List of Awards
Faculty and Staff Awards
Scope:
Full-time staff members at the director level and above are eligible for the Excellence in Administration Award.
Criteria:
- Exhibits a willingness to take on any responsibility necessary to achieve success - not only the figurehead or convener role.
- Building interactions and partnerships that produce results and leave others feeling welcomed, respected, and valued, regardless of cultural, ethnic, racial, class, gender, sexual orientation, language, and other human differences.
- Motivates others without formal authority and inspires change or productivity in others.
- Effectively motivates, influences, and develops both groups and individuals to achieve institutional goals.
- Develops trust and credibility through open, respectful communication, and by demonstrating accountability.
- Ensuring each interaction with internal and external customers is positive and effective.
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Excellence in Administration Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
Any individual or group (department, fitness group, sports team, committee etc.) that fosters a culture of wellness at GHC is eligible for the Wellness Advocate Award.
Criteria:
- The wellness advocate prioritizes the well-being of faculty, staff, and students going beyond typical assigned job duties and demonstrates a commitment to the tenants of the wheel of wellness (physical, emotional, social, financial, academic, environmental,and/or spiritual).
- The wellness advocate will have organized, conducted, and/or supported programs, events, and activities that promote some of the following areas of wellness:
- Health Education
- Physical Activity
- Nutrition
- Mental Health
- Social and Emotional Health
- Physical Environment
- Community Involvement
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Wellness Advocate Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
All Departments and Academic Divisions within GHC are eligible for the Department of the Year Award.
Criteria:
- The department of the year recipient will demonstrate inclusiveness by reflecting shared successes within their division and across other divisions and departments.
- The team (staff/faculty) demonstrates notable achievement of one of the ten shared values and one or more of the strategic imperatives that reflect an accomplishment of the strategic plan.
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Department of the Year Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
GHC greatly values diversity, equity, and inclusion and understands the critical role faculty, staff, and/or departments play in promoting those values. The Excellence in DEI Award goes to either a faculty, staff or department who has advanced the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the GHC community.
Criteria:
Recipient(s) of the Excellence in DEI Award will have demonstrated one or more of the following within the last academic year:
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Exhibited leadership in building an inclusive community and advancing a culture of inclusive excellence within the learning environment and/or workplace.
- Organized, conducted, and/or supported programs, events, and activities that promote cross-cultural understanding, respect, and inclusion of diverse individuals and groups.
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
Full-time staff serving outside the capacity of director are eligible for the Excellence in Leadership Award.
Criteria:
Encompasses and demonstrates ALL of GHC’s shared values with an emphasis in three or more of the below:
- Access – making programs and services available within our service area
- Student Success –placing students’ goals at the heart of what we do
- Integrity – demonstrating an ethical approach by our words and actions
- Excellence – providing the highest level of quality service and teaching
- Freedom of expression – allowing all campus constituents to share thoughts and feelings in an honorable and open way
- Inclusiveness –appreciating and incorporating the uniqueness of all individuals
- Cooperation – modeling and forming collegial and productive relationships
- Passion –inspiring others to create an environment of teaching, learning and work where all parties grow and are challenged
- Critical Thinking –making decisions informed by data and shaped by context
- Collaboration – building and fostering relationships that provide the highest mutual benefit to the college and the communities we serve
On a consistent basis, the nominee exhibits exemplary performance, high integrity and trust, and mentors others, while also carrying out GHC’s Vision and Mission Goals to serve students with the philosophy GHC represents.
The philosophy of Georgia Highlands College is expressed in the beliefs that education is essential to the intellectual, physical, economic, social, emotional, cultural, and environmental well-being of individuals and society and that education should be geographically and physically accessible and affordable. In support of this philosophy, the College maintains a teaching/learning environment which promotes inclusiveness and provides educational opportunities, programs and services of excellence in response to documented needs.
