Faculty and Staff Student Success Champion Awards

These awards celebrate ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ faculty and staff who go above and beyond to support student success and make a positive impact in our campus community.Ìý

Winners will be honored at the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Student Success Conference on Feb. 17, 2027. There are three award categories, each designed to recognize outstanding contributions to our shared mission.Ìý

Review the following for detailed descriptions of each award and the nomination criteria. We can’t wait to see your nominations and celebrate the incredible work happening across campus!Ìý

Nominations open Oct. 26, 2026.

Nominations are due by Nov. 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.Ìý

Nomination Submission Guidelines

To submit a nomination, share a detailed description of specific work and accomplishments by the nominee that have impacted student success. Highlight how their efforts meet the criteria for the award category and the positive impact they’ve had on the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ community. All ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ faculty and staff can be nominated, and anyone from our campus community is welcome to submit a nomination.Ìý

Champion of Innovation & Creativity

This award honors an individual/team that brings fresh ideas to life and finds creative ways to improve the student experience. It could be a new program, service, research project or tool—or an innovative improvement to something that already exists. The recipients show initiative, resilience, adaptability and resourcefulness, tackling challenges and improving processes in ways that help student success thrive on campus.

Award CriteriaÌý

Nominators should address the four following areas in their submission:Ìý

  • Uses imaginative thinking and a solution-focused mindset to tackle challenges
  • Demonstrates resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming obstaclesÌýÌý
  • Demonstrates initiative in proposing ideas that address unmet needs or improve processes
  • Advocates for transformative ideas that enhance the experience of students, staff or the broader CU communityÌýÌýÌý
  • Exhibits creativity in suggesting or following through with novel ideas, accompanied by clear goals to assess viability ÌýÌý
  • Takes calculated risks to bring new ideas to fruition, even if the outcome was not as expectedÌýÌý
  • Demonstrates leadership by inspiring others to think creatively and embrace changeÌýÌýÌý
  • Embraces a ‘fail forward’ and growth mindset and learns from experimentsÌýÌýÌý
  • Demonstrated learning from the innovation attempt such as potential scalability or pilotÌý
  • Has presented innovation ideas to audiences on or beyond campus (e.g., at a conference, a presentation, etc.)Ìý
  • Creates new partnerships (including students, and/or internal or external to CU)
  • Leverages partnerships (internal or external to the university) to enrich and expand the scope of the innovative idea or solutionÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌý

Champion of Student Support

This award honors an individual who sets the gold standard for supporting students and creating a welcoming, inclusive campus. It recognizes someone who goes above and beyond to help students thrive while fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered.ÌýÌý

Award CriteriaÌý

Nominators should address the four following areas in their submission:Ìý

  • Demonstrates exceptional dedication to assisting students in achieving their personal, academic or professional goalsÌýÌý
  • Centers and supports the student experienceÌýÌý
  • Goes above and beyond to provide resources, guidance or interventions that directly enhance student well-being and successÌý
  • Prioritizes and/or creates inclusive practices in student supportÌý
  • Addresses challenges or barriers faced by students with empathy and effective problem-solvingÌýÌý
  • Implements strategies or practices that make student services more accessible and welcoming for all, including underrepresented populationsÌýÌý
  • Encourages a culture of belonging by celebrating the unique identities, backgrounds and experiences of the student bodyÌýÌýÌý
  • Implements strategies or practices that make student services more accessible and welcoming for all, including underrepresented populations.Ìý
  • Develops or enhances programs, tools or services that improve the quality of student supportÌýÌý
  • Introduces creative solutions to meet emerging student needs or address gaps in current resourcesÌýÌýÌý
  • Provides mentorship, training or guidance to others in the campus community to improve collective efforts in student supportÌýÌý
  • Demonstrates leadership in advancing initiatives or policies that align with the university’s mission to support student success and inclusionÌýÌý
  • Collaborates across the campus community—including faculty, staff, student organizations, and other partners—to enhance and support the student experienceÌý

Champion of Campus Community

This award honorsÌýan individual/teamÌýthat goes above and beyond to support colleagues and keep our university running smoothly. They play a key role in making collaborations and operations work seamlessly, whether or not they interact directly with students. Their efforts help create a strong, vibrant campus community by supporting the people and systems that make student success possible.

Award CriteriaÌý

Nominators should address the four following areas in their submission:Ìý

  • Demonstrates outstanding organizational, administrative or technical support that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of their unit or the universityÌýÌý
  • Identifies and resolves challenges in processes, workflows or systems proactively
  • Demonstrates initiative in improving policies, procedures or systems to meet evolving organizational needs at CUÌýÌýÌý
  • Centers and supports the university personnel experienceÌýÌý
  • Applies inclusive practices in supervision or program oversightÌýÌý
  • Exhibits leadership in their role, regardless of formal title or position, by fostering collaboration and driving positive changeÌýÌýÌý
  • Demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities

Supports and enhances processes or initiatives that directly or indirectly benefit students, faculty or staffÌý