Faculty and Staff Awards

Selection Process

  • An Awards Selection Committee for the Faculty and Staff Awards shall be appointed by the chancellor or designee. The Selection Committee must include representatives of both faculty and staff. 
  • The Selection Committee will be responsible for receiving nominations and reviewing the applications. 
  • Nominations may be submitted to the Selection Committee by any member of the campus community and must be submitted via the online nomination form.
  • Nominations will be reviewed by the campus’ Selection Committee and recommendations will be submitted to the Chancellor.

Nomination Form

Award Descriptions
Nominators are encouraged to consider employees at all levels of the organization for these awards.

Select an award to see eligibility and award criteria.
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Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement

Awarded to employees to recognize distinguished faculty and staff who have brought excellence and distinction to Penn State Harrisburg. This could be because of accomplishments that have brought significant recognition to the campus at the regional and national levels, a demonstrated commitment to innovative teaching, advising or mentoring, a consistent commitment to integrity, respect, and excellence in all aspects of their position or distinguished achievements within the employee's work unit.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg faculty and staff are eligible to be nominated for this award.

  • Any person who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee; self-nomination is allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria

  • The nominee must be an individual who has continuously demonstrated outstanding achievement, skill and an unwavering commitment to excellence in all aspects of their work. This award recognizes highly notable service to the Penn State Harrisburg.
  • The nominee should demonstrate excellence in activities beyond the scope of their job responsibilities. The ideal candidate will demonstrate creativity and flexibility in performing his or her position to meet campus, student, employee or community needs. 
  • Special consideration will be given to employees who consistently provide exemplary customer service to students, employees and other members of the campus community. This individual demonstrates exemplary service and commitment to achievement at Penn State Harrisburg. 
  • Nominations should fully describe how this individual has made lasting and significant impacts to students, colleagues, their departments, the campus community or the university. Nominations should highlight outstanding contributions to professional fields, operating units or the campus community. This award is intended to acknowledge superior professional achievement and encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

Inclusive Excellence Award

Awarded to an employee and/or group/team that actively promotes inclusive excellence within the campus community. It acknowledges efforts to create an inclusive learning and working environment where all students and employees, regardless of background, feel valued and supported. This may include implementing inclusive teaching practices, fostering a sense of belonging, and engaging in community outreach. The award also highlights contributions that challenge biases, promote cultural awareness, and ensure equal access to opportunities for all students and employees.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg faculty and staff, or groups comprised of faculty and/or staff are eligible to be nominated for this award.

  • Any person or group who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee or student; self-nomination is allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria:

  • Promotes Inclusive Excellence: Demonstrates a strong and ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where individuals from all backgrounds are supported and valued. This includes efforts to ensure equal access to resources and opportunities and promote fair treatment at all levels of the organization.
  • Innovative Practices: Develops and implements creative, forward-thinking strategies or initiatives that effectively address barriers to inclusion and advance the equitable treatment of all community members. This could involve new policies, programs, or outreach efforts that actively create opportunities for all members of our community.
  • Impactful Engagement: Actively engages with a broad range of communities through purposeful programs, partnerships, and initiatives that promote cultural awareness, inclusivity, and mutual respect. This includes direct involvement with students, faculty, staff, and external partners to ensure meaningful interactions and shared growth.
  • Sustainable Change: Contributes to lasting, systemic changes within the organization that go beyond one-time efforts. This may include altering policies, creating long-term support systems, embedding inclusivity into organizational values, and fostering an ongoing culture of inclusive excellence that is resilient to change over time.

Outstanding Performance Award

Awarded to employees who inspire others through their special contributions, exceptional leadership and outstanding dedication and commitment to Penn State Harrisburg.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg faculty and staff are eligible to be nominated for this award.

  • Any person who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee or student; self-nomination is allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria

  • Recipients of this award should have:
    • Exhibited a commitment to serve students, colleagues or the community 
    • Sustained a high-level of productivity and consistent quality of work 
    • Demonstrated a high degree of initiative in the performance of functions  
    • Displayed exceptional dependability  
    • Maintained effective relationships with others 
    • Demonstrated leadership qualities 
    • Enhanced the campus's image through professional publications and public service
  • Nominees need not meet all of the above criteria for the award, but the nomination must recognize the employee's service orientation and describe specific examples and a description of their efforts. 

Student Impact Award

Awarded to an employee and/or group/team who has gone above and beyond to positively affect the quality of life of students at Penn State Harrisburg. This could be through access, resources, mentorship, or service. The employee and/or group should have a positive impact on the students’ continued success.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg faculty and staff are eligible to be nominated for this award.

