The College of Education and Community Innovation Outstanding Contribution to a Discipline Award honors an individual who has demonstrated research, scholarly or creative accomplishment, or service through professional organizations.

Award Eligibility

Full-time tenured, tenure-track, and visitor

Award Criteria

This award is based on the following criteria, which are not ranked by order of importance or exhaustive:

• Work that is documented as exceptional by professional peers or public acclaim according to one of the following specific criteria:
  • publication in professional media.
  • professional awards, prizes, or honors.
  • unsolicited reviews by critics or peers.
  • support received through competitive applications to funding agencies or impact on others in the discipline.
• The award may recognize a single, clearly exceptional accomplishment or a continued record of achievement.
• The award will be based primarily on accomplishments while a member of the GVSU faculty.

Evaluation Rubric

2026 Outstanding Contribution to a Discipline Award Recipient

Jaclyn Cwick
School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies,

PAST RECIPIENTS
A. Scott Rood (2025)
School of Community Leadership and Development

Laila McCloud (2024)
Educational Leadership and Counseling

Rui Niu-Cooper (2023)
Literacy, Educational Foundations, and Technology