Program & Department Awards

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees have:

• Fostered purposeful choice among students and have assisted in the development of a productive mindset among advisees which best aligns with student’s aspirations, aptitudes, and potential for success. 
• Engaged students in a program of study that provides a clear path to graduation and a career or further study (encouraged to explore and examine their stated interest during their first year, and to complete essential courses within the core curriculum that enable further development within a discipline). 
• Engaged in institutional advising practices which promote the metrics of the Momentum Approach:
  • Students attempt initial math and English requirements in the first year
  • Students attempt 9 hours in an academic focus area in the first year
  • Students attempt 30 hours of a clear pathway in the first year
• Engaged in the systematic examination of issues about student success and engagement which promote retention, progression, and graduation. 
• Documented the use of strategies employed for advising students that encourage a strong start to the first year/or stay strong throughout their academic careers.

Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.
• A narrative that articulates goals and strategies for making a difference in the academic success of first-year students, describing concrete modifications to previous practices and indicating a data-driven, research-based approach to evaluating success. (1-3 pages)
• Data/evidence of the impact of their innovative advising techniques/practices on student advising and success.
• One or two letters of support from colleagues, one or two letters of support from students qualified to comment on the value and quality of the nominee’s advising activities, and its impact in improving undergraduate retention, progression/persistence. These letters should describe how the nominee’s activities have contributed to institutional success (Momentum Results/Measures).

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 3, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.

To submit an application for this award, please use your UNG LOGIN to access the Office of Research Administration's Internal University Awards and External Grant Funding nominations site.

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees have:

• Evidence of class assignments or teaching pedagogies that foster purposeful choice among students, specifically through the following: an introduction to or engagement in high-impact practices (e.g., undergraduate research, service learning, internships, etc.), active career exploration that helps students see the connection between the academic discipline and his/her/their major of choice, and engagement in deep and integrative learning.
• Evidence of class assignments or teaching pedagogies that develop an internal sense of motivation and create a productive academic mindset, specifically by helping students discover purpose and value in coursework, develop resilience and adaptive perceptions of academic challenges, and cultivate a sense of belonging in the college context.
• Evidence of impact beyond individual classes, such as program alignment with Momentum goals, or work with other campus units engaged in Momentum activities. (Teaching and Learning Academies, etc.).  
• Evidence of participation in an on-going and data-driven process for reviewing and reshaping curricula (course redesign, Gateways to Completion).
• Engaged in the systematic examination of issues about student learning and instructional conditions which promote learning, building on previous scholarship and the research literature.
• Created and documented the use of evidence-based strategies that support and foster growth mindsets with out-of-class experiences that emphasize the tenets of growth mindset, identify the purpose and value of higher education, and create a more inclusive culture.
• Developed a well-articulated teaching philosophy which propels the work of the USG’s Momentum Approach.

Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.
• A statement that outlines how this program supports the mission of the Momentum Year. (1-2 pages).
• Data/evidence of the impact of their teaching techniques/pedagogies on student learning and its potential impact on teaching and learning in the discipline.
• One or two letters of support from colleagues, one or two letters of support from students qualified to comment on the value and quality of the nominee’s activities, and their impact in improving undergraduate education and reaching the goals of the Momentum Program.

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 3, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. 

To submit an application for this award, please use your UNG LOGIN to access the Office of Research Administration's Internal University Awards and External Grant Funding nominations site.

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence such as those illustrated by the following examples:

• Individual and collective faculty efforts to improve teaching and student learning.
• Methods of assessment of student learning, achievements that go beyond student evaluations, and the use of assessment results to inform teaching practices, and curriculum development and revision. 
• Active support to enable faculty to use innovative and effective forms of pedagogy and technology (e.g., critical thinking, collaborative learning, cooperative learning, problem-based learning, learning communities, etc.). 
• Strong links between good teaching and various rewards (e.g., compensation, promotion, tenure, grants, leaves, travel, departmental or program-based awards, etc.).
• Department/unit policies that encourage collaborative faculty efforts, including team teaching, teaching discussion groups, common assessments, interdisciplinary courses, learning communities, mentoring, etc.
• An on-going and data-driven process for reviewing and reshaping curricula so that achieving academic excellence and serving the needs of all students remain as top priorities. 
• Exemplary programs for advising, mentoring, recruiting, and retaining students; co-curricular work with students; out-of-class learning. 
• Success of the department’s or program’s students (e.g., graduation, job placement, acceptance in graduate school, etc.). 
• Clear articulation of how quality is defined, promoted, and assessed by the department or program.

On the application form, you will be asked to enter application information and upload files. Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages. 
• A narrative statement from the department or program that outlines its philosophy as a community of faculty, and its goals and strategies for making a difference in the academic success of students. This statement should address the criteria for the award (2-3 pages). 
• A one-page fact profile for the department or program. 
• Data showing student success such as graduation rates, student retention, job placement, acceptance to other schools, etc. 
• A concise, clear, and well-organized collection of evidence that details the department’s or program’s distinctive efforts to foster good teaching and therefore student learning. Suggestions for the kinds of evidence that might be included in this collection are found in the award criteria. These documents should be accompanied by a brief explanation of why they are included in the dossier, i.e., how they document the excellence of the department’s teaching.

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by April 3, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. 

To submit an application for this award, please use your UNG LOGIN to access the Office of Research Administration's Internal University Awards and External Grant Funding nominations site.