Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year Nominations

The Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year recognizes faculty who have a record of excellence in graduate student mentorship. They are effective advisors who facilitate degree completion, model sound scholarship and ethical behavior, provide emotional support, extend constructive criticism, involve students in publishing and other professional activities, and prepare students for their careers after they have completed their degrees. Submissions can only be made by the college deans’ offices, and each college may nominate only one mentor for this recognition.

Selection Process

• Colleges should seek broad input for nominations, including Statewide faculty in the department.
• Each college may submit one nominee for consideration using the online submission form.
• A committee appointed by the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies will review the nominees and recommend an individual to receive the Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year Award.
• Individuals not chosen to receive the award in the year they were nominated will remain eligible for future nominations for the Graduate Mentor of the Year Award. The nominating college will need to update nomination materials for those individuals.

Criteria

1. Each college may nominate one individual for this award.
2. Nominees must be current USU faculty members.
3. Nominees should have a record of excellence and significant accomplishments in graduate student mentorship at USU.
4. Nominees will be evaluated on their contributions to graduate mentoring in the last five years.

Required Materials

The following materials are required for a nomination submission:

• A 60-word summary of why the nominee was selected.
• A curriculum vitae of no more than three pages that emphasizes graduate student mentoring (e.g., joint papers, grant proposals, research, and creative products).
• A statement of mentoring philosophy (from the nominee, no more than one page).
• Up to 3 letters of support that summarize the impact of the nominee’s research, scholarship, or creative activity on the department and its programs over the past three years.
• A short description of excellent mentoring from the department head that defines what excellent mentoring looks like in the nominee’s department and discipline (e.g., what types of activities are expected in this field and what the significance of job placement is after graduation).
• A nomination letter from the department head, limited to 2 pages.
• A list of the nominee’s past graduate advisees and their current positions/activities.
• A cumulative list of the nominee’s publications/presentations/exhibitions/awards with graduate students.
• A 200-word bio of the nominee written in third person.
• Please attach a professional portrait of your nominee (at least 1000 pixels high, titled FirstName_LastName.jpg).  Note that photographs will not be given to the selection committee, but will be used in publicity materials and recognition events. 
• Please attach a candid photo of your nominee (a landscape-orientation photo, 1920X1080 minimum size), engaged in activity related to their nomination (teaching, working with students, doing research in the office, lab or field, etc.). Note that photographs will not be given to the selection committee, but will be used in publicity materials and recognition events.

Recognition

The recipient will be recognized at the Faculty Awards Ceremony on March 28, 2024, acknowledged at commencement on May 2, 2024, and given a $2,000 monetary award.

Nomination Form 

Please fill out the online nomination form to send your submission. Submissions can only be made by the college deans’ offices, and each college may nominate only one mentor for this recognition. Submissions are due by January 26, 2024.

Submit a Nomination for an Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year