The department is proud to announce that Lisa Velkoff received a P.E.O. Scholar Award for the 2020-21 AY. The awards are competitive, merit-based awards to recognize and encourage academic excellence and achievement by women in doctoral-level programs from throughout the United States. Congrats to Lisa (and to her advisor, April Smith)!

We are pleased to announce that two PSY majors, Hannah Caudill and Johanna Alexander, were each recognized with 2020 President’s Distinguished Service Awards! Congrats to Hannah and Johanna for this major university honor!

In addition, Johanna Alexander also received a Fulbright Award to study in Korean later this year. Because of COVID-19, it’s unclear whether she will be able to use her Fulbright this fall, but receiving a Fulbright is quite a major honor. Congrats!

PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD (PDSA): presented to approximately 15 seniors whose contributions to campus and community life have been truly exemplary. Eligible students include December 2019 and January 2020 graduates and seniors preparing to graduate in May 2020 and August 2020. The PDSA highlights the spirit of being a citizen leader of uncommon quality, such as: 

1.     Taking a leadership role in initiating university policy or policy change

2.     Rising to and exercising a significant level of leadership, regardless of formal title, within a student organization, student governance, student research or civic action that positively affects a significant portion of the student body

3.     Employment competency far beyond what is required, which may literally transform the position

4.     Effectively and creatively leading outreach efforts in a community organization/entity

A written nomination letter is required for this award. All nominations are reviewed by the PDSA Reading Committee, comprised of faculty and staff from the Oxford, Middletown, and Hamilton campuses. Academic performance and student disciplinary records are considered during this process. The timing and significance of a violation of the Code of Student Conduct may impact eligibility to receive the award. Recipients are honored at a ceremony in April and receive a medallion to wear with their commencement robes. All nominees for the PDSA also receive the Senior Service Leadership Award.

SENIOR SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD: honors graduating seniors who have demonstrated meritorious service in the areas of Campus Life, Community Service, Employee Service, and/or Intellectual & Cultural Leadership. Eligible students include December 2019 and January 2020 graduates and seniors preparing to graduate in May 2020 and August 2020. All nominated seniors will receive this award and be honored at a ceremony in early May, where they will receive a ribbon-medallion to be worn with their commencement robes.

EMPLOYEE SERVICE LEADERSHIP AWARD honors student workers who have demonstrated outstanding effort and accomplishments through student employment positions. Student employees are often the unsung heroes of any organization, contributing their talents daily to the successful operation of the department. This award recognizes those student employees who faithfully execute their responsibilities to ensure the mission of Miami is realized. All student employees, regardless of year at Miami, are eligible to receive this award. All students nominated will receive a pin in recognition of their service. Each senior nominated will also receive the Senior Service Leadership Award. 

Details regarding the nominations and the online nomination forms are available on the Parent & Family Programs website.All nominations must be submitted through this site.

Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Please note that October 14 is the deadline for three awards for our undergraduate and graduate students (for details, please see our department awards webpage for undergraduates).

Specifically, October 14 is the deadline for the Doctoral Undergraduate Opportunity Scholarships (DUOS) and for Undergraduate Research Award (URA) programs (for details, see the Office of Research for Undergraduates).

In addition, our department awards the Patten Senior Prize in Psychology to an outstanding senior major in psychology, based on exceptional academic performance and engagement in scholarly activities. Details for the Patten Prize (e.g., requirements, scoring rubrics, instructions) are available on the department awards website.

Please note that several university award deadlines are approaching (ranging from October 1 to December 6). Please consider nominating our colleagues for the following:

• Benjamin Harrison Medallion – awarded annually to a faculty member in recognition of extraordinary lifetime contributions to teaching, research, and service at Miami. Nominations are due by November 1.
• Distinguished Scholar Award and Junior Faculty Scholar Awards honors faculty whose excellence in research or other creative activity has brought them prominence or potential promise in their fields. Nominations are due by December 6.
• E. Phillips Knox Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes continuing faculty members who demonstrate creative, innovative and engaging teaching methods at the undergraduate level. Nominations are due by October 15.
• University Distinguished Service Award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has made an extraordinary impact on the life and mission of Miami University. Nominations are due by November 1.
• University Assessment Award recognizes outstanding contributions, commitments, and efforts that academic and academic support programs have made to their improvement through full-cycle assessment. Nominations are due by December 6.