Dr. Priscilla Kimboko, Ph.D., former Dean of Graduate Studies and Grants Administration, began awarding the Dean's Citations in the Spring of 2006 at the first-ever Graduate Students Celebration. This new institutional tradition will be carried on by the Graduate Studies office well into the future. The ceremony is devoted exclusively to recognition of the academic excellence of graduate students during their studies at Grand Valley State University.  The idea came about at the urging of the faculty-led Graduate Council and the Graduate Program Directors.  The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) co-hosts this event, which includes a reception and awards presentation.

 In the ceremony, we recognize excellence in academic performance in the major, as designated by the Graduate Dean and Academic Departments in the form of the Graduate Dean's Citation for Academic Excellence in the Major.  Each recipient of this award receives a graduate honors cord (purple and white) which can be worn at GVSU's commencement.  They  each receive a certificate of recognition. These forms of recognition denote outstanding academic accomplishment in one's own field of study, compared to others in the same field. 

A second form of recognition is a Citation for Excellence in the Thesis or Project, either of which may be prepared as the culminating demonstration of advanced knowledge, skills, and learning in the Major.  These students, too, are recognized with an honors cord, certificate, and a gold star symbolizing the high level of performance in this final academic work.   All those so nominated are eligible for consideration for the university-wide awards, in which one student's work is recognized for its excellence, described below.

The ceremony also highlights several graduate students who have shown a university-wide level of excellence in their performance.   The Graduate Dean's Citations for Excellence also include university-wide recognition in four areas: 1) Outstanding Master's Thesis, 2) Outstanding Master's Project, 3) Excellence in Community and Professional Service, and 3) Excellence in Leadership and Service to GVSU.  Graduate students are nominated for these awards by their major advisors, the graduate program director, and the departmental chair or school director, and/or other faculty and staff engaged in graduate education that are familiar with the individual student's accomplishments in the specific areas noted.  The nominees are reviewed by the Graduate Dean in consultation with others involved in graduate education.  Final selection is made by the Graduate Dean.  Each recipient is granted a certificate of recognition and a graduate honors cord.  Due to the timing of this event the final recipients of each of the university-wide thesis and project awards will not be announced until the semester ends.  Many are finishing their theses and project reports at this time.

Nomination Guidelines

Event Programs