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Excellence in Leadership Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
This award recognizes individuals who consistently volunteer with charitable, nonprofit, community, church or similar organization(s) within one or more of the local communities surrounding Georgia Highlands College’s six campus locations. Community involvement activities should strengthen the College’s position within the communities served through their support of projects, activities, and programs that have a record of sustained impact and achievement.
Criteria:
- Engages in activities that help others within the local communities that surround one or more of the six Georgia Highlands College campuses.
- The community service activity/activities has a measurable and positive impact on others.
- Demonstrates a true concern for humankind and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by offering their time, talents, or both to a wide and varied audience.
- Embodies Georgia Highlands College’s commitment to public service.
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Excellence in Community Engagement Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a consistent willingness to go over and above their job responsibilities to ensure excellence in customer service for students, for colleagues, and other customers of Georgia Highlands College over the past year. Nominee's actions must reflect the following five attributes of service excellence: respectful, accessible, informed, supportive, and responsive.
Criteria:
- Limited to activities performed during July to June of each year for full-time and part-time employees of Georgia Highlands College.
- Nominee has consistently performed at high levels and/or going above and beyond the call of duty in the performance of their jobs while still accomplishing their normal job responsibilities.
- Nominee has developed projects that support student success by removing administrative obstacles.
- Nominee has removed or reduced barriers that discourage enrollment or impede college completion.
- Nominee has focused on positively impacting our students’ total education experience, community partnerships, and faculty and staff engagement.
- Nominee is not under any disciplinary actions.
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Excellence in Customer Service Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Scope:
Full-time staff members director level and above are eligible for the Excellence in Innovation Award, which would be awarded to one person or a few people who demonstrate a sustained record of creative activity to improve a process or system. Below is a non-exhaustive list of examples of accomplishments that may be included as evidence.
Criteria:
- Conference presentations, participations and contributions
- Development of software, tools, and electronic media
- Dissemination of work or creative activities to the appropriate audiences and professional groups through, for example, the presentation of seminars, workshops, invited talks, artistic performances or artistic exhibits
- External awards and recognitions by local, national and international organizations for creative achievements
- Involvement in organizing local, national and international conferences, forums, artistic exhibits, galleries, and performances
- Leadership in developing new areas of creativity
- Mentoring staff
Nomination Process:
Provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Excellence in Innovation Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient.
Note: This award have already been selected and will be presented at the virtual awards event in the Spring of 2021.
Scope:
In order to recognize the work of professional advisors, individuals are recognized for their work in Advising Is Teaching Awards. The awards are nominated by students, reviewed by a committee, and result in one award per advisor-type each year.
Criteria:
- Exceptional advising assistance
- Notable support provided to student
- Frequency, flexibility, and helpfulness when making appointments and during sessions
- Going above and beyond to help student with a specific situation
- Providing assistance with GHC resources
Nomination Process:
Open only to professional advisors or advising specialists (not faculty advisors) and nominated by students. The Review Committee will review applications and make a decision based on the quality and quantity of nominations tied to the Quest for Success student learning outcomes. The award recipient for this award is selected by the QEP Review Committee and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee. The nomination form is to be completed by a student.
Faculty Awards
Scope:
This award is designed to honor a distinguished full-time faculty member who has made a significant impact on the Georgia Highlands College community. In the event the award is given posthumously, the recipient’s family should be asked to designate a person to accept the award on behalf of the faculty member.
