PURPOSE:
To recognize outstanding contributions to graduate student mentoring by a faculty member in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University.
NATURE
One cash award of $1,000 will be made. The recipient will receive a cash award and a plaque.
ELIGIBILITY:
Nominees must be CAS faculty who are members of the graduate faculty and are active mentors of MS and/or PhD students at Oregon State University.
The Dean, Associate Deans, Chief Operating Officer, and all other Agricultural Sciences administration personnel are not eligible to receive or contribute to the nomination for an award.
CRITERIA:
Nominations will be evaluated on the following:
- Commitment to CAS goals of Inclusive Excellence through support of student recruitment, retention, and timely graduation. Examples may include but are not limited to: the development of financial resources to support students who are first-generation, low-income, or underrepresented; training in cultural competencies for graduate student mentoring; or mentoring that supports diverse career pathways for graduate students.
- Success in mentoring students to master the content and skills of their discipline.
- Evidence of modeling and guiding graduate students to adhere to high ethical standards for conducting scholarly activities.
- Creating a supportive environment for research by fostering mutual respect, maintaining open lines of communication, demonstrating a sincere interest in their students’ well-being, and creating a sense of community among graduate students and faculty.
- Evidence of support for students’ professional development.
- Demonstrated innovation in graduate mentoring, as evidenced by novel approaches or activities contributing to effective graduate education.
NOMINATION MATERIALS:
In addition to the base nomination materials required for all awards (one-paragraph summary, letter of nomination, and three supporting letters), nomination packets must include:
- The nomination materials should address the criteria above.
- Supporting letters should include at least one (1) letter from a current graduate student and at least one (1) letter from a former graduate student.
- A professional/abbreviated resume (3 pg. max.).
Complete nomination packets (combined into one PDF document) should be emailed to [email protected] no later than 5:00 pm on April 9, 2026. Corrections or updates to nomination packets will not be accepted after the nomination deadline.
SPONSORS:
This award is sponsored by the College of Agricultural Sciences.