The Fine Family Academy of Educators Awards for Educational Excellence are designed to recognize and celebrate our outstanding educators and acknowledge achievements in education. Learn more about the Academy and membership.
These awards are presented in three categories; view the award descriptions below. Nominations can be submitted by individual faculty or staff members (including supervisors, direct reports and peers of the nominees). Self-nominations will also be accepted.
When you are ready, fill out the Faculty and Educational Excellence Award Nomination Form. Be sure to have all of your required documentation accessible before beginning the nomination process. You will receive a confirmation email once complete.
Eligibility and Award
All FFAOE faculty members in good standing with at least one year of service by June 30, 2024 are eligible to receive recognition with this award. The nominees may not have had any formal disciplinary action or report of professional misconduct within 36 months prior to the nomination date and must meet or exceed an overall performance rating of "Exceeds Expectation" on their most recent faculty annual review. Each recipient will receive a $500 monetary stipend and a commemorative award. A FFAOE faculty member previously recognized with a Fine Family Academy of Educators Award for Educational Excellence is not eligible to receive the same award for a period of five years (see listing here).
Award for Educational Innovation in Curriculum Development, Teaching, or Assessment (QTY. 1)
This award will recognize an individual for having developed an innovative portion of a curriculum or played a significant role in the design of a curriculum following educationally sound principles; or adopted and successfully incorporated a new teaching method or an assessment tool. This award is meant to encourage FFAOE faculty members to creatively apply their talents to improve the experience of our learners.
Nominating statement should provide details, not to exceed two pages (if in excess of, only pages 1-2 will be reviewed), describing the nominee's contribution, using Glassick's criteria for scholarly work as a guide:
- Clear goals
- Adequate preparation
- Appropriate methods
- Significant results
- Effective presentation
AWARD FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (QTY. 1)
This award acknowledges and celebrates exemplary leadership at various levels of seniority that had a significant and positive impact on advancing the educational experience of our learners. This award will be given to a FFAOE faculty member who demonstrated a record of significant leadership which matches or exceeds the record presented in the standard-setting examples. Examples include serving as director of a module, course, program, or clerkship; chairing or serving on an education-related committee; leading an Academy of Educators work team or helping with the development of the Academy; or receiving an educational-related grant that supports training or programs.
Nominating statement should provide details, not to exceed two pages (if in excess of, only pages 1-2 will be reviewed), of one of the most significant/best achievements in educational leadership using the following criteria as a guide:
- Title of the project
- Year implemented
- Describe the need, problem or opportunity
- Rationale for change or innovation
- Goals
- Leadership role(s)
- Specific contribution or impact
- Target audience
- Connection to prior work, literature and best practices
AWARD FOR EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP (QTY. 1)
The Educational Scholarship Award is designed primarily for the FFAOE faculty member who has examples of educational scholarship work which are broadly disseminated. We seek to define scholarship broadly. According to Boyers Model of Scholarship it can include:
- Scholarship of Discovery: This research contributes to the knowledge and the intellectual climate, and focuses not only on outcomes but the process.
- Scholarship of Integration: Work which makes connections across disciplines, seeks to interpret, draw together, and bring new insight to bear on original research.
- Scholarship of Application: Considers how scholarly investigation and knowledge can be applied to identify problems/issues.
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Link between educational theory and knowledge and application to teaching practice. For example, teaching which stimulates active learning and encourages critical, creative thinking.
Nominating statement should provide details, not to exceed two pages (if in excess of, only pages 1-2 will be reviewed), of a best representation of educational scholarship using the following criteria as a guide:
- Title of study/project
- Purpose
- Preparation (e.g., links with prior work, best practices or literature)
- Problem, issue or opportunity
- Research design
- Results/outcomes/impact
- Impact value to the institution
- Nominee's role