History of the Wesley C. Walraven Award
Dr. Wesley Walraven, “The Dean”, served as Academic Dean for Floyd College from its founding in 1970 until 1993. His most memorable assets included an unselfish dedication to students, a quietly focused management style, keen intelligence, and a soft chuckle. A man of humor, his passions were golf, his pipe, and Floyd College. For some time, he wore his special lapel button declaring his person to be a “Mobile Designated Smoking Area.” The Dean often insisted “It’s always easier to ask forgiveness than permission.” And his follow-up to that was, “We will just keep doing what is best for our students until they (The Board of Regents) slap our hands and make us stop.” His student focus was more than talk. Every year, he insisted on instructing at least one section of the lowest level math to be taught at the College. Faculty members most often encountered him at their local division coffee pot engaged in administrative conversation and decision-making or in hall chats along the way. Dean Walraven was not always “right” and his decisions were not always popular. However, he was always respected. No student or faculty member ever left a discussion feeling his/her views were unwelcome or unheard. Each year Georgia Highlands College celebrates Dr. Walraven’s contributions to the college community by presenting the Wesley C. Walraven Award. Recent winners of the Walraven Award include:
| Awardee | Year |
|---|---|
| Billy Morris | 2020 |
| Nancy Applegate | 2019 |
| Carla Patterson | 2018 |
| Richard Brent Griffin | 2017 |
| Marjorie Frazier | 2016 |
| Dr. Kristie Kemper | 2015 |
| Carolyn Hamrick (posthumously) | 2014 |
| Dr. Jon Hershey | 2013 |
| Nancy Hague (posthumously) | 2012 |
| Lesley Henderson (posthumously) | 2011 |
| Elizabeth Harrison | 2010 |
| LaNelle Daniel | 2009 |
| Ken Weatherman | 2008 |
| Laura Musselwhite | 2007 |
| Carolyn Parks | 2006 |
| William Mugleston | 2005 |
| Dwight Cassity | 2004 |
| Amelia Billingsley | 2003 |
| Steve Burns (posthumously) | 2002 |
| Melvin Perry | 2001 |
| Margaret Davis | 2000 |
| Philip Dillard | 1999 |
| Joanne Starnes | 1998 |
| Richard Trimble | 1997 |
| David Cook | 1996 |
| Belen Nora | 1995 |
| Richard Hays | 1994 |
| Wesley Walraven | 1993 |
Criteria:
- Full-time faculty.
- Retired faculty members are eligible only if they retired during the current academic year.
- In the spirit of Dr. Walraven, nominees should be faculty who have made a substantial contribution to teaching and learning at Georgia Highlands College.
Nomination Process:
Please provide a narrative of how the candidate meets the Walraven Award criteria. Letters of support are not required but are encouraged and will be considered. Note, sources for letter(s) of support will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient. The Faculty Senate Awards Committee shall solicit nominations for the award from full-time faculty, allowing faculty a minimum of one week to submit nominations. At the conclusion of the nomination period, the names of the nominees shall be submitted to full-time faculty members for a vote, allowing faculty a minimum of one week to submit votes. The Faculty Senate Awards Committee is responsible for counting the votes. If an initial nominee receives at least 50% of the vote, then, the nominee is declared the winner. However, if none of the nominees receives at least 50% of the vote, then, a runoff between the top three nominees will be held. In the runoff, the nominee receiving the most votes, not necessarily 50%, shall be declared the winner. If two of the top three nominees receive exactly the same number of votes, the award will be presented to both nominees. After the completion of the voting, the Faculty Senate Awards Committee shall forward the name (or names) of the winner to the President and the Provost. The Provost will notify the recipient, make a formal announcement to the college community, and is responsible for arranging the honors afforded the winner during the spring graduation ceremony. The arrangements include preparing a plaque for the recipient and including the recipient’s name and biography in the graduation program. The recipient shall be seated with the President and Vice Presidents on the stage during the spring graduation ceremony. The recipient should be given the opportunity to speak in response to accepting the award. In the event the award is given posthumously, the recipient’s family should be asked to designate a person to accept the award on behalf of the faculty member. If the family declines to do so, the Provost shall select an appropriate spokesperson.
Scope:
This award is designed to honor a distinguished faculty member for a strong commitment to teaching and student success. This award aligns with the USG’s Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award. Using the established criteria from the USG, this award would go to the person who would be our eventual nominee for the USG award.
Criteria:
The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees:
- Are strongly committed to teaching and learning. This commitment might be demonstrated through activities designed to advance the quality and practice of teaching and learning, to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and/or global and multicultural understanding.
- Use effective teaching strategies to enhance student learning, including, but not limited to innovative uses of technology, active learning, learning communities, student portfolios, and assessment.
