Empowerment

Graduate Assistant Award of Excellence
The Graduate Assistant Award of Excellence will recognize a graduate student who has gone above and beyond expectations or honors a special, unique, or extraordinary effort they made within an assistantship or position. He, she, or they demonstrate strengths in areas such as instruction, advising and assisting students, research, innovative tech development, and creative activity, and outreach and/or service to the University, community, and/or profession. Nominees must be a graduate student in good standing with the University and employed by a department within the Division of Student Affairs.

Student Employee Award of Excellence
The Student Employee Award of Excellence will recognize an undergraduate student employee who has gone above and beyond expectations or honors a special, unique, or extraordinary effort he, she or they has made within a student employee position. He, she, or they demonstrate strengths in providing quality customer service, exhibits a positive attitude, has the dedication to their office, unit, or department, and has made a positive impact on behalf of the Division of Student Affairs.

Student Leader Award
The Student Leader Award will recognize an undergraduate or graduate student who has made a significant impact in a department, through leadership, innovation, or extraordinary efforts in advancing the department’s mission. Through their service to the department, they have exhibited strong leadership skills, a positive attitude, cultural competence, and a dedication to promoting the mission of the department, or learning outcomes associated with a program or initiative. Nominees should not be considered employees within a department. Nominees may hold positions such as a stipend student leader, student ambassador, peer educator, mentor, or intern.

Student Success Award
The Student Success Award is presented to a staff member or group of staff who transforms and nurtures our students into the leaders of our community and beyond. These individuals or groups are a leader in the development of a dynamic and diverse culture that facilitates learning and engages students. Nominees strive to make procedures, services, facilities, programs, and/or the general collegiate learning environment in order to enhance student success. These individuals or group show their willingness to create a positive, active, and inclusive learning community.

Integrity

Outstanding Assessment Award
The Outstanding Assessment Award recognizes an individual or department who has demonstrated a commitment to utilizing assessment and data to better understand constituent needs and/or provide better services. Recipients of this award will have articulated why this assessment was needed, how the methods chosen were the most appropriate, how the data was analyzed, and then how the findings of the assessment were used to improve practices or services. This award recognizes high quality assessment and how that assessment informed new practices, not the program or services that was assessed.

Impact Award
The Impact Award is presented to a staff member who has displayed excellence in maximizing resources, or increasing efficiency in programs, processes, and services that enhance the student experience. Nominees of this award display effort that directly or indirectly enhance the student experience by addressing identified gaps and needs. The different approaches made by the recipient of this award have resulted in a positive impact such as cost savings, process efficiency, or effective utilization of resources.

Advocacy Champion

Advocacy Championship Award
The Advocacy Champion Award is presented to a staff member or group of staff that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to advocate for causes and/or initiatives that contribute to student success. The work of this individual or group has a positive and significant impact, is aligned with DSA values, and is tied to student success and/or improving the student experience.

Innovation

Excellence in Programming (Individual and Department/Group)
*one award each will be given to an individual and group

The Excellence in Programming Award recognizes a staff member or group of staff members who work to create, support or strengthen an environment of collaboration, communication, and community across the Division. This award strives to celebrate innovation in action, not only the creative idea but also the impact that practical application of the idea has made on creativity in the use of resources to include people, budgets, technology, and fiscal and environmental responsibility. A successful nominee will have demonstrated the ability to take the initiative in developing a new or enhancing an existing program to meet the changing needs of the students, Division, or University.

DSA Outstanding Committee Contribution Award
The Division of Student Affairs Standing Committees has three standing committees: Professional Development, Assessment, and Marketing Communications, Development and Customer Service. This award recognizes the dedication, hard work, and commitment of members. This individual or committee has gone above and beyond the call of duty in support of a division activity, program, event, or initiative that is managed by one of the Division committees.

