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Awards and Recognition

Leadership Awards
Student Organization Awards
Emerging Leaders Award
Greek Awards

The University of Wisconsin-Madison campus has a rich tradition of a very active student body. The Student Organization Office (SOO) strives to recognize student leaders and student organizations contributing significantly to that tradition and impacting campus life.

There is no one picture of leadership; it comes in many forms. Whether you are the president or executive officer of an organization, or a dedicated member who consistently attends and offers help at your group's events and activities, you are showing and developing leadership skills. The SOO and other UW departments set expectations for leadership excellence and challenge all our students and student organizations to strive for their best.

In an effort to show support for student organizations as well as encourage further excellence in student programming and leadership, the SOO offers awards to recognize individual and group accomplishment. The following descriptions offer general information regarding award and recognition opportunities sponsored by the Student Organization Office and the Student Leadership Program. Past recipients can be found on our web site at http://soo.studentorg.wisc.edu. Applications are available beginning in late October for the fall semester and March for the spring semester. Student organizations are notified through email to the primary contact and advisor, if applicable.

Leadership Awards

Freshmen and Sophomore Leadership Awards
At the end of the Fall semester, the SOO requests nominations from advisors, faculty, students and staff to recognize outstanding leadership from students who are freshmen and sophomores. The student recipients receive a plaque or certificate and are publicly recognized at the Fall Student Organization and Leadership Awards Banquet sponsored by the SOO and the Student Leadership Program. The criteria for the awards includes being highly active and holding leadership roles within student organizations, involvement in service activities and activities within the students school or college and students are asked an essay question and are evaluated based on their response and writing skills.

Junior and Senior Leadership Awards
At the end of the Spring semester, the SOO requests nominations from advisors, faculty, students and staff to recognize outstanding leadership from students who are juniors, seniors and grad/professional students. The student recipients receive a plaque or certificate and are publicly recognized at the Spring Student Organization and Leadership Awards Banquet sponsored by the SOO and the Student Leadership Program. The criteria for the awards includes being highly active and holding leadership roles within student organizations, involvement in service activities and activities within the students school or college and students are asked an essay question and are evaluated based on their response and writing skills.

Undergraduate Excellence Award
Awarded to a junior or senior student who has excelled in the areas of academic achievement, student leadership, and service. There are a number of these awards across campus. The SOO award has traditionally emphasized the leadership aspect of the award. All students who apply for the Junior/Senior Leadership Awards are automatically considered for the Undergraduate Excellence Award which includes a Lunch Banquet and $750.00 stipend presented by Harvey Meyerhoff, an alumnus who personally donated a scholarship which funds the awards and program.

Emerging Leaders Award
In an effort to recognize and encourage younger students to get involved, stay involved, and accept leadership roles of greater responsibility, the SOO requests nominations from students, faculty, and staff of freshmen and sophomores who are contributing significantly in student groups and other leadership opportunities across campus. Each year the SOO recognizes these students in different ways. For more information contact the SOO at soo@odos.wisc.edu.

Student Organization Awards

Fall Semester Awards

During the fall semester the student organization awards are focused on outstanding programs sponsored by registered student organizations. Applications are available in late October. Contact the SOO for specific deadlines soo@das.wisc.edu.

The Commitment to Diversity Award
This award was created to recognize a student –directed year-long and community wide commitment to awareness and education of students concerning diversity issues. The award is designed to honor the organization which displays outstanding effort and improvement in their community from the previous academic year to the present.

Program of the Year Award
The Student Organization Office Program of the Year Award was created to recognize those organizations that organized and sponsored programs that have had a positive impact on the University community. The award is designed to honor the organization, which displays tremendous effort and improvement in their community from the previous academic year to the present. Eligible programs for this award are to have occurred between October of the previous year and November of the current year.

Innovation Award
The Student Organization Office Innovation Award was created to recognize those organizations that organized programs and/or services that have had a positive impact on the University community as compared to previous years. The award is designed to honor the organization, which displays tremendous effort and energy to improve the effectiveness of a program or service to better meet the needs of their community. Eligible programs for this award are to have occurred between October of the previous year and November of the current year. A program may not win consecutive years.

