enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity;

enhance curriculum, teaching, and learning;

provide life-transformative educational experiences;

prepare educated, engaged citizens;

promote social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusivity;

strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility;

address critical societal issues;

Faculty Categories

Research Category

• Distinguished Scholar Research Award – One award may be given for lifetime, sustained, or career achievements in community engaged scholarship activities.
• Emerging Scholar Research Award – One award may be given for early career community engaged scholarship activities.

Teaching Category

• Distinguished Instructor Award - One award may be given for lifetime, sustained, or career achievements in community engaged instruction (e.g., Service Learning and other pedagogical models for partnering with community stakeholders).
• Emerging Instructor Award - One award may be given for early career achievements in community engaged instruction (e.g., Service Learning and other pedagogical models for partnering with community stakeholders).

Team Category

• Faculty Team Award – One faculty team award may be given for community engaged scholarship activities. The team must be multidisciplinary and comprised of at least two UConn faculty from different departments/schools. The focus of the team can be on research, teaching, or both.

Eligibility

All faculty members (tenure track, clinical, in-residence, extension, or research) with at least a 50% appointment at the University who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished University community engaged scholarship are eligible for these awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished public engagement is a direct extension of an individual’s to the public and non-profit sector. Individuals who have received an individual community engaged scholarship award in previous years are not eligible to receive the award again in future years.

Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered community engaged scholarship, nor is work that is performed as a volunteer in external organizations (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official. 

Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a nominee meets the following criteria in performing community engaged scholarship:

• Sustained leadership (for the emerging faculty awards, a minimum of two years at UConn; for the distinguished faculty awards 10 years at UConn) in working with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities via research and/or the educational experience of students;
• Documented excellence in extending University or community knowledge;
• Evidence of the impact on the community served;
• Demonstrated intellectual, professional, personal, and/or career growth as a result of the experience;
• Demonstrated level of responsibility that goes above and beyond what is expected; and
• Evidence of impact on scholarship/research (Research Award), instruction and curriculum development (Instructor Award), or evidence of national significance in the field or community.

Staff Categories

Individual Category

• Distinguished Staff Award – One award may be given for lifetime, sustained, or career achievements in community engaged scholarship activities.
• Emerging Staff Award – One award may be given for early career community engaged scholarship activities.

Team Category

• Staff Team Award – One staff team award may be given for community engaged scholarship activities. The team must be comprised of at least two UConn staff.

Eligibility

All staff and non-faculty research associates with at least a 50% appointment at the University who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished University community engaged scholarship are eligible for these awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished community engaged scholarship is a direct extension of an individual’s University role to the public and non-profit sector.

Individuals who have received an individual community engaged scholarship award in previous years are not eligible to receive the award again in future years.

Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered community engaged scholarship, nor is work that is performed as volunteer in external organization (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a nominee meets the following criteria in performing community engaged scholarship:

• Sustained leadership (for the emerging awards, a minimum of two years at UConn, for the distinguished awards 10 years at UConn) in working with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities;
• Documented excellence in extending University or community knowledge;
• Evidence of the impact on the community served;
• Demonstrated intellectual, professional, personal, and/or career growth as a result of the experience; and
• Demonstrated level of responsibility that goes above and beyond what is expected.

Student Categories

Individual Category

• Undergraduate Student Award – One award may be given to an undergraduate student for community engaged scholarship activities.
• Graduate or Professional Student Award – One award may be given to a graduate or professional student for community engaged scholarship activities.

Team Category

• Student Team Award – One student team award may be given for community engaged scholarship activities. The team should be comprised of at least two students (undergraduate and/or graduate), and at least one member of the team must be a faculty or staff member at University of Connecticut. The majority of the team members must be students.

Eligibility

All current undergraduate and graduate/professional students who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished University community engaged scholarship are eligible for public engagement awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished public engagement is a direct extension of an individual’s University role to the public and non-profit sector.

Individuals who have received an individual community engaged scholarship award in previous years are not eligible to receive the award again in future years.

Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered community engaged scholarship, nor is work that is performed outside of an individual’s University role (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official.

Evaluation Criteria

Individual Award for Students

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a student nominee meets the following criteria in performing community engaged scholarship activities:

• Sustained leadership (a minimum of two semesters) with responsibilities that have progressively increased over time;
• Innovative and/or entrepreneurial ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities;
• Evidence of the impact on a community served; and
• Demonstrated intellectual, educational, or professional, and personal development as a result of the experience.

Team Award for Students
The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a nominated team meets the following criteria in performing community engaged scholarship activities:

• Sustained leadership (a minimum of two semesters) in working with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities;
• Documented excellence in extending University knowledge;
• Evidence of the impact on the community served;
• Evidence of impact on scholarship/research, instruction and curriculum development, or evidence of national significance in the field or community; and
• Consideration will be given to projects that encourage participation from multiple stakeholders.

Community Category

• Community Partner – One award may be given to a community individual, organization, or group who has worked collaboratively with University of Connecticut on community engaged scholarship activities that demonstrate significant impact.

Eligibility

Members of the community who, in collaboration with University of Connecticut, have demonstrated significant contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished community engaged scholarship are eligible for this award. Community partners who have received this award in the previous 5 years are not eligible.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection committee will evaluate nominations on the degree to which a community partner nominee meets the following criteria in performing community engaged scholarship activities:

• Sustained activity with University of Connecticut (minimum of two years) that involves work with the public and/or with external organizations;
• Innovative ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities and the educational experience of University of Connecticut students; and
• Evidence of impact on the community served.

All nomination materials for the upcoming season will be posted soon.   Please note Self-nominations are not accepted.

Nomination materials

For faculty, staff, and student categories

• Nomination Form (PDF)
• A letter of support from someone other than the nominator, that provides a description of achievement including examples to support claims.
• For individual categories: A concise CV/resume that summarizes honors, articles, press, etc. of the engagement work that provides background and addresses the specific award description. No more than 2 pages.
• For team categories: A program description (do not include individual CVs of team members). No more than 2 pages.

For community partners

• Nomination Form (PDF)
• A letter of support from someone other than the nominator, that provides a description of achievement including examples to support claims.
• A summary of the collaborative relationship with University of Connecticut, and the engagement work conducted as part of that relationship. No more than 2 pages.