UPCEA West Regional
“Honoring Excellence” Awards

Recognize your colleagues and students for their outstanding work and achievements by nominating them for a UPCEA West Region award!

The UPCEA West Region “Honoring Excellence” Awards are designed to honor:

  • outstanding student achievement in professional, continuing, and online education
  • exceptional institutions and individuals who have made major contributions to the field
  • creative and innovative credit and noncredit programs in the field
  • successful partnerships, services and outreach efforts done by member institutions

Award Recipient Selection Process

  • The Award Committee members will review each nomination received by the deadline.
  • Committee members will rate each nomination based on the award category criteria listed below.
  • The award committee chair will receive all scores and notify the winners of each category.
  • The award notifications will be made in August 2022.
  • The Committee’s decision will be final.


Award Presentation at West Region Conference

Award recipients will be recognized at the 2022 West Region Salon being held virtually this October. We encourage the award recipient or a designated representative from their institution to attend, and if they cannot attend, to provide a brief award acceptance video.

Below is a list of the award categories. Please click on an award category for more information, including the criteria and nomination process. When preparing a nomination, make sure your materials are well-organized and complete.


Individual Awards
Outstanding Student Award *
Outstanding Service Award
Excellence in Teaching Award
Emerging Continuing Education Professional Award
*

Program Awards

Outstanding Credit Program
Outstanding Non-Credit Program
Outstanding Administrative Process or Service
Engagement Award
*

*Please note that these award categories are Regional Pathway Awards. The award recipients in each of these categories will also be nominated for the UPCEA (National) Association Award in the corresponding category.  

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact the UPCEA West Region Awards Committee Co-Chair, Kristen Jones kajones2@uw.edu


Outstanding Student Award
This award honors the non-traditional student, who is either a degree candidate or a non-degree student at a UPCEA member institution, for achievement of excellence in pursuit of professional, continuing, and online education. This award category is a Regional Pathway Award category. The regional winners of this award will be nominated for the UPCEA (National) Outstanding Professional, Continuing, and/or Online Education Student Award.

  • The nominee must have attended a UPCEA member institution in a credit or noncredit program within the past 12 months. If a degree candidate, the nominee must be matriculated in an undergraduate or graduate program at a UPCEA member institution within the past 12 months, or have graduated no more than one year prior to April 2022.
  • The nominee must be an adult student who has had an unusual or unconventional background and whose achievement of excellence in the pursuit of his/her education is inspirational.
  • The nominee shall have effectively managed multiple/significant commitments and responsibilities while engaged in his/her education.
  • If a degree candidate, the nominee must be 25 years of age or older and have an educational career that had been interrupted for a minimum of 2 years.

Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 3 pages) including:
    • The student’s excellence in achievements including materials such as grade point average, transcripts, student activities, university involvement, community contributions, employment, job performance, etc.

Provide supporting documents including:

    • Two letters of recommendation or support from informed individuals such as academic department chair or faculty member, dean or director of professional, continuing, or online education, president or vice president of the nominee’s institution addressing the nominee’s accomplishments
    • A written statement (no more than 3 pages) from the student nominee describing his/her achievements with an emphasis on the challenges met while enrolled as a student
    • Current resume of the nominee

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Outstanding Service Award
This award recognizes the exceptional contributions made by the staff or faculty/instructor member for outstanding work in advancing the field of professional, continuing, and online education.

Criteria

  • The nominee must be a member of a UPCEA institution.
  • He/she must have contributed substantially to the development and maintenance of his/her institution’s professional, continuing, and/or online education activity and UPCEA through services performed over a period of years.
  • Nominations by deans and directors on behalf of members of their staff are welcome and encouraged. Nominations from subordinates on behalf of superiors from their own institutions are excluded.


Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 3 pages) including:
    • Outstanding qualities that determine candidate’s qualifications
    • Contributions to the field
    • Other outstanding achievements, (i.e.; research and/or publications)
  • Provide supporting documents including:
    • Two letters of recommendation orsupport from informed individuals such as academic department chair or faculty member; dean or director of professional, continuing, or online education, president or vice president of the nominee’s institution addressing the nominee’s accomplishments
    • Current resume of the nominee demonstrating the candidate’s excellence in achievements including length of service, university involvement, community contribution, employment, job performance, etc.

