The Harold E. Cheatham Innovative Practice Award honors the life and work of Harold E. Cheatham, who embodies the qualities that this award represents. This award recognizes the outstanding work of a campus practitioner who is innovative in their approach and has made a significant impact on student communities on their campus. ACPA intends to honor practitioners who make a difference at the local level and successfully try and assess new and creative approaches to our work.

Award Criteria:

• Minimum of 8 years as a practitioner in student affairs
• Evidence of making a significant contribution(s) to the co-curricular student experience, their campus
• Evidence of implementing innovative practices
• Demonstrated commitment to ACPA

Required Documentation:

• A letter of nomination that articulates how the individual meets the criteria for the award and includes the nominee’s name, email address, and telephone number
• The nominee’s resume
• Two supporting letters from the department and campus leadership

The ACPA Collaborative Excellence award recognizes a program (institution or department) that has demonstrated an exemplary partnership or an innovative, collaborative initiative among academic and student affairs professionals/departments for a sustained period of at least two years. This award recognizes achievements that support and foster college student learning by generating and disseminating knowledge. These achievements should also inform policies, practices, and programs at a college or university. Nominations may be received from any individual, regardless of institutional or individual membership affiliation with ACPA.

Award Criteria

• Evidence of exemplary partnership or collaboration for at least 2 years
• Evidence that the program fosters student learning and has contributed positively to the university
• Documented assessment of the program learning outcomes and results
• Demonstrated commitment to ACPA

Required Documentation

• A brief abstract of the program
• A nomination letter that articulates (a)  The program’s benefits to students; (b)  How the collaborative relationship (including the expression of values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, communication, and teams/teamwork) is critical to the achievement of the program’s goals and outcomes; (c)  Evidence that demonstrates excellence and effectiveness of the program; and, (d) the name, email address, and telephone number for the collaborative program’s point person
• Copies of marketing materials, articles, or other publications related to the program, if appropriate
• Two supporting letters from leaders in the field or a letter from the college/university president expressing why the collaborative program is so critically important to the institution in place of two supporting letters
• Acknowledgement by senior leaders in the collaborating departments/institutions offering their support for the partnership and program (these may serve in the place of the two supporting letters or they may be simple brief statements of support in addition to the two letters)

Started in 1979, the Annuit Coeptis Award honors five early career professionals at a dinner with the Annuit Coeptis Senior Professionals, where there can be wide-ranging discussions and exchanges about professional issues. These awards were created by ACPA (College Student Educators International) to celebrate the lives of Philip A. Tripp, Ursula Delworth, and Cynthia Johnson, who dearly loved to challenge their contemporary and junior colleagues in a spirit of personal and professional sharing, good humor, and intellectual debate. The Latin phrase “annuit coeptis” reflects Professor Tripp’s optimism for the future by suggesting, “He has smiled upon that which we have begun.” 

This award is intended to be a generative and cross-generational experience. The dinner models the importance of being both teachers and learners. It invites awardees to practice the synergy that can be created when we come together with cross-generational wisdom.

Criteria for Emerging Professionals

1. No more than five years of full-time professional experience since completion of a master’s degree.
2. Evidence of the potential for significant contribution to the field of student affairs in at least one of the following areas: (a) administrative service or teaching; (b) presentations (to include conference presentations) of innovative practice(s) or scholarship; (c) professional association service; or (d) leadership.
3. Recipients must register for and attend the 2026 ACPA Annual Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, and be available to share dinner with the other award recipients (traditionally on Tuesday evening of the conference). 

To nominate (Google Form) a colleague or yourself for the Emerging Professional level, please submit the nominee’s current resume and at least one nomination letter. Nomination materials must be received no later than October 31, 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Ellen Broido, ebroido@bgsu.edu

Started in 1979, the Annuit Coeptis Award honors three senior professionals at a dinner with the Annuit Coeptis Emerging Professionals, where there can be wide-ranging discussions and exchanges about professional issues. These awards were created by ACPA (College Student Educators International) to celebrate the lives of Philip A. Tripp, Ursula Delworth, and Cynthia Johnson, who dearly loved to challenge their contemporary and junior colleagues in a spirit of personal and professional sharing, good humor, and intellectual debate. The Latin phrase “annuit coeptis” reflects Professor Tripp’s optimism for the future by suggesting, “He has smiled upon that which we have begun.” 

This award is intended to be a generative and cross-generational experience. The dinner models the importance of being both teachers and learners. It invites awardees to practice the synergy that can be created when we come together with cross-generational wisdom.

Award Criteria for Senior Professionals

1. Evidence of extensive and sustained contributions to the field of student affairs in the areas of (a) administrative service or teaching, (b) research and publication, (c) professional association service, and (d) demonstrated leadership.
2. Evidence of Phil Tripp’s commitment to mentoring and encouraging early career student affairs professionals.
3. Recipients must plan to register and attend the 2026 ACPA Annual Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, and be available to share dinner with the other award recipients (traditionally on Tuesday evening of the conference. 

