College
Awards

2024 College Award Criteria &
2023 College Award Recipients

University
Awards

2023 University Award
Recipients 

Process of Nominations

1. During the College Awards cycle, faculty and staff will receive an email from the College Advisory and Communication Committee (CACC) about the process and timeline of the award cycle.  This will include a nomination form.
   1. Nominations can come from faculty, staff, students, or an academic unit.  Nominees may also self-nominate.
   2. Nominators will need to carefully read the descriptions and criteria of each Award before nominating their colleagues. 
   3. Along with a completed nomination form, the nominator will be asked to submit a statement as to how the nominee meets each criteria.
2. After the nomination is submitted to CACC, the nominee will receive an email to accept or deny the nomination for the Award and be given the opportunity to include their own brief statement.
3. After the nomination cycle is over, the College Advisory and Communication Committee (CACC) will meet to process and discuss the nominations and select the recipients of the Awards based on the nominees that best fit each category's criteria. 
4. Recipients of each College Award will be awarded their plaque at the Winter College of Education and Community Innovation Meeting.

Process of Nominations

1. During the University Awards cycle, faculty and staff will receive an email from the College Advisory and Communication Committee (CACC) about the process and timeline of the award cycle. This will include a nomination form.
2. Unit heads or their designee will determine the process for University awards nominations within their department.
3. Nominees will be selected.
4. Nominees will be notified by September 24th, 2023, of the unit’s desire to nominate them.
5. By September 29th, 2023, the unit head or their designee will forward all the names and awards of the individuals who have accepted their nominations.to Shawn Evans in the Dean's Office. Please read the guidelines and requirements for each award you are submitting for very carefully to ensure accuracy.
6. The unit head or their designee will work with nominees to submit the completed nomination packets to Shawn Evans by October 24th, 2023, as a single, combined .pdf file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about the nomination process for university awards

Award Categories

Glenn A. Niemeyer Award
University Outstanding Teacher Award
Distinguished Contribution in a Discipline Award 
Outstanding University Service Award
Outstanding Community Service Award 
Outstanding Academic Advising & Student Services Award
Internationalization Award
Pew Awards for Excellence
CSCE Awards for Scholarly and Creative Excellence
Other Awards

CSCE Faculty Awards

Distinguished Contribution in a Discipline Award
Distinguished Early-Career Scholar Award
Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award
Distinguished Undergraduate Mentoring Award

Pew Awards for Excellence

Pew Teaching Excellence Award
Pew Teaching with Technology Award
Pew Excellence Award for Library Faculty
Pew Teaching Excellence Award for Part-time Faculty
Pew Excellence Award for Teaching and Learning Enrichment
Burch, Jacobs, and Moore Diversity Teaching Excellence

University Faculty Awards

Glenn A. Niemeyer Faculty Award
Glenn A. Niemeyer Student Award
Outstanding University Service Award
Outstanding Community Service Award
Outstanding Academic Advising & Student Services Award
Internationalization Award

Links to the above awards can be found on the Provost's website.

Outstanding Academic Advising and Student Services Awards

Kathryn Ohle, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning
Joined Grand Valley State University in 2019

Kathryn Ohle is an exemplary faculty mentor for students. Specializing in the birth to kindergarten general and special education program, early childhood minor, and early childhood education program, she consistently provides students with the best information and options available. With her deep knowledge of curriculum and scheduling, she ensures that students are on track to meet their academic goals. Ohle’s attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills, and caring nature make her an invaluable resource for students. Her commitment to clear and consistent student support, coupled with her passion for early childhood education, greatly contributes to the quality of our programs at GVSU. Her professionalism, engagement, compassion, and extensive knowledge of GVSU policies and procedures make her an outstanding colleague.

Pew Teaching with Technology Award

Megan Freudigmann, M.S.
Senior Affiliate Faculty of Teaching and Learning
Joined Grand Valley State University in 2012

Megan Freudigmann facilitates immersive learning experiences, allowing future educators to refine their teaching skills in simulated environments and mixed modality classrooms. These experiences bolster students’ confidence and creativity and instill in them a deep appreciation for the transformative potential of technology in education. Freudigmann coordinated integration of GoReact, a video assignment platform, which enhances feedback mechanisms in teacher education. She also implemented Mursion technology, fostering immersive training simulations for teacher candidates through avatars. One student commented, “Her dedication to supporting her students, her focus on equity and inclusion, and her innovative use of technology make her an exemplary educator.”

Distinguished Early-Career Scholar Award

Laila McCloud, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Counseling
Joined Grand Valley State University in 2021

Laila McCloud is an award-winning researcher, nationally recognized for her work on higher education research. She published six peer-reviewed articles, one book chapter, and has given several presentations. McCloud was interviewed by the Chronicle of Higher Education for her influential work on ungrading and innovative pedagogical practices. She was recognized as an as an Emerging Scholar by American College Personnel Association and received the 2022 Robert Schaffer Award for excellent graduate teaching and mentoring. She currently serves as Associate Editor of About Campus, and on the editorial board of two other journals. McCloud’s impacts go well beyond GVSU.