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Excellence in Teaching Award
This award honors individuals who have provided outstanding teaching, course development, mentoring of students; and recognizes those who have made significant contributions to credit or noncredit programs within professional, continuing, or online education.

Criteria

  • The nominated individual must be employed by and contribute to the instruction of a professional, continuing, or online education program of a current UPCEA member institution.
  • Evidence of commitment to professional, continuing, and/or online education.
  • Outstanding teaching and mentoring of students - teaching may be defined to include work with students at any level and in a wide variety of settings. Teaching effectiveness includes the ability to meet student learning objectives and evidence of a student-centered approach and superior student mentoring that illustrates the nominee's concern for student development beyond the normal expectations for advising.
  • Innovative and/or creative course, program, and/or curriculum development.
  • Exemplary contributions to the institution and the profession.
  • Nomination must be made by a professional member of UPCEA

Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Provide supporting documents including:
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 3 pages) listing specific reasons why the nominee is worthy of this award. Evidence of outstanding achievements may include, but is not necessarily limited to:
    • Brief history indicating the nominee's long-term commitment and contribution to the institution's professional, continuing, or online education program
    • Specific courses or programs the nominee has developed, coordinated, and/or taught
    • Audiences served by this individual
    • Effectiveness in teaching and mentoring of students
    • Ability to meet student learning objectives
    • How the work of this individual has brought credit or recognition to the institution, profession, or community
    • Other awards received by this individual, including recognition by the institution
    • Any national, regional, state, or local leadership achievements of the nominee (include offices held, committee assignments, etc.)
  • Current resume of the nominee
  • Summary of student evaluations
  • Two to three letters of recommendation or support from informed individuals such as academic department chair or faculty member, dean or director of professional, continuing, or online education, president or vice president of the nominee’s institution attesting to the nominee’s accomplishments

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Emerging Continuing Education Professional Award
This award recognizes individuals who have entered the professional, continuing, or online education field within the past five to ten years, have demonstrated leadership and made a significant contribution to the professional, continuing, or online education field to either credit or noncredit programs.This award category is a Regional Pathway Award category. The regional winners of this award will be nominated for the UPCEA (National) Adelle F. Robertson Emerging Continuing Professional Educator Award.

Criteria

  • The nominee must have demonstrated leadership and made significant contributions to the professional, continuing, or online education field.
  • The nominee must have entered the professional, continuing, or online education field within the past five to ten years.
  • The nominee must be a UPCEA member.
  • Evidence of commitment to professional, continuing, and/or online education.
  • Evidence of leadership qualities/skills such as good decision-making, effective communication, motivation and goal-oriented.
  • Exemplary contributions to the institution and the profession.

Nomination Process

  • Complete nomination form
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 3 pages) listing specific reasons why the nominee is worthy of this award. Evidence of outstanding achievements may include, but is not necessarily limited to:
    • Brief history indicating the nominee's contribution and leadership to the institution's professional, continuing, or online education program
    • Specific courses or programs the nominee has developed, coordinated, and/or taught
    • How the work of this individual has brought credit or recognition to the institution, profession, or community
    • Other awards received by this individual, including recognition by the institution
    • Any national, regional, state, or local leadership achievements of the nominee (include offices held, committee assignments, etc.)
  • Current resume of the nominee.
  • Three to four letters of support from informed individuals who can attest to the nominee's accomplishments (i.e.; dean/director of professional, continuing, or online education, program administrators, teaching colleagues, department chair, former students).

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Outstanding Credit Program
This award recognizes a program, which is original in concept and/or approach in a degree-applicable or professional advancement format.

Criteria

  • The program must be offered by a UPCEA member institution within the last two years.
  • The program must have completed at least one cycle to be considered.
  • The program must be original in a substantive way.
  • A description of the program must include a statement explaining how the program objectives were met and a summary of the program evaluations should also be included.
  • The program must demonstrate a contribution to the field of professional, continuing, or online education, which can be replicated by other higher education institutions.
  • The program must be cost effective in a manner consistent with the stated program objectives.

Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 5 pages) including:
    • Program objectives and program website, start date of program
    • Description of the clientele served
    • Development of the program and marketing strategies
    • Degree program objectives were met (i.e.; Was the program determined a success in terms of students completing the program and meeting their needs?)
    • Impact program had on individuals, institutions or the community
    • Issues or problems encountered and how they were resolved
    • Innovations or technology implemented
    • Cost effectiveness of the process or service - provide a simple income/expenditure analysis
    • Other information that helps to describe the process or service

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Outstanding Non-Credit Program
This award recognizes a program, which is original in concept and/or approach in a non-credit format.  This category includes programs awarding C.E.U.’s.

Criteria

  • The program must be offered by a UPCEA member institution within the last two years.
  • The program must have completed at least one cycle to be considered.
  • The program must be original in a substantive way.
  • A description of the program must include a statement explaining how the program objectives were met and a summary of the program evaluations should also be included.
  • The program must demonstrate a contribution to the field of professional, continuing, or online education, which can be replicated by other higher education institutions.
  • The program must be cost effective in a manner consistent with the stated program objectives.

Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 5 pages) including:
    • Program objectives and program website, start date of program
    • Description of the clientele served
    • Development of the program and marketing strategies
    • Program objectives were met (i.e.; Was the program was determined a success in terms of students completing the program and it meeting their needs?)
    • Impact program had on individuals, institutions or the community
    • Issues or problems encountered and how they were resolved
    • Innovations or technology implemented
    • Cost effectiveness of the process or service - provide a simple income/expenditure analysis
    • Other information that helps to describe the process or service

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Outstanding Administrative Process or Service

This award recognizes an administrative process or service, which serves a professional, continuing, or online education clientele in a unique or innovative way.

Criteria

  • A UPCEA member institution must offer the nominated process or service.
  • A description of the process or service must include a statement explaining the purpose of establishing the process or service, how the process or service was implemented, a description of the target clientele, and a summary of the effectiveness of the process or service.
  • The process or service must demonstrate a contribution to the field of professional, continuing, and/or online education, which can be replicated by other higher education institutions.
  • The process or service must be cost effective in a manner consistent with the stated program objectives.

Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 4 pages) including:
    • Purpose of process or service
    • Implementation process, how was it implemented
    • Clientele served and how the clientele were informed of the process or service
    • Degree to which the implementation was successful
    • Impact the process or service had on individuals, institutions or the community
    • Issues or problems encountered and how they were resolved
    • Innovations or technology implemented
    • Cost effectiveness of the process or service - provide a simple income/expenditure analysis
    • Other information that helps to describe the process or service

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Engagement Award
This award recognizes an outstanding mutually-beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources between a member institution and one or more external constituents such as local communities, corporations, government organizations, or associations.  The recognized partnership will demonstrate a partnership that has resulted in a measurable and sustainable-shared impact in areas such as economic development, community development, workforce training, or capacity building. This award category is a Regional Pathway Award category. The regional winners of this award will be nominated for the UPCEA (National) Engagement Award.

Criteria

  • The partnership must be comprised of a university/college that is a UPCEA member institution and at least one external partner organization.
  • A letter of nomination highlighting the partnership’s specific outreach/engagement accomplishments.
  • Documentation of the tangible and sustainable impact of the partnership’s outreach/engagement activities on strategic initiatives, citizens, communities, or business and industry.  Provide context for evidence by including relevant information about the environment in which the program takes place.
  • Two to four letters of support from community constituents describing how the outreach and engagement activities were mutually beneficial to all participants.

Nomination Process

  • Complete the nomination form.
  • Attach a narrative (no more than 5 pages) including:
    • Program objectives and program website, start date of program
    • Description of the clientele served
    • Development of the program and marketing strategies
    • Degree program objectives were met (i.e.; Was the program determined a success in terms of students completing the program and meeting their needs?)
    • Impact program had on individuals, institutions or the community
    • Issues or problems encountered and how they were resolved
    • Innovations or technology implemented
    • Cost effectiveness of the process or service - provide a simple income/expenditure analysis
    • Other information that helps to describe the process or service

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