To nominate (Google Form) a colleague for the Senior Professional Award, please submit a nominee’s resume and a letter explaining how the person meets the criteria listed below; up to two additional letters of support are encouraged. Nomination materials must be received no later than October 31, 2025. Please note that past recipients of the Emerging Professional Award are eligible for the Senior Award later in their careers.

If you have any questions, please contact Ellen Broido, ebroido@bgsu.edu

ACPA implemented its Senior Scholars Program in 1984. ACPA Senior Scholars advocate for the integration of scholarship into the practice of student affairs. Senior Scholars, through the creation of an engaged scholar network, keep abreast of promising work and identify critical issues that could benefit from inquiry and attention. The Senior Scholars Program provides scholars with a continuing opportunity to promote scholarship through the presentation of programs of interest to the profession at each national convention and to serve the association on projects related to their fields of interest. The current Senior Scholars published a Statement of Action to guide their work.

ACPA Senior Scholars represent the best of engaged scholarship relevant to student affairs work in higher education. Scholars are senior members of the profession (e.g., generally full professors or senior student affairs officers) who have made exemplary and sustained contributions to ACPA’s mission transforming higher education by creating and sharing influential scholarship, shaping critically reflective practice, and advocating for equitable and inclusive learning environments. A maximum of 12 Senior Scholars can hold active membership. Senior Scholars must be or become members of ACPA and maintain that their membership throughout their term. Senior Scholars serve terms of five years. The term begins at the end of the convention following the appointment as Senior Scholar. Senior Scholars are strongly encouraged to attend the convention at the time of their appointment to begin their orientation to the group.

EXPECTATIONS OF SENIOR SCHOLARS:

Seniors Scholars must attend at least four ACPA national conventions during their five-year term and be active participants in the work of the Senior Scholars. (Meetings are traditionally held the day prior to and day of the convention opening session. For ACPA26 in Baltimore, those dates are Sunday, March 29 and Monday, March 30. In addition to participating in national conventions, Senior Scholars will endeavor to participate in conference calls throughout the year (typically four meetings). When possible an optional in-person meeting may be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). All Senior Scholars are expected to participate in the annual review and selection of Emerging Scholars and Senior Scholars. Project leaders may coordinate other meetings as needed so that groups who are in charge of specific initiatives can organize for report outs during the Senior Scholar meetings/conference calls.

Senior Scholars are expected to serve the organization by participating in at least one scholarly leadership commitment annually, including, but not limited to:

• Coordinating ACPA Senior Scholars session proposal process for the ACPA national convention
• Directing the Emerging Scholar and Senior Scholar review, selection, and orientation processes
• Serving on committees or liaising with relevant groups (e.g., Senior Student Affairs Officers) of the Association
• Leading efforts to support ACPA’s mission, vision, and values and the Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization
• Serving on the Publications Committee of ACPA, the ACPA Awards and Recognition Working Council, or the Marylu McEwen Dissertation of the Year Award Selection Committee
• Leading the Senior Scholar Grant Program
• Collaborating with the Senior Student Affairs Officer (SSAO) Advisory Board to develop an agenda for research and scholarship and identifying topics for research and scholarship that address day to day issues and concerns faced by senior student affairs officers in their professional practice
• Coordinating research papers and posters on the convention program team (can be a current scholar or a scholar chosen for this role by the Senior Scholars group)
• Advancing the scholarship agenda of ACPA

EXPECTATIONS OF DIPLOMATES

ACPA Senior Scholar Diplomates are encouraged to continue to serve the association and to be involved with Senior Scholar activities as they are interested and able.

Diplomate status is conferred upon Senior Scholars who have fulfilled Scholar expectations and participated in at least four of five (2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031) ACPA national convention meetings during the Senior Scholar term.

ORIENTATION AND END OF SERVICE

New Senior Scholars will be recognized at the ACPA Award Ceremony at the convention following their appointment (i.e., 2026 in Baltimore). Senior Scholars complete their term of service at the close of their 2031 convention; scholars achieving Diplomate status will be recognized for this designation at the Award Ceremony at that last convention.

NOMINATE A COLLEAGUE

To nominate a deserving colleague, please forward their name and contact information to Dr. Ellen Broido, ebroido@bgsu, in advance of the September 28, 2025 deadline for submission of all application materials. Nominees will be invited to apply for consideration by submitting the materials listed below.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply for ACPA Senior Scholars, submit a single PDF document with the following materials: (a) cover letter with responses to questions below (no more than 250 words per question) and (b) current CV.

• How can you help the Senior Scholars advance our statement of action?
• How do your scholarly interests and trajectory align with those found in ACPA’s A Bold Vision Forward: A Framework for the Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization.
• How will being a part of Senior Scholars contribute to your scholarly and professional development?
• What role would you like to see the Senior Scholars play for the association and the field of student affairs?

