Diversity Enhancement Award | Ferris State University

This award is conferred upon a faculty or staff member who demonstrates a significant commitment to enhancing diversity and harmonious relationships at Ferris State University. Recipients will receive a plaque and a monetary award of $1,500.  

Eligibility

All faculty and staff members are eligible for this award. Any member of the Diversity Enhancement Award Selection Committee who is nominated for the award will remove themselves from the committee for the year in which they are nominated. Past recipients of this award are eligible only upon the expiration of the fifth year after their award.  

Criteria for Evaluation 

Nominees will be evaluated based on the significance of their contributions in these areas:  

1.  A commitment to the spirit of diversity demonstrated through their teaching/learning, daily work, or service activities, such as efforts to develop programs or curricula that promote diversity understanding.  

2.  Leadership through positive interaction between persons of different backgrounds through initiatives that promote acceptance and foster mutual respect and result in a more diverse and inclusive campus.  

3.  Special efforts to recruit, retain and/or mentor members of the university community from diverse backgrounds, i.e., students, faculty, staff.  

Nomination Process

All nominations must be submitted electronically via Academic Awards Nomination Form. No email nominations will be accepted.  

 The Secretary of the Academic Senate will follow up with nominees, providing them with a copy of the Diversity Enhancement Award, and requesting of them the following:  

1.  A minimum of a one-page paper, not to exceed three pages, describing your diversity/inclusion philosophy, methods, challenges, and accomplishments you deem noteworthy.
2. Current vita or resume, including a section or separate attachment for your diversity enhancement activities dated by academic year. 
   
3. Up to three additional letters of recognition, support, or recommendation from students, faculty, administrators, or organizations pertaining to your diversity accomplishments, as appropriate, will be accepted but they are not required (optional).

Deadline

The deadline to submit your nomination via the Academic Awards Nomination Form is 5:00 pm, Friday January 17, 2025.  Late or email nominations will not be accepted.