New Students

Outstanding First Year Student Advocate Award

Faculty and staff members across campus contribute to this mission and help first-year students find academic and personal success. To recognize these faculty and staff, the Outstanding First Year Student Advocate Award will be presented annually to the winning nominee.

The Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award recognizes and celebrates the efforts and significant contributions of UNCG faculty and staff who provide leadership in creating a positive transition to college and a successful learning environment for first-year students.

Submit your nomination for the UNCG Outstanding First Year Student Advocate Award HERE! 

THE SUBMISSION PROCESS WILL CLOSE DECEMBER 11, 2020

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
Congratulations to the 2019-2020 winner of the Outstanding First Year Student Advocate:
2020-21 Chris Gregory
Assistant Director for Assessment & Operations, Housing & Residence Life
Previous Award Recipients:
2019-20 Elliott Kimball
Assistant Director, Office of Intercultural Engagement
2018-19 Nancy Bucknall
Director, College of Arts & Sciences Advising Center 
2017-18 Dr. Kim Sousa Peoples
Sr. Director, First Year Student Engagement & Experience
Each recipient will receive a monetary award that may be used toward attendance at the annual FYE conference held in the next fiscal year or toward other professional development opportunities at the discretion of the recipient.