- Have a strong commitment to fostering the academic success of students through interaction with students outside of the classroom (e.g., advising, mentoring, recruiting, etc.).
Nomination Process:
Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices. Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee portfolio should include only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Self and peer nominations are accepted. Note that how a nominee is nominated (self or peer), will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient. The recipient of this award will be selected by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee. Each portfolio must include the following information:
- A condensed curriculum vitae (2-3 pages).
- A reflective statement that summarizes the nominee’s teaching and learning philosophy, strategies, and objectives (1 - 2 pages).
- A brief summary of 2 - 3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used in the online environment to promote student success.
- Include at least one letter of support from the nominees’ dean, chair, colleagues, or students. No partiality will be given to the nominee based on the letter writer. The letter writer should have first-hand knowledge about the nominee’s teaching.
The letter of support should describe the nominee’s teaching and why the nominee is especially effective in advancing student learning and should be the recipient of this award. - A well-organized set of documents that provide evidence of the nominee’s teaching and leadership excellence such as:
- data showing success of the nominee’s students
- selected components of course syllabi
- handouts
- innovative methods of assessing student learning and achievement
- summaries of recent student evaluations
- peer evaluations
- student mentoring and advising
- peer mentoring
- service and scholarship relevant to promoting online education
Scope:
This award is designed to honor a distinguished faculty member for a strong commitment to engaged, online teaching and student success. This would align with an established USG award, the Regents’ Teaching Excellence Awards for Online Teaching. Using the established criteria from the USG, this award would go to the person who would become our nominee for the USG award. To be eligible for the Online Teaching Award, current full-time members of the teaching faculty must teach a minimum of 12 credit hours of fully online instruction across the previous three consecutive semesters. Fully online instruction for this award is defined as “95% or more of the course must be delivered fully online.”
Criteria:
The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees:
- Are strongly committed to quality online teaching and learning as evidenced by teaching, service and scholarly activities designed to advance the quality of online teaching and learning.
- Use effective and innovative online teaching practices that result in student engagement, student satisfaction, and effectiveness in achieving desired learning outcomes.
- Demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to fostering the academic success of online students through the development of rapport with individual learners in and beyond the virtual classroom.
- Examine methods of assessment of student learning to inform teaching practices and reshape online courses based on an on-going and data-driven process.
- Utilize interactive strategies to promote collaboration among students.
- Exhibit a high level of instruction by using standards set by the USG such as Quality Matters.
Nomination Process:
Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices. Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee portfolio should include only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Self and peer-nominations are accepted. Note that how a nominee is nominated (self or peer), will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient. The recipient of this award will be selected by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee. Each portfolio must include the following information:
- A condensed curriculum vitae (2-3 pages).
- A reflective statement that summarizes the nominee’s teaching and learning philosophy, strategies, and objectives (1 - 2 pages).
- A brief summary of 2 - 3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used in the online environment to promote student success
- Include at least one letter of support from the nominees’ dean, chair, colleagues, or students. No partiality will be given to the nominee based on the letter writer. The letter writer should have first-hand knowledge about the nominee’s teaching.
The letter of support should describe the nominee’s teaching and why the nominee is especially effective in advancing student learning and should be the recipient of this award. - A well-organized set of documents that provide evidence of the nominee’s online teaching and leadership excellence such as:
- data showing success of the nominee’s students
- selected components of course syllabi
- handouts
- innovative methods of assessing student learning and achievement
- summaries of recent student evaluations
- peer evaluations
- student mentoring and advising
- peer mentoring
- service and scholarship relevant to promoting online education
Scope:
This award is designed to honor a distinguished part-time faculty member for teaching excellence. Criteria for this award aligns with all other teaching awards, such as the GHC Hall of Fame Faculty Award and the GHC Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching, but recognizes the limitations of outside activities.
Criteria:
The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees:
- Are strongly committed to teaching and learning. This commitment might be demonstrated through activities designed to advance the quality and practice of teaching and learning, to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and/or global and multicultural understanding.
