Please consider nominating a program or individual for a Mid-Atlantic Regional Award! We want to recognize the hard work and innovative ideas of staff, students, and faculty from the various institutions within our region. Award winners will be recognized at the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Region Conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
We encourage all institutions to submit nominations, regardless of age or size of program or institution. Programs and individuals are judged on their own merits. Program awards are given based on the qualities and virtues articulated in the nomination materials. Please consider nominating the programs and individuals of which you are most proud. Winning a regional award is an opportunity to showcase your best!
Below is a list of the awards. Please click on an award to learn more and to find the criteria and nomination process. When preparing a nomination, make sure your materials are organized and well-presented.
Individual Awards
Alexander Charters Emerging Professional Continuing Educator Award
Excellence in Teaching Award
Mid-Atlantic Region Award for Extraordinary Leadership and Service
Outstanding Continuing Education Student Award
Memorials
Program Awards
Applied Research
Engagement Award
Faculty and Staff Development
Outstanding Program Award (credit or non-credit)
Partnership Award
Marketing Awards
Dorothy Durkin Award: Marketing & Promotions, Broadcast or Print
Marketing and Promotion - Electronic
Many of the regional awards are similar to the national awards categories. We encourage you to submit nominations at both the regional and national level. The national award nominations are a separate process that will open in late fall.
Alexander Charters Emerging Professional Continuing Educator Award
Dr. Alexander Charters helped to mold the field of continuing and adult education during its formative years through his work at the Syracuse University and his involvement in numerous national associations. This award recognizes professionals who demonstrate similar commitment and promise. Recipients of this award will be nominated for the corresponding national association award, the Adelle F. Robertson Emerging Professional Continuing Educator Award.
Criteria
- This award recognizes the scholarship, leadership and contributions to the profession of a person who has entered the continuing, adult, and professional education field in the past five to ten years.
- The nominee must be a UPCEA member.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach supporting documents including:
- A statement indicating why the individual deserves nomination for the award.
- Current vita of the nominee.
- Four or more recommendations from colleagues who can attest to the nominee's qualifications.
- Any additional documentation to support nominee’s qualifications (e.g., description of awards received, achievements, supporting recommendations, etc.). Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Excellence in Teaching Award
The Excellence in Teaching Award showcases outstanding faculty who have demonstrated a long-standing and exemplary commitment to their institution and continuing education through their advocacy, teaching, program development, research, and service to students.
Criteria
- Nominee must be affiliated with a UPCEA member institution.
- Evidence of commitment to continuing, adult or professional education.
- Outstanding teaching and mentoring of students.
- Innovative course, program, and/or curriculum development.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach supporting documents:
- Narrative statement listing specific reasons why the nominee is worthy of this award.
- Current vita of nominee.
- Two or more letters of support from informed individuals who can attest to the nominee's accomplishments. (e.g., dean/director of continuing education, program administrators, teaching colleagues, department chair, former students)
- Any additional documentation to support nominee’s qualifications (e.g., description of awards received, achievements, courses taught, effectiveness of instruction, student evaluations summaries, supporting recommendations, etc.). Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Mid-Atlantic Region Award for Extraordinary Leadership and Service
This major recognition award is given to an individual for extraordinary contributions to the mission of continuing education on the regional, national, or international level.
Criteria
- Individual will have given outstanding service to continuing education at his/her institution and service of major significance to UPCEA, or has fulfilled noteworthy assignments, written books of great significance to the field, or rendered long and distinguished administrative, legislative, or judicial services that have advanced the mission of continuing higher education.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach supporting documents:
- Narrative statement supporting why the nominee is worthy of this award.
- Current vita of the nominee.
- Two or more recommendations from colleagues who can attest to the nominee's qualifications.
- Additional documentation to support nominee’s qualifications (e.g., description of achievements, notable publications, service positions, supporting recommendations, etc.). Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Outstanding Continuing Education Student Award
This award honors adult, professional or continuing education students at UPCEA member institutions for excellence in the pursuit of educational and/or training goals. The recipient of this award will be nominated for the corresponding national association award.
Criteria
- The nominee must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or non-credit program at a UPCEA member institution within the past 12 months, or have graduated no more than one year prior to the time the award is granted.
- The nominee must be an adult student who has met the challenge of an unconventional educational background and through individual growth accomplished in pursuit of his/her educational goals, became an inspiration to others.
- The nominee shall have effectively managed multiple/significant commitments and responsibilities while engaged in his/her education.
- The nominee must exemplify the best characteristics and standards of a student.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete nomination form
- Attach supporting documents:
- Two or more letters of support from informed individuals; e.g., an academic department chair or faculty member; dean or director of continuing education; president or vice president of the nominee's institution.
- Written statement from the nominee describing his or her achievements with an emphasis on the challenges met while enrolled as a student
- Current vita or resume.
- Additional documentation (such as official transcripts, CEUs, student activities, university involvement, community contributions, employment, job performance, etc.) Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
Note: We strongly encourage students who win the award to attend the awards ceremony. The nominating institution should provide travel expenses for the student; however, in the event that the institution is unable to provide financial support, UPCEA Mid-Atlantic region may assist the awardees with the conference and travel expenses.
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Memorials
Continuing higher education personnel memorials are made in honor of deceased Mid-Atlantic colleagues who gave long and sustained service to UPCEA. The memorials are noted in the Mid-Atlantic conference program and are sent to the national awards and honors committee for publication yearly. If you have a nomination for a memorial, please e-mail the Awards Committee Chair directly with the information.
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Applied Research
This award is given to the author(s) of an outstanding contribution to the theory or practice of continuing education demonstrated by basic or applied research in the field of lifelong learning, continuing education, teaching and learning effectiveness, technology, telecommunications, distance education, or related fields.
