Award Categories and Criteria
> Excellence in Student Group Programming
> Excellence in Social Justice
> Excellence in Values Congruence
> Excellence in Leadership
Excellence in Student Group Programming
Excellence in Student Group Programming recognizes excellence in planning and presentation of campus programs.
Excellence in Student Group Programming Award
Excellence in Student Group Programming Award recognizes student groups who are innovative, collaborative, motivated and have produced an outstanding program for the campus community.
Criteria for this award may include any of the following:
- Setting and attaining goals
- Collaboration
- Innovation
- Unique and creative marketing
- An overhauled or improved program
- A campus-wide initiative
- Fiscal responsibility
- Programming to diversity of student populations
- Showing a responsible use of alcohol
- A new or first-time event
- A nonalcoholic focus
- Theme or series programs
- A high-level of community impact
Excellence in Social Justice
Excellence in Social Justice recognizes individuals and student
organizations who exemplify an active commitment to serving others and to increasing awareness and sensitivity to issues faced by marginalized communities.
Helen Davis Humanitarian Award (Individual)
The Helen Davis Humanitarian Award recognizes an individual who promotes social justice and human rights in the greater St. Louis community through education and service.
The Helen Davis Humanitarian Award was established by the Office of Student Activities in 1995 as a tribute to the dedication shown by Ms. Davis to Washington University and the St. Louis community. The award will recognize a student who promotes human welfare in the St. Louis community through education and service.
Criteria
The student worthy of the Helen Davis Humanitarian Award will have demonstrated the following commitments in their services to the St. Louis community:
- Enabling and empowering others to accomplish their goals and dreams.
- Displaying resourcefulness to meet the needs of others.
- Embracing differences and showing a commitment to diversity.
- Sharing a generous and unselfish attitude.
- Promoting human welfare through education and action.
- Demonstrating a commitment to social justice.
Dignity of Difference Award (Group)
Dignity of Difference Award recognizes student organizations for efforts that have enhanced the campus climate related to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, culture, disabilities, and wellness.
Criteria
- Contribution and service to multicultural populations.
- Enhanced understanding of populations in the Washington University community.
- Demonstrated commitment and concern for the welfare of others.
- Heightened sensitivity of participants.
- Innovation and creativity in the overall planning and presentation of new or established programs.
- Evidence of an effort to encourage, promote, and market the program to the Washington University community.
Excellence in Values Congruence
Excellence in Values Congruence recognizes individuals and student organizations who have consistently exemplified and honored their principles, values, and/or traditions.
Ripple Award (Individual)
Ripple Award recognizes an individual who stands up for his or her ideals, strikes out against injustice, bestows unconditional respect upon all beings, enables groups and individuals to flourish, and recognizes the significance of small acts in the effort to attain a greater vision.
The Ripple Award was established in 1995 by the Student Union, the Committee Organization for Rape Education, Residential Advisors, Office of Residential Life, and Office of Student Activities to recognize an individual who stands up for his/her ideals, strikes out against injustice, bestows unconditional respect upon all beings, enables groups and individuals to flourish, and recognizes the significance of small acts in the effort to attain a greater vision.
Criteria
The student worthy of the Ripple Award will have demonstrated the following criteria in his/her leadership roles on campus.
- An altruistic attitude.
- Exceptional leadership skills.
- Recognizes the impact of individual contributions to the success of every project/program/group.
- Recognizes the broad impact of small actions.
- Intrinsically motivated as evidenced by leadership and action.
- Celebrates the individual.
- Recognizes and encouraging personal initiative.
- Enables individuals and groups to flourish.
Living the Mission Award
The Living the Mission Award was merged with the Living the Ritual award in 2007 to honor both non-Greek and Greek student organizations for their intentional efforts to incorporate and uphold the values and principles of their organization.
Criteria
The student organization must:
- Articulate the founding principles and values of their organization and describe how the student organization, as well as individual members, strives to honor those principles and values.
- Provide evidence that such efforts have been successful.
- Discuss the challenges associated with living the mission.
- Include two letters of endorsement from either your student organization advisor, community members and/or faculty/staff from Washington University, describing how the student organization demonstrates the founding principles and values of their organization.
- Include two - five personal testimonies from members of the student organization describing how their organization encourages "living their mission" on a daily basis. This can be written, voice recorded or video taped.
Past Recipients
Excellence in Progressive Leadership
The Excellence in Progressive Leadership awards are the premier awards honoring individuals and student organizations who exemplify the "best of leadership" within the campus community. All nominees for previous awards will be considered for these awards; however, individuals and student organizations also may be nominated or apply for these specific awards.
Victor H. Farwell Award (Individual)
Victor H. Farwell Outstanding Senior Leader Award recognizes a senior for exemplary leadership, service, and commitment to the Washington University community.
The Victor H. Farwell Award was established in 1994 by several student organizations to recognize exemplary leadership, service, and commitment by an outstanding senior student to the Washington University community. The award recognizes service to the University while also honoring the extraordinary service of a wonderful person. This award acts as the capstone leadership award for a senior who has worked throughout their four years to better the Washington University community and their own leadership skills.