Application including all supporting documents are due 11:59 pm (EST) on September 28, 2025 and should be uploaded to this form. Submit all materials in a single PDF document, in the order listed under “application process.” Please use “Senior Scholars Application—LAST NAME” for your PDF file. Applicants will be notified in late 2025. For more information, contact Dr. Ellen Broido at ebroido@bgsu.

We are now accepting applications for the Class of 2026-2028 ACPA Emerging Scholar-Designees. Recipients will be announced as 2026-2028 ACPA Emerging Scholar-Designees (that is, from the 2026 ACPA Convention through the 2028 ACPA Convention) and each will receive a research grant from ACPA. The Emerging Scholar-Designees who have fulfilled their research and scholarly leadership commitments – as specified in their applications – by the end of their two-year term will be designated as ACPA Emerging Scholars. Requests for a one-year unfunded extension or renegotiation of the specified leadership commitments by Emerging Scholar-Designees will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Newly selected Emerging Scholar-Designees must participate at the 2026 convention in a meeting with the Senior Scholars; meetings are traditionally held the day prior to and day of the convention opening session. In 2026 (Baltimore, MD) those dates are Sunday, March 29 and Monday, March 30. 

Times are subject to change depending on the format of the 2026 convention.

All emerging scholar-designees must register for the convention

ELIGIBILITY

• Applicants must be an ACPA member.
• Applicants must not have received tenure (applications welcomed from those who are not faculty or are not tenure-track faculty, as well as pre-tenure faculty).
• Applications must have a demonstrated record of scholarly productivity related to student affairs or college students.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants for 2026-2028 ACPA Emerging Scholar-Designee must submit the following materials in a single PDF document saved as “Emerging Scholars Application – Last Name” by 11:59 pm (EST) on Sunday, September 28, 2025.

1. Letter of interest that includes the following:

• An explanation of how your scholarly interests and trajectory align with those found in ACPA’s A Bold Vision Forward: A Framework for the Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization. 
• A description of  your in-progress or completed work that demonstrates your scholarly activity. Address the potential impacts or significance of your work to the field of student affairs.
• A description of your current and past involvement with ACPA, including any leadership positions you have held.
• A statement of your willingness to complete at least two proposed scholarly leadership commitments (see below) during the Emerging Scholars Program two-year period. Please indicate which opportunities you would choose and why.
  • Co-coordinate (with a current Senior Scholar or another Emerging Scholar) an ACPA convention session or pre- convention session designed to advance the goals SIRJD.
  • If selected, serve as designated Scholar-in-Residence (minimum one-year term) for an ACPA Commission, Coalition, or other formally constituted group.
  • Submit a scholarly piece to Developments.
  • Other (to be proposed by the candidate) that will advance ACPA’s mission, vision, values, or Strategic Imperative and is consistent with the applicant’s scholarly agenda. Applicants should describe the proposed commitment in sufficient detail to foster understanding of its content and scope during the ACPA Emerging Scholar-Designee review and selection processes.
• Tell us about the opportunities you have had for scholarly support in your doctoral program and your career to date and any challenges to your scholarly productivity (e.g., uncompensated administrative responsibilities, teaching load, access to mentoring, internal grant opportunities, etc.).

1. Current CV
2. Research project proposal of no more than three single-spaced pages, excluding cover page and reference list. The proposed research project should focus on college students and/or the student affairs profession and be an original scholarly contribution; while co-authorship is acceptable, the applicant should be the primary investigator. Editing of others’ work (e.g., proposing an edited book) does not meet the expectations for the Emerging Scholar research project. Proposal should include the following items:

• A description of the proposed research project (including description of methodology and methods), how the study advances the applicant’s broader research agenda, and how the research supports the Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization.
• A proposed time frame (ordinarily, no longer than the designee’s two-year term as ACPA Emerging Scholar-Designee).
• A brief project budget. Funds may be used for operating expenses including travel for data collection or dissemination. Funds may not be used to purchase equipment or to offset or supplement the designee’s salary or solely to cover conference travel. ACPA funding may not be used to cover F&A/indirect costs.
• An explanation of how the proposed research project, within the context of the applicant’s overall research agenda, advances ACPA’s mission, vision, and values as well as ACPA’s Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization (SIRJD).
• A commitment to present research findings at a minimum of one ACPA convention during the designee’s two-year term (i.e., 2026 Emerging Scholar-Designees must present at either the 2027 or the 2028 convention as part of the sponsored Emerging Scholar research sessions).

Commitments

In addition to completing the scholarly leadership commitments and research project noted in your application, the emerging scholars will meet with the senior scholars bi-monthly. Emerging scholars are expected to attend the ACPA Convention for the duration of their time as Emerging Scholar Designees. The relationship between emerging and senior scholars is envisioned as reciprocal.

Please direct any questions about applications for the Emerging Scholars program to Ellen Broido, ebroido@bgsu.edu