Graduate Student Council

Awards

Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring

In December 2006, the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies initiated a new tradition: the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. This ceremony not only recognizes the completion of doctoral training by UNT students, but also celebrates the commitment of faculty in guiding these students throughout their doctoral training. Graduates who participate in the hooding ceremony are called to the stage and their advisor or dissertation committee chair confers the hood of their commencement regalia, symbolizing the conclusion of their doctoral training.

The faculty commitment that underlies this important relationship is so central to graduate education that the Graduate Student Council of the University of North Texas has established the Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring. The first award recognizing extraordinary performance and achievement in mentoring doctoral students was presented at the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on December 15, 2006.

PURPOSE:
To honor faculty mentors whose dedication to graduate students and commitment to excellence in graduate education have made a significant contribution at The University of North Texas.

ELIGIBILITY:
Regular members of the Graduate Faculty at UNT who have successfully guided at least one student through the completion of their doctoral training. After receiving award the recipient is not eligible to win again for a period of two years (e.g., winning December of 2006 makes faculty ineligible until December of 2008).

CRITERIA:
Recipients will have demonstrated outstanding advising and mentoring practices by:

Encouraging students to establish their own record of scholarly activity or performance, obtain an external fellowship, prepare conference presentations, and/or engage in other professional development opportunities;
Providing a supportive environment that facilitates the development of best performance and talents from individual graduate students;
Achieving a successful record of graduate degree completion among the students they have advised.

PROCESS FOR NOMINATION:
All graduate students who receive their doctoral degree are invited to nominate faculty for this special honor during the semester in which they graduate (e.g., a student graduating in May 2009 may nominate their mentor during that deadline period.)
A selection committee comprised of doctoral students in the Graduate Student Council will select the recipient based on a nomination letter from a graduating student and, if appropriate, up to one additional letter of support. Each nomination should include:

The Nomination Form
A letter clearly articulating how the nominee meets the award criteria and demonstrates outstanding mentoring practices. If desired, the nomination may include one additional letter of support from another graduate student or faculty member. Please note that only ONE additional letter of support will be considered and this letter should not be longer than 2 pages in length.

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS:

Dec 4, 2009	Dec 18, 2009 Graduation
Apr 16, 2010	May 14, 2010 Graduation

RETURN NOMINATIONS TO:
            Denise Philpot--Graduate Student Council President
            1155 Union Circle #305459
            Denton, TX 76203-5459

OR email forms to:
DenisePhilpot@my.unt.edu

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Fall 2006	Dr. Margaret Notley	College of Music
Spring 2007	Dr. Gerald Knezek	College of Education
Fall 2007	Dr. Bert Hayslip	College of Arts & Sciences
Spring 2008	Dr. Sue Bratton	College of Education
Fall 2008	Dr. Phil Turner	College of Information, Library Science, & Technologies
Spring 2009	Dr. Jane Huffman	College of Education
Fall 2009	???
Spring 2010	???