- Use effective teaching strategies to enhance student learning, including, but not limited to innovative uses of technology, active learning, learning communities, student portfolios, and assessment.
Nomination Process:
Nomination portfolios are similar to those of other teaching awards. Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee portfolio should include only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Self and peer-nominations are accepted. Note that how a nominee is nominated (self or peer), will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient. The recipient of this award will be selected by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee.
- A condensed curriculum vitae (2 - 3 pages).
- A reflective statement that summarizes the nominee’s teaching and learning philosophy, strategies, and objectives (1 - 2 pages).
- A brief summary of 2 - 3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used in the classroom to promote student success.
- Include at least one letter of support from the nominees’ dean, chair, colleagues, or students. No partiality will be given to the nominee based on the letter writer. The letter writer should have first-hand knowledge about the nominee’s teaching. The letter of support should describe the nominee’s teaching and why the nominee is especially effective in advancing student learning and should be the recipient of this award.
- A well-organized set of documents that provide evidence of the nominee’s teaching and leadership excellence such as:
- data showing success of the nominee’s students
- selected components of course syllabi
- handouts
- innovative methods of assessing student learning and achievement
- summaries of recent student evaluations
- peer evaluations
- student mentoring and advising
- peer mentoring
- service and scholarship relevant to promoting online education
Scope:
This award is designed to honor a distinguished faculty for teaching excellence and innovation in teaching Area B GHXX 2901 courses. This award recognizes someone who develops and teaches the 2901 course in one of the divisions.
Criteria:
The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees:
- Are strongly committed to teaching and learning. This commitment might be demonstrated through activities designed to advance the quality and practice of teaching and learning, to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and/or global and multicultural understanding.
- Use effective teaching strategies to enhance student learning, including, but not limited to innovative uses of technology, active learning, learning communities, student portfolios, and assessment.
- Have a strong commitment in fostering the academic success of students through interaction with students outside of the classroom (e.g., advising, mentoring, recruiting, etc.).
Nomination Process:
Faculty can be nominated or self-nominate, but all nominees are required to submit examples of their teaching innovation and the impact it has had on their students. The innovation can pertain to both content and delivery of the course. Note that how a nominee is nominated (self or peer), will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient. The recipient of this award will be selected by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee.
Scope:
This new award could be awarded to more than one person per year. Rather than being focused on the whole body of work, this award supports and encourages teaching excellence on a smaller scale. As GHC is now involved in multiple new initiatives via USG or GHC, this award recognizes faculty for instructional contributions to these projects. This award recognizes newer or mid-career faculty who innovate in their classrooms in smaller ways.
Criteria:
- Small scale classroom innovations that are aligned to GHC or USG initiatives
- Creative instruction, assignments, and assessments
- Instructional contributions for intended improvement in student success
Nomination Process:
Faculty can be nominated or self-nominate, but all nominees are required to submit examples of their teaching innovation and the impact it has had on their students. No preferences will be given to how the nominee was nominated. Note that how a nominee is nominated (self or peer), will not be a determining factor for consideration or selection of a recipient. The recipient of this award will be selected by a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee.
Note: This award have already been selected and will be presented at the virtual awards event in the Spring of 2021.
Scope:
In order to recognize the work of faculty advisors, individuals are recognized for their work in Advising Is Teaching Awards. The awards are nominated by students, reviewed by a committee, and result in one award per advisor-type each year.
Criteria:
- Exceptional advising assistance
- Notable support provided to student
- Frequency, flexibility, and helpfulness when making appointments and during sessions
- Going above and beyond to help student with a specific situation
- Providing assistance with GHC resources
Nomination Process:
Open only to faculty advisors (not professional advisors or advising specialists) and nominated by students. The Review Committee will review applications and make a decision based on the quality and quantity of nominations tied to the Quest for Success student learning outcomes. The award recipient for this award is selected by the QEP Review Committee and acknowledged by the Employee Recognition Committee. The nomination form is to be completed by a student.