Excellence in Engagement Award

Selection Procedures for Annual Excellence in Engagement Award

Objective

The Excellence in Engagement Education Award recognizes a faculty member’s unique time, effort, and planning for successful engagement education instruction in a designated engagement education course (as reflected in ECU’s course catalogs). Engagement education helps students achieve the forms of learning that serve them best, in the economy, in the civic society, and in their own personal and family lives. Through engagement education activities, students engage with people and explore cultures different from their own through reflection, critical analysis, and synthesis as key components for the purpose of personalizing the learning experience.

Awards Per Year

One award will be awarded annually. The award will carry a $1,000 monetary prize and will be included in the annual celebratory event.

Eligibility

All full-time faculty who have taught ECU engagement education course(s) in the academic year in which they are selected and in at least one previous year.

Nominees must:

  • have had experience teaching a designated engagement education course (domestic learning, global learning, intercultural learning, and community engaged learning) within an academic year,
  • have demonstrated results/impact in student’s learning from engagement experiences in the course(s),
  • have demonstrated excellence in teaching with respect to engagement education, as evidenced by innovative projects and partnerships, course evaluations, and incorporation of engagement education best practices in the course,
  • have demonstrated meaningful positive difference/change/impact in the designated community related to the engagement education course(s),
  • have demonstrated collaborative work/planning with the community organization or constituents to build student learning while “doing good” in the community (for community engaged learning courses) or have demonstrated planning with constituents to build student learning to enhance domestic, global, or intercultural understanding,
  • have demonstrated how the engagement education work described has enhanced ECU’s strategic priorities, and
  • have demonstrated how engagement education has enhanced the faculty member’s professional
    development in teaching, scholarship, and/ or service.

Nomination Procedures and Guidelines

Nominations may be made in the following ways:

  1. by the department-level academic units (including areas of concentration)
  2. by other representatives in the faculty member’s field of work, including community partners
  3. by deans and department heads
  4. by representatives from the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement

Nominations are made in the following two steps: (1) Nominee names and basic information must be submitted to a survey link posted on the Faculty Senate website by September 15 at 5:00 pm (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend). Nominees will be contacted by the OFE following the survey nomination deadline and provided with information about the application packet that must be submitted if they wish to pursue the award. (2) A nomination letter specifying why the nominee deserves the award should be provided to the nominee by 5 p.m. on October 15, or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend.

Nominees who wish to pursue the award must submit their application packets no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on November 1st, or the next business day if the 1st falls on a weekend. In addition, nominees will be asked to complete the provided information sheet template and submit a photograph at least 2.5” x 3” with a minimum resolution of 300.

The application packet:

  1.  should include representative examples of the faculty member’s instruction methods, including the incorporation of student reflection.
  2. must contain the following in this order:
    • Contents: itemized list of all materials in the application packet
    • CV: a complete curriculum vitae, highlighting the nominee’s innovative projects and
    • partnerships, course evaluations
    • Nomination letter
    • A summary, not to exceed 2 pages, double-spaced, describing the nominee’s excellence in teaching with respect to engagement education, including the impact on student’s reflective learning from engagement experiences in the course(s) and how the engagement education course has enhanced ECU’s strategic priorities and the related academic discipline.
    • Additional supporting materials (evidence that the nominee exemplifies the award criteria): At least 1, and no more than 3, examples of engagement education activities can be submitted electronically. Examples include but are not limited to: 1) course syllabi; 2) scholarly publications; 3) description of projects; 4) peer observation and/or peer assessment; 5) departmental awards; 6) letters of support from current and former students; 7) supportive letter from an engaged community/global partner that addresses the reciprocity of the partnership and clear positive difference/change/impact in the community/partner related to the engagement education course.
  3. must adhere to the specifications presented here; those that do not may be disqualified.
  4. should utilize appropriate margins, fonts, type sizes, and colors to ensure readability.
  5. must not exceed 50 pages; packets that are more than 50 pages will not be reviewed by the selection committee. This page limit does not include the itemized list, information sheet, photograph, and vitae.

Evaluation Procedures

In September, the selection committee will be convened by the Chair of the Academic Awards Committee and will consist of 2 members of the Academic Awards Committee, elected by the committee; 1 faculty member elected by the Engagement Education Committee; 1 faculty member appointed by the Chair of the Faculty; and 1 member appointed by the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. The selection committee will have at least one faculty member experienced in successful academic engagement education; preferably a previous excellence in engagement education award winner.

In November, packets will be made available to members of the selection committee, and the selection committee will review and evaluate the submitted materials according to the developed checklist and rubric. The checklist and rubric must mirror the award guidelines.

In early January, the selection committee will identify their top candidates in rank order for committee discussion and, by scoring to determine the recipient(s) of the Excellence in Engagement Education Award. The committee will forward the name(s) of the recommended recipient of the award and make their academic engagement education award packet available to the Provost. Based on the award guidelines, the Provost either concurs or will meet with the selection committee to seek resolution.

In the Spring, the award recipient(s) will be recognized during a celebratory event. Following the public announcement of this award, the Provost will send letters of recognition to the recipient and letters of appreciation to nominees.

The award-winning portfolio(s) will be kept on file for public review in the Office for Faculty Excellence, Joyner Library.

(Faculty Senate Resolutions #18-07; #19-82, #21-34, #23-28, editorially revised in April 2024; complete revision of award in Faculty Senate Resolution #26-62)