Criteria
The student worthy of the Victor H. Farwell Award will have demonstrated the following commitment:
- Showing compassion for fellow students.
- Selflessly sacrificing on occasion in order to benefit others.
- Unifying our campus - building bridges between individuals as well as groups of students.
- Understanding and addressing the issues facing University students and their environment.
- Instilling confidence in others through belief in and encouragement of fellow students
- Helping others to achieve their potential.
The Outstanding Freshman Leader Award
The Outstanding Freshman Leader Award recognizes a freshman for exemplary leadership, service, and commitment to the campus community.
This award is established in 2006 to recognize exemplary initiative, motivation, and potential as a future leader on campus by a freshmen student to the Washington University community.
Criteria
The student worthy of the Outstanding Freshman Leader Award will have demonstrated the following commitment:
- Desire to learn more about leadership and being a leader at Washington University.
- Shows initiative, motivation, and potential for continued student leadership within the University.
- Consistently exploring new resources and activities at Washington University.
- Quality, scope, and level of involvement.
- Demonstrated personal growth.
- Future commitment and potential for future achievement.
- Helping others to achieve their potential.
The Outstanding Sophomore Leader Award
The Outstanding Sophomore Leader Award recognizes a sophomore for exemplary leadership, service, and commitment to the campus community.
This award is established in 2006 to recognize exemplary initiative and motivation, and continued student leadership on campus by a sophomore student to the Washington University community.
Criteria
The student worthy of the Outstanding Sophomore Leader Award will have demonstrated the following commitment:
- Continue to show enthusiasm about involvement at Washington University .
- Established personal goals and begun to achieve those goals within their student groups or within the Washington University community.
- Quality, scope, and level of involvement exceed the average sophomore student.
- Future commitment and potential for future achievement
- Showing compassion for fellow students.
- Selflessly sacrifice in order to benefit others.
- Unifying our campus - building bridges between individuals as well as groups of students.
- Understanding and addressing the issues facing University students and their environment.
- Instilling confidence in others through belief in and encouragement of fellow students
- Helping others to achieve their potential.
The Outstanding Junior Leader Award
The Outstanding Junior Leader Award recognizes a junior for exemplary leadership, service, and commitment to the campus community.
This award is established in 2006 to recognize exemplary motivation and initiation, as well as strong evidence of continued student leadership, by an outstanding junior student to the Washington University community.
Criteria
The student worthy of the Outstanding Junior Leader Award will have demonstrated the following commitment:
- Continue to show enthusiasm about involvement at Washington University .
- Established personal goals and begun to achieve those goals within their student groups or within the Washington University community.
- Quality, scope, and level of involvement continues to improve and individual has demonstrated personal growth
- Demonstrated future commitment and potential for future achievement.
- Showing compassion for fellow students.
- Selflessly sacrifice in order to benefit others.
- Unifying our campus - building bridges between individuals as well as groups of students.
- Understanding and addressing the issues facing University students and their environment.
- Instilling confidence in others through belief in and encouragement of fellow students.
- Helping others to achieve their potential.
Unsung Hero Award (Individual)
This award is established in 2006 to recognize a student for work they do behind the scenes. The individual may not hold an executive leadership position within an organization, but consistently works to improve his or her organization or cause. This award will recognize someone who goes above and beyond their responsibilities as a general member and does so to enhance the overall outcome of the student organization, a program, or an initiative.
Criteria
The student awarded the Unsung Hero Award will have demonstrated the following commitment:
- Does not hold an executive leadership position in the student organization, program, or initiative.
- Demonstrates a strong commitment to enhancing the community at Washington University .
- Positively influences the organization, program, or initiative from behind the scenes.
- Has a positive attitude toward what they are trying to accomplish and demonstrates sincere willingness to help in whatever capacity necessary.
- Completes tasks and duties with a high level of quality.
- Shows compassion for fellow students.
- Selflessly sacrifices in order to benefit others.
- Unifies our campus - building bridges between individuals as well as groups of students.
- Understands and addresses the issues facing University students and their environment.
- Instills confidence in others through belief in and encouragement of fellow students
- Helps others to achieve their potential.
Student Organization Progressive Leadership Award (Group)
Student Organization Progressive Leadership Award recognizes exemplary leadership and commitment by a student organization to the campus community.
The organization worthy of this award will have demonstrated progressive leadership and commitment consistent with the mission of OSA. This organization will have worked to:
Criteria
- Consistently build leadership skills through discovering and acting upon passions.
- Improved organizational operation.
- Establish goals and follow through to goal attainment.
- Promote, create and execute social interactions and activities.
- Enhance interpersonal and organizational skills.
- Expand worldviews.
- Build relationships with others and work collaboratively.
- Contribute positively to the community.
- Think analytically, creatively and critically.
- Act ethically and with integrity.
- Shape personal values.