  • Any person or group who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee or student; self-nomination is allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria

  • Eligibility for this award includes any faculty or staff member, and/or a group comprised of faculty and/or staff, that have demonstrated a significant positive impact on a student or students at Penn State Harrisburg. This award is for faculty or staff who have helped students achieve personal or professional goals, have added great value to a student's academic, personal, or professional trajectory, or have otherwise positively influenced a student's life through teaching, mentoring, advising, or providing support in any number of other ways.
  • Nominations should include a detailed description of demonstrated outcomes or specific impact data / measurables.

Community Impact Award

Awarded to an employee and/or group/team who represent(s) Penn State Harrisburg externally through community engagement, service, association leadership or other outreach, that creates a better understanding of Penn State Harrisburg in the community.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg faculty and staff are eligible to be nominated for this award.

  • Any person or group who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee or student; self-nomination is allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria

  • Whether through professional or volunteer service, individuals nominated for this award must have demonstrated a significant and positive impact on the community. 
  • The award may honor an individual for multiple or diverse forms of community engagement, including but not limited to: 
    • volunteer service
    • service-learning
    • policy work
    • community organizing
    • advocacy
  • The nomination description should clearly articulate the nominee’s:
    • deep commitment to partnering with others to address community issues
    • outstanding ability to lead and inspire others to engage
    • evidence of sustainable impact of the nominee’s work

Research Excellence Award

Awarded to an employee and/or group/team whose efforts in support of research at Penn State Harrisburg has been exemplary and significantly impactful in the process of discovery or knowledge.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg full-time faculty are eligible to be nominated for this award, given: 

  • Nominee must be a full-time faculty for a minimum of two years at Penn State Harrisburg. 
  • Any person who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee; self-nomination is also allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria

  • The nominee should demonstrate excellence in academic research, creative activity, scholarship, and mastery of subject matter.  
  • The nominee should have a long record of research/scholarly productivity, recent publications of particularly high quality, recent receipt of significant research funding, or other meritorious achievements. 
  • The nominee should have engaged undergraduate and/or graduate students in their scholarly activities and provided research mentorship. The ideal candidate will demonstrate integration of latest research outputs in their curriculum.
  • The ideal candidate will also demonstrate great level of research-related services in their technical community (e.g., conference chair/organizer, editorial board memberships, proposal panel reviewer, etc.

Additional Requirements

Each nominator must submit one PDF file which includes the following two documents:

  • A statement explaining how the research contributions match the award’s requirements (maximum length: 2 pages).
  • Curriculum Vitae for the nominee (any format, no page limit)

 

Teaching Excellence Award

Awarded to a full-time faculty member to recognize their outstanding contributions to fostering a high-quality learning environment, applying innovative teaching methods, commitment to student success, and ability to inspire academic growth. Pedagogical contributions such as excellence in course design, use of technology to enhance instructional delivery and student support, and the incorporation of diverse perspectives with a dedication to continuous professional development, are among factors which enhance the overall educational experience for students. Note: The recipient of this award will be invited to serve as faculty speaker at the spring commencement ceremony.

Eligibility

All Penn State Harrisburg full-time faculty are eligible to be nominated for this award.

  • Any person who has received this award in the past five years is not eligible.
  • Nominations can be made by any employee or student; self-nomination is allowed.
  • Must be an active employee in good standing.

Award Criteria:

  • Innovative Teaching Methods: Incorporates new and effective teaching strategies, technologies, or tools (including multi-media) to improve learning outcomes; Utilizes creative approaches to lesson delivery that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving; Adapts teaching methods to meet the diverse learning styles and needs of students and equity in the use of technology; Effectively integrates technology to enhance learning, whether in the classroom or online.
  • Student-Centered Approach: Prioritizes student learning and well-being, providing individualized support where necessary; Shows a commitment to inclusive teaching practices that promote equity and diversity; Encourages and supports student autonomy and self-directed learning.
  • Commitment to Professional Development: Continually seeks to improve teaching skills through professional development opportunities; Engages in research or scholarship related to teaching and learning and demonstrate it through pedagogical publications; Implements new insights from ongoing development to enhance teaching practices.
  • Impact on Student Success: Demonstrates a positive influence on student academic achievement and personal growth; Contributes to higher retention, completion, and success rates within the course or program; Actively supports students in reaching their academic and career goals.
  • Leadership and Initiative: Takes initiative in improving the curriculum, learning resources, and teaching practices within the department; Contributes to the development of new programs or innovative educational initiatives; Leads or participates in committees or task forces that aim to improve teaching and learning at the institutional level.