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CPP Awards

Each year, the Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs acknowledges and supports the outstanding teaching and scholarship of faculty and the scholarship of graduate students in higher education and student affairs programs through the presentation of awards. We are pleased to announce the criteria, application process, and deadline for this year’s awards process. Recipients will be recognized at the annual ACPA National Convention.

For questions about any of the awards, please contact any of the Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs Faculty Awards Coordinators, Reginald Blockett (blocketr@gvsu.edu), Conor McLaughlin (conorpm@bgsu.edu), or Rachel Smith (rsmith2@iastate.edu).

Faculty Awards/Grants

CFGP Teaching Excellence Award

The ACPA CFGP Teaching Excellence Award offers instructional faculty in higher education and student affairs graduate programs an opportunity to be recognized by their peers as teachers who inspire the next generation of college student educators. The teaching award is $400. The deadline for electronic proposal submissions is 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time November 1, 2021.

Selection Criteria

Selection for the award is based on the following criteria, which are not ranked by order of importance, nor exclusive:

• Uses multiple approaches in classroom/practicum instruction and evaluation
• Stimulates intellectual curiosity in students
• Shows evidence of employing cutting-edge knowledge in the field
• Demonstrates commitment to student learning as instructor, role model, or positive influence on career development of students
• Reflects on past teaching experience or professional practice to improve current practice

Submission Content

Please compile all material into one PDF document for submission. The required materials include:

• Description of Teaching Excellence:  Statement authored by the nominee, emphasizing pedagogy and reflection on teaching experiences over time (750 word maximum)
• Sample teaching material: Carefully selected item that best represents teaching excellence. The artifact could include, for example: a syllabus, course assignment, project guidelines and support material, teaching tool, self-authored learning object.
• Evidence of impact on student learning: A single item demonstrating impact on student learning. Examples include: student evaluations from a course, peer observation report, or student project sample (shared with permission)
• Two letters of support:
  • One letter of support from an instructional colleague
  • One letter of support from a student (current or past)

Faculty Research Grant

The ACPA CFGP invites the submission of Faculty Research Grant proposals. The awards will be funded for up to $1500 and made for a one-year period, beginning March 9, 2022. The deadline for electronic proposal submissions is 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time November 1, 2021.

Purpose of Grant. The purpose of the Faculty Research Grant Program is to fund innovative research projects that further the goals of the commission and contribute to the body of knowledge about student affairs and/or higher education administration.

Eligibility. Proposals may be submitted by individual faculty members or by a team of researchers. In the event that the application is a team submission, the Primary/Lead Researcher must be a faculty member, but the remaining team members may be faculty, graduate students, or student affairs educators/practitioners. Both full-time faculty and those who serve in adjunct roles are eligible to apply. All applicants, whether individual or as part of a team, must be active members of ACPA at the time of submission.

Grant Award Period. Awards will be made for a one-year period (March 2022 – March 2023).

Selection Criteria. Proposals will be reviewed on the following criteria:

• Relevance To the Goals of the Commission. Priority will be given to the funding of research on topics related to (1) graduate preparation in student affairs, (2) topics related to professional preparation, and (3) other topics of interest to student affairs professionals.
• Feasibility and Design. Research designs should adhere to design conventions of the methodology used, although no methodological tradition is given priority; funding priority is given to those research designs that reviewers deem have the potential to generate important and meaningful results.
• Overall Clarity and Quality of Proposal. Proposals should adhere to the conventions of academic writing, use APA style, and be free from grammatical errors. Budgets much be fully developed and use of funds should be clearly delineated.

Review Process. A review committee will review masked proposals on the above criteria. Depending upon available resources a proposal may be funded at a level other than the amount requested.

Post-Grant Reporting Requirements. Upon completion of the study, recipients must submit an executive summary (maximum 2 pages) of the study and a summary of expenditures to the Commission’s awards coordinators. This report should be submitted within one month of completion of the study or by the conclusion of the funding year (March 14). All grant recipients would also be invited to present at a future conference as part of a research symposium.

Proposal Content. A complete proposal consists of four sections: Project Narrative (4 double-spaced pages), Project Budget (2 pages) and Proposed Timetable (1 page), and References and Appendices. It is important that all aspects of each section are sufficiently covered in the grant proposal, as indicated below.

• Project Narrative. In a maximum of 4 double-spaced pages, cover:
  • The rationale for the study
  • The purpose of the study
  • The relevance of the study to the goals of the Commission.
  • The research questions/hypotheses posed in the study
  • The methodology (sample, technique(s), data analysis procedures)
  • Instruments/protocols should be appended to the narrative and are not counted in the 4-page limit.

• Project Budget. In a maximum of 2 pages:
  • Include all costs to conduct the study
  • Reflect other funding received to conduct the study
  • Include the amount sought from this grant
  • Include rationale for budget items.
  • Exclude indirect costs.
  • Exclude any costs to produce the report of the study (e.g., photocopying, binding, etc.)

