Categories:

Outstanding Advising Program Awards may be presented annually in a variety of categories, including (but are not limited to):

1. Programs serving specific populations of students.  Examples include: adult learners, at-risk students, undecided students, student athletes, and graduate students.
2. Programs involving the administration and organization of advising.  Examples include: advising models, advisor training, uses of technology, advisor evaluation, and program evaluation.
3. Additional programs not included in 1 and 2 above.

Eligibility:

1. Any regionally accredited post-secondary institution may submit an application.  NACADA affiliation is not required.
2. Previous Program Award Winners or Certificates of Merit recipients are eligible ONLY if three years have elapsed since their selection and the program has been significantly modified or altered.
3. Only one nomination per institution will be considered. The Selection Committee will not consider multiple nominations for different programs within the same institution. 
4. Programs must have been operational for three or more years (time frame may include pilot period).  Data to substantiate program effectiveness must be included with the submission.  Programs lacking data to substantiate at least three years of program effectiveness will not be evaluated.

Rubric

Criteria:

Evidence of an outstanding program will include (but not limited to), the qualities listed below.  In addition, program description, suitability for dissemination, and adherence to program guidelines are key factors in selection.

1. Innovative Quality — Represents new approaches to effective academic advising.  If a program has been implemented elsewhere but is new to an institution, it is eligible.
2. Creativity — Demonstrates creative use of resources (human, fiscal, and physical) in the delivery of academic advising services.
3. Currency — Addresses current problems and issues in academic advising.
4. Institutional Commitment — Demonstrating commitment to advising throughout the institution.
5. Impact — Providing definitive evidence of positive student and/or institutional outcomes.
6. Transferability — Applicable to a wide variety of institutions.

Submission Procedures:

Nominations must contain adequate factual or descriptive material to enable the Selection Committee to evaluate the program, including:

1. A completed Nomination Submission.
2. A program abstract not to exceed 250 words
3. An original, publishable manuscript not more than 2,500 words in length, typewritten and double-spaced, and in the following order and format:
   1. Institutional description
   2. Program development (how, when, and why the program was developed, including problems encountered, organizational concerns, budget, and other practical considerations)
   3. Goals and objectives
   4. Program description
   5. Procedures used in program evaluation (quantitative and/or qualitative)
   6. Results/outcome (impact on students and/or the institution)
   7. Potential for adaptation by other institutions

Supporting materials will be accepted in the Appendices section. Links may be provided from the NACADA website to the websites of the nominated programs, if applicable. The online system will allow you to submit more than one attachment for the appendices but the total number of pages if printed should be no more than 40.

Please be sure to review the Submission Instructions page before beginning your nomination. 

Submit a Nomination