Criteria
- The applied research is innovative within the continuing education or related fields.
- Research makes a contribution to adult/continuing education or related fields. Submission should suggest how research may be applied within the field.
- The research is informed by and builds upon existing literature.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- A narrative statement, detailing specific ways in which the nomination meets the criteria above. Please include a written summary of the research findings within the narrative.
- Attach supporting documents which may include: Research highlights, implementation of the research, and other items that will help depict the applied research project. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Engagement Award
This award recognizes an outstanding knowledge partnership 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 mutually-beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources that has resulted in a measurable and sustainable shared impact in areas such as economic development, community development, workforce training, or capacity building. The Award will be awarded to both the UPCEA member institution/unit and the partner organization(s). Only one award will be given out in this category annually, and the winner will be recognized at both the UPCEA Mid-Atlantic and national conferences.
Criteria
- The nomination should include a discussion on how the partnership is innovative to the continuing education field, to the community, and/or to the institutions involved.
- The partnership should reflect how it contributes to the adult/continuing education field.
- The partnership should demonstrate how its outreach/engagement activities made a tangible and sustainable impact on strategic initiatives, citizens, communities, or business/industry.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach a narrative statement that describes the partnership and that addresses the criteria listed above. Please provide the context around the partnership.
- Attach supporting documents which may include: Letters of support from partners and community constituents, links to articles written about partnership, evaluation data and analysis, engagement materials developed for project (brochures, web sites, videos, etc.), and other items that will help depict the engagement partnership. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Faculty and Staff Development
This award is given for the advancement of faculty and staff development programs including but not limited to conferences, instruction, academic support and/or other student services.
Criteria
- Program is innovative to the continuing education field and/or to the institution. For example, a program might incorporate new ideas, topics, technologies, instructional designs or methods, or delivery systems to make a faculty/staff development more accessible or effective.
- Program is within the adult/continuing education field.
- Program fulfills stated objectives. For reviewers to know this, program objectives and evaluation results must be outlined in submission.
- Program is cost-effective and time-efficient.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach a narrative statement that describes the program/project and that addresses the criteria listed above.
- Attach supporting documents which may include: Letters of support from participants, links to articles written about program, evaluation data and analysis, institutional materials developed for project (brochures, web sites, videos, etc.), and other items that will help depict the faculty/staff development program. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Outstanding Program Award (credit or non-credit)
This award is offered for an effective, innovative and exceptional credit or non-credit program. The program must have been offered at a UPCEA member institution within the last two years, and have completed at least one complete cycle.
Criteria
- The program is original and innovative to the continuing education field and/or to the institution.
- The program must demonstrate a contribution to the field of continuing education and can be replicated by other higher education institutions.
- The program must show quality and effectiveness. 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 be cost effective in a manner consistent with the stated program objectives.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach a narrative statement that describes the program and that addresses the criteria listed above.
- Attach supporting documents which may include: Program objectives, links to articles written about project/program, attendance data, budget, evaluation data and analysis, institutional materials developed for project (brochures, web sites, videos, etc.), and other items that will help depict the program. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Partnership Award
This award is offered for programs that represent an effective collaboration between two or more higher education institutions or an institution collaborating with business, industry or government agencies to meet the needs of their joint continuing education constituents.
Criteria
- The nomination should include a discussion on how the partnership is innovative to the continuing education field, to the community, and/or to the institutions involved.
- The partnership should reflect how it contributes to the adult/continuing education field.
- The partnership should beeffective in that it fulfilled stated objectives. For reviewers to know this, program objectives, evaluation criteria, and evaluation results must be outlined in submission.
- The partnership should be cost effective and time-efficient for the higher education institutions involved.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach a narrative statement that describes the partnership and that addresses the criteria listed above. Please provide the context around the partnership.
- Attach supporting documents which may include: Letters of support from partners and community constituents, links to articles written about partnership, evaluation data and analysis, and other items that will help depict the partnership. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Dorothy Durkin Award: Marketing & Promotions, Broadcast or Print
This award is granted for the development and implementation of new or improved marketing and promotion services in broadcast or print media. Submissions may cover advertising, broadcast, campaigns, logos, brochures, postcards, catalogs, posters, newsletters, etc.
Criteria
- The marketing initiative is innovative either to the continuing education field or to the institution. For example, a submission might integrate new techniques to invigorate a campaign, or might be a new form of advertising for the institution.
- The marketing initiative is targeted to students or prospective students in adult, continuing, or professional education.
- The marketing initiative is successful and has fulfilled stated objectives. For reviewers to know this, program objectives, evaluation criteria, and evaluation results must be outlined in submission.
- The marketing initiative is cost-effective.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach a narrative statement that describes the marketing project and that addresses the criteria listed above.
- Attach supporting documents which can include: Examples of marketing materials, evaluation data and analysis, and other items that will help depict the marketing initiative. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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Marketing and Promotion - Electronic
This award is granted for the development and implementation of new or improved marketing and promotion services in electronic media, including but not limited to website, podcast, and social media.
Criteria
- The marketing initiative is innovative either to the continuing education field or to the institution. For example, a submission might integrate new techniques to invigorate a campaign, or might be a new form of advertising for the institution.
- The marketing initiative is targeted to students or prospective students in adult, continuing, or professional education.
- The marketing initiative is successful and has fulfilled stated objectives. For reviewers to know this, program objectives, evaluation criteria, and evaluation results must be outlined in submission.
- The marketing initiative is cost-effective.
Nomination Procedure
- Complete the nomination form.
- Attach a narrative statement that describes the marketing project and that addresses the criteria listed above.
- Attach supporting documents which can include: Links to the marketing materials, evaluation data and analysis, and other items that will help depict the marketing initiative. Additional documentation should not exceed 10 pages.
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