• Proposed Timetable. In a maximum of 1 page, provide a detailed summary of the timeline for the study.

• References and Appendices. Please limit attachments, as the evaluation of the grant proposal will be focused on those items listed above.
  • Include a page of references.
  • Include appendices of instruments and protocols.

Proposal Length Limitations. Proposals may NOT exceed 7 pages, not including title page, references, and appendices. Page specifications for each section of the proposal are indicated in the proposal contents, and include: Project Narrative (max 4 double-spaced pages), Project Budget (max 2 pages), and Proposed Timeline (max 1-page).

Submission Guidelines. Proposals must be submitted via online form. 

Directions for submission: After selecting “Professional Preparation” from the dropdown box on the main submission page, click the specific award for which you are applying. Fill in your own information under the “Person/Group being Nominated: Individual, Institution, or Group” (you do not need to complete the top half of the form under “Nominator” since all of our CPP awards are self-nominated). Under “Upload Nomination Letter and Other Materials,” upload materials for your specific award (you do not need a nomination letter for CPP awards). 

Upload your file as a MSWord or PDF document. Submissions must name files with the first few words of the award name and title of the submission. For example: Crookston Student Campus Climate. Your name or institutional affiliation should not appear anywhere on the document.

The reviewers reserve the right to make no award. 

Research & Writing Awards

Each year, the CFGP acknowledges the outstanding scholarship of graduate students in higher education and student affairs programs through the presentation of research and writing awards. We are pleased to announce the criteria, application process, and deadline for this year’s awards process. Recipients will be recognized at the annual ACPA National Convention.

The purpose of these awards is to honor the writing and research of students enrolled (and those who earned their degrees between March 2020 – August 2021 in graduate preparation programs in student affairs or higher education. Graduate students need not be a member of ACPA to apply for a writing award, although it is highly encouraged that graduate students join the Association.

Prepare your entry as follows:

• Entries for all awards must be submitted electronically.  Please limit your submission to only one award per award cycle.
• Save as an MSWord or PDF document. Submissions must name files with the first few words of the award name and title of the submission. For example: Crookston Student Campus Climate. Your name or institutional affiliation should not appear anywhere on the document. Entries will be masked for anonymous review.
• Submit your entry via the designated online form.
• Directions for submission: After selecting “Professional Preparation” from the dropdown box on the main submission page, click the specific award for which you are applying. Fill in your own information under the “Person/Group being Nominated: Individual, Institution, or Group” (you do not need to complete the top half of the form under “Nominator” since all of our CPP awards are self-nominated). Under “Upload Nomination Letter and Other Materials,” upload materials for your specific award (you do not need a nomination letter for CPP awards).
• The deadline for entries is 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time November 1, 2021. Please note that late submissions will not be considered.

Entries not prepared in this manner will not be considered for an award. The judges reserve the right to make no award in any category.

Burns B. Crookston Doctoral Research Award

This award recognizes research by a doctoral student or students which must entail original, journal-quality, research that brings greater understanding to the learning or development of students or the organization and administration of student affairs practice. The award is $400.

Submissions should not exceed 7,500 words (approximately 30 double-spaced pages), including references, tables, and figures. All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 7th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education.

Gerald Saddlemire Masters Research Award

Submissions must be from students in a Master’s student affairs graduate preparation program (or someone who graduated December 2020, Spring 2021, or Summer 2021). Submissions must entail original, journal quality research that gives insight into the learning or development of students or the organization and administration of student affairs practice. The amount of the award is $400.

Submissions must not exceed 3,500 words (approximately 15 double-spaced pages), including references, tables, and figures. All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 7th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education.

Roberta Christie Essay Award

This award is presented to a current graduate student for writing an essay that best captures the learning goals of the convention. The amount of the award is $200. Please describe how you will benefit in at least two of the goal areas by attending the convention. After attending the convention, participants will be able to:

• Identify learning scenarios in uncommon places, including and beyond traditional educational programs, to maximize professional growth opportunities;
• Discuss global and contemporary critical concepts in higher, post-secondary, and tertiary education;
• Examine perspectives on scholarship and practice to expand viewpoints and apply new understandings;
• Demonstrate an increase in active use of the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies;
• Construct meaningful connections with other student and academic affairs and services professionals;
• Develop a plan to reflect on and take their learning back to their professional home.

Entries must not exceed five double-spaced pages (excluding any references).

Nevitt Sanford Award

The purpose of this award is to provide financial assistance for research within student affairs. The award may be used to help support dissertations, theses, or specific graduate student research projects. The amount of the award is $400.

Entries must not exceed 750 words (approximately three double-spaced pages, excluding references). Entries must address the purpose, methodology, and significance of the research and how the award money would be spent.

For questions about any of the awards, please contact any of the Commission for Professional Preparation Faculty Awards Coordinators, Reginald Blockett (blocketr@gvsu.edu), Conor McLaughlin (conorpm@bgsu.edu), or Rachel Smith (rsmith2@iastate.edu).