)

  About:

  This award recognizes an individual student who has demonstrated perseverance in the face of hardships and obstacles often experienced by first-generation college students. The selected student must identify as first-generation college student. The successful applicant will have a strong commitment to service, ideally through demonstrated experience mentoring others. Preference will be given to participants of the BFirst Network, a campus-wide mentoring program that pairs first-generation college students with first-generation faculty, staff, and alumni mentors.

  Qualifications:

  • Nominations must be from faculty, staff, alumni, and graduate students who know of a resilient first-generation college student (preference will be given to those who serve as BFirst Mentors themselves)
  • Nomination letter outlining the student's qualifications
  • Student's resume 
  • As we hope this will be a pleasant surprise for the first-gen student who is selected, we aim not to request any materials from the students themselves — nominations should therefore be placed discreetly

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• #BingPride Spirit Award

  About:

  This award will be given to an undergraduate student who works to spread #BingPride across campus (and/or in the community) as a proud Bearcat, interacts with °®¶¹´«Ã½ social media, participates in Green Day Friday and works to engage other students to get involved in °®¶¹´«Ã½ campus life.

  Qualifications:

  • Spreads Bearcat pride in and outside the campus community
  • Participates in special programs that enhance °®¶¹´«Ã½ pride like Green Day Friday
  • Involved with campus life at °®¶¹´«Ã½
  • Engages with °®¶¹´«Ã½ social media
  • Attends events across campus

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Best All Around New Bearcat Award

  About:

  The Best All Around New Bearcat Award will be given to the first-year °®¶¹´«Ã½ student who not only shows a dedication to their academics, but has also taken the initiative to get involved in a range of extracurricular activities on campus their first semester. B-Engaged User Leaderboard points will also be considered. Award recipient to be determined by the Student Affairs Assessment and Strategic Engagement (SAASE) staff.

  Qualifications:

  • New full-time undergraduate student (first year or transfer)
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Minimum membership in at least two B-Engaged groups

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Al Vos Excellence in Community Engagement Award

  About:

  The Al Vos Excellence in Community Engagement Award recognizes an individual undergraduate student who has demonstrated excellence in community engagement. The selected student will have engaged in community work that emphasizes community voice, is mutually beneficial to campus and community, and demonstrates an emphasis on partnership and collaboration with community. The successful applicant will also show evidence of reflection and learning through community work. This may be demonstrated by connecting engagement with academic knowledge or professional development, a willingness to challenge assumptions and gain a deeper understanding of our community, or the pursuit of long-term social change. This award will consider a range of engagement activities, including course-based community engagement, community-engaged research, individual service, community-based internship experiences, and more. This award honors Al Vos and his contributions to creating a culture of community engagement at °®¶¹´«Ã½ and includes a monetary award of $500.

  Qualifications:

  • Demonstrates a commitment to engagement with community through collaboration and partnership 
  • Provides evidence of how community voice is incorporated into their work
  • Articulates the impact of their work on the community
  • Practices reflection and demonstrates how their community experiences have enhanced their academic knowledge, professional development, understanding of community, and/or pursuit of long-term positive change.

  Process of award selection:

  Nominations from faculty, staff, students and community partners are accepted. Self-nominations are also accepted and encouraged.  

  • A letter of support from the nominator outlining the student’s qualifications.
  • If self-nominating, a personal statement outlining the student’s qualifications for the award.
  • A resume.
  • A letter of support from a community partner who has worked with the student in the development and/or implementation of their community engagement work.

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Student Organization President of the Year Award

  About:

  The Student Organization President of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding undergraduate student who publicly advanced the mission of their organization while internally challenged, and encouraged the membership to advance new initiatives, acquire new skills, and prepare the group for leadership transition and ongoing success. The nominee must be serving in at least their second consecutive semester as president.

  Qualifications:

  • Must have been president of a recognized student organization for 2020–21 academic year
  • Assisted in advancing the mission of their organization
  • Challenged and encouraged membership to create and/or support new initiatives, acquire new skills, prepare for leadership transition and plan for ongoing success

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Accomplished Graduate Student of the Year Award

  About:

  The Accomplished Graduate Student of the Year Award recognizes a graduate student enrolled in a master's or doctoral level program at °®¶¹´«Ã½ who has made distinguished contributions to their academic program, the student body, student organizations, the °®¶¹´«Ã½ community, and/or the Greater °®¶¹´«Ã½ community.

  Qualifications:

  • Must be a currently enrolled master's or doctoral level student at °®¶¹´«Ã½ 
  • Must provide evidence of distinguished contributions to their academic program, the student body, student organizations, the °®¶¹´«Ã½ community, and/or the Greater °®¶¹´«Ã½ community

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

Student organizations

• Outstanding Organization of the Year Award

  About:

  The Outstanding Organization of the Year Award seeks to recognize one University recognized student organization that has demonstrated true excellence among its peers and within the University community.  Application materials must demonstrate the organization’s contribution to the overall University community, contribution to the development of its members, and demonstrated commitment to the organization’s purpose and those served by it. The organization must also be able to demonstrate significant development in areas that may include innovation, inclusiveness and creative programming, as well as outreach within the University community and the local community.

  Qualifications:

  • A contribution to the overall °®¶¹´«Ã½ community
  • A contribution to the development of its members, and commitment to the organization’s purpose and those served by it
  • Significant development in innovative and creative programming
  • Outreach within the University community and the local community

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

• Excellence in Community Engagement Award

  About:

  The Excellence in Community Engagement Award recognizes a student organization that has demonstrated excellence in community engagement. The selected organization will have engaged in community work that emphasizes community voice, is mutually beneficial to campus and community, and demonstrates an emphasis on partnership and collaboration with community. This award will particularly highlight projects that are based on ongoing partnership with community organization(s), but community projects of all types will be considered.

  Qualifications:

  • Demonstrates a commitment to engagement with community through collaboration and partnership 
  • Provides evidence of how community voice is incorporated into their work
  • Articulates the impact of their community work, both to students and the community.

  Process of award selection:

  Nominations from faculty, staff, students and community partners are accepted.  Self-nominations are also accepted and encouraged.  

  • Nominators should submit a letter of support outlining the student organization’s qualifications
  • If self-nominating, a statement from student organization leader(s) outlining their qualifications for the award
  • A letter of support from a community partner who has worked with the student organization in the development and/or implementation of their community engagement work

  Nomination:

  Fill out the

Faculty, staff and administrators

• Bearcat Award for Outstanding Service and Support

  About:

  The Bearcat Award for Outstanding Service and Support recognizes a faculty member, staff member or administrator who goes above and beyond to help students. This award is intended to encourage and reward faculty and/or staff members for their excellence and show the value they hold for our university.

  Qualifications:

  • Must have been employed full-time at °®¶¹´«Ã½ during the past academic year.
  • Demonstrates a strong dedication to student needs
  • Has a passion for inspiring students to discover and achieve their full potential during their time at the University.

  Nomination:

  Fill out the