Outstanding Achievement Award
The Student Organization Outstanding Achievement Award was created to recognize those organizations that have made significant steps in the development of their organization. The award is designed to honor one or more organizations, which displays tremendous effort and improvement in their development from the previous academic year to the present. Recipients of the award will be evaluated on their internal operation, successful implementation of external programs and activities to the campus community, financial stability, and involvement of the organization in outreach activities.


Spring Semester Awards

As a registered student organization, groups are eligible to apply for four awards that recognize different aspects and contributions of organizational development. By completing one application, the student group will be considered for all four awards and evaluated based on their responses and any supplemental information. The student organization awards are: 1) Outstanding Contribution to Membership Award, 2) Outstanding Contribution to Campus Award, 3) Outstanding Contribution to Community Award and 4) the Student Organization of the Year Award. Applications are available beginning in March. Contact the SOO for specific deadlines soo@das.wisc.edu.

Outstanding Contribution to Membership Award
This award recognizes a student organization that has contributed to the scholastic and leadership potential of its members. This may be demonstrated by use of quality programming, office training, good organizational development, and the cohesiveness of its members.

Contribution to Campus Award
This award recognizes a student organization that has achieved a high degree of excellence in their commitment to the University and the organization’s mission through campus-wide programming, recruitment of new members and service to the University by supporting the needs of the University community. This is demonstrated in the organization’s effort to enhance quality of campus life.

Contribution to Community Award
This award recognizes a student organization that has contributed to the quality of life outside of UW and has strived to improve connections within Madison or our surrounding community. This service may have been demonstrated through members volunteering time in community projects and willingness to offer assistance to community members.

Outstanding Student Organization of the Year
This award recognizes a student organization each year that contributes and excels in all three areas of organizational management. The three areas include; contribution to membership; outstanding work in the area of developing their members as leaders and the internal workings of their group; outstanding contribution to campus; having a significant impact on campus through programs and/or services, and outstanding contribution to community; having a significant impact within the community. The award recipients receive a trophy. The Outstanding Student Organization of the Year Award recipient also has the name of their group engraved on a plaque that hangs in the SOO in the Red Gym.

Excellence Awards
These awards are only presented at the discretion of SOO Awards Selection Committee. The awards are presented to student groups who have achieved great progress over the year and/or overcame surmountable challenges. The Excellence in Leadership Awards are presented to students who chose one or two areas of leadership and contributed and accomplished numerous goals but were more focused with their involvement with a student group instead of being involved in a number of different activities. This leadership award honors depth instead of breadth.

Offices of the Dean of Students Fostering Student Interaction Award
This award was created in the spirit of unity and interconnectedness among student organizations at UW. In hopes to create an incentive for student organizations, as well as reward those who successfully create coalitions and foster cross-cultural interactions, the Offices of the Dean of Students Advisory Board - as the award's reviewing body - annually offers the opportunity to apply for this award to all registered student organizations (RSOs).

Current RSOs, as well as formed coalitions with other student groups or community groups, may apply by completing an application and submitting one letter of support from a person who is knowledgeable about the organization's programs and activities. A subcommittee of the Advisory Board will review the application material and select one or two student organization award winners. Awarded will be either two $500 awards or one $1000 award. The award will be presented during the spring semester. Please contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 608\263-5702 for the application deadline.

Greek Awards

These awards are given to UW-Madison fraternity and sorority chapters and members who meet levels of excellence and achievement as outlined in the State of the Chapter Program and/or All Greek Awards Packet. Listed below are the major categories under which Greek chapters and their individual members may apply for awards.

* Scholarship Awards
* Chapter Programming Awards
* Leadership Recognition Awards
* Community Service Awards
* Individual Recognition Awards

Within these broad categories are numerous other specific awards. For the complete list as well as further information on Greek Awards, please go to the following website: http://www.uwgreek.com/community/aga.html or contact the SOO Fraternity & Sorority Program Advisor, Jeff Benson, at benson@odos.wisc.edu.