The award is open to any full-time or part-time UNCG staff or faculty member with a minimum of two years of service at UNCG at the time of nomination. This award recognizes staff and faculty who provide programmatic, service-delivery, or curricular initiatives in support of first year students.  Academic advisors should be nominated for the Academic Advising Excellence Awards.

Nominations can be submitted by students, supervisors, or faculty/staff peers via the online nomination form. All nominations for the 2020-2021 awards are due by December 11, 2020. The Outstanding First Year Student Advocate Award selection committee will begin their review of all nominations in January, and award recipients are announced at the end of the Spring term.  

2020-2021 Selection Committee Members

• Kim Sousa-Peoples - New Student Transitions and First Year Experience
• Dana Saunders - Students First Office
• Jennifer Reich - College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Cristina Moriera - College of Arts and Sciences
• Elliott Kimball - Division of Student Affairs

The following is the criteria the selection team uses:

•  Nominee’s efforts and attributes that make them an advocate for first-year students
  • the persistence and ingenuity of the nominee
  • the nominee's personal commitment to first-year students
  • the amount of time and energy exerted beyond the nominee's ordinary job expectations
  • how the nominee has used theory and/or research on best practices to guide their efforts
• Impact of the nominee’s efforts on first-year students
  • providing resources and/or support to assist first-year students
  • successful transition of first year students to UNCG
  • feedback from students regarding the nominee's efforts
  • the breadth and depth of the impact on first-year students
  • assessment efforts that show an actual impact on student outcomes, including academic and personal success
• Impact of the nominee’s efforts on the culture of the institutions, college, or unit
  • exhibiting a positive attitude that fosters a positive first-year experience
  • promoting a welcoming campus environment
  • any tangible or demonstrable evidences of impact on campus culture
  • any departmental partnerships/collaborations that have occurred as a result of the nominee's efforts