Outstanding Marketing and Communications Award
The Outstanding Marketing and Communications Award is designed to provide recognition to an individual or department who has demonstrated a commitment to utilizing marketing and/or communications to support student success at the University of Houston. Recipients of this award will serve as models for the Division of Student Affairs demonstrating innovation in marketing and/or communication strategies including but not limited to electronic communication, web development, social media, graphic design, video, photography, branding, and other media to bring awareness to a department, an initiative, or service. Creativity, resourcefulness, and collaboration will all be considered in an effort to create a more equitable process.

Collaboration

The Ambassador Award
The Ambassador Award honors a staff member who has brought significant recognition to the University of Houston and the Division of Student Affairs. They are known and have been recognized as a leader in their professional field or have received recognition for their contribution to the discipline in some substantial and significant way.

Friend of the Division Award
The Friend of the Division Award recognizes a faculty member or lecturer who has participated in co-curricular activities or a staff member from any division outside Student Affairs. Nominees should have in some way contributed to the overall advancement of our Division.

Care

Tier One Customer Service – Individual Award
The Tier One Customer Service Individual Award is presented to a staff member who exceeds expectations and anticipates the needs of all who they interact with. The individual is knowledgeable of campus resources, departments, and programs to be able to assist any who need support. This individual displays an attitude that makes the customer feel important, provides a positive and empathetic response, keeps promises and commitments, as well as adds value to the experience. This individual continuously seeks opportunities to innovate and improve Tier One customer service.

Tier One Customer Service – Departmental Award
The Tier One Customer Service Department Award is presented to a department that consistently demonstrates a commitment to enhancing the customer experience. Additionally, this department epitomizes the Division’s Customer Service Standard, which states that “staff engages customers with an ethic of care in a manner that demonstrates courtesy, attentiveness, active listening, proactive problem-solving, and patience while executing the functions of their job.  It is expected that staff across the division possess cultural sensitivity and awareness of our diverse customers.”

Janelle Brown Cougar Spirit Award
The Janelle Brown Cougar Spirit Award recognizes a staff member or group of staff that best exemplifies the true "Cougar" spirit. The individual or group’s "spirit" is demonstrated through a positive attitude, acts of University loyalty, teamwork, creativity, and cooperation. They are the "Heart of UH, "integrating integrity, respect, and dignity in all interactions and contributions to DSA. Their life serves as a model that demonstrates what it means to take pride in the University of Houston.

Division Professional Awards of Excellence

Outstanding Administrative Assistant/Support Staff Award of Excellence (Combination of Values)
The Outstanding Administrative Assistant/Support Staff Award of Excellence is presented to a staff member who has one or more years of service to the Division. This staff member should portray a collaborative and dedicated approach to promote the University’s and Division’s mission and is essential to the success of the department or office. This individual accepts responsibility, respects other’s time, and possesses a high degree of integrity.

Outstanding New Professional Award of Excellence  (Combination of Values)
This Outstanding New Professional Award of Excellence is presented to a staff member with one to three years of service to the Division and within the profession. This staff member also demonstrates exemplary performance contributing to the student success of the Division. This individual is one who has exemplified quality work and has made a significant impact on campus, exhibited work beyond expectations, and has outstanding interpersonal skills. This staff member is one who has demonstrated outstanding leadership through a willingness to help others.

Outstanding Professional Award of Excellence  (Combination of Values)
This Outstanding Professional Award is presented to a staff member with three or more years of service to the Division and within the profession. This award recognizes service, dedication, and contributions to the University beyond the requirements and expectations of the job. Characteristics of an employee’s performance that contribute to excellence include superior job performance and a high degree of proficiency in their areas of responsibility; outstanding personal traits such as dedication, honesty, and initiative. This individual incorporates innovation and creativity into their approach to their work and has the ability to work cooperatively as a member of their team.

Rising Star Award of Excellence (Combination of Values)
The Rising Star Award will be presented to a full-time staff who has been in the division less than a year and has made a significant impact on student and/or departmental success, established collaborative relationships, and has gone above and beyond expectations in exemplifying DSA values. This individual is a self-starter, navigates organizational culture proficiently, and demonstrates a strong sense of self-awareness.