Awards

The Graduate and Professional Student Senate is responsible for presenting the "Graduate Program Assistant (GPA) of the Year Award" in partnership with the Graduate School at their end of the year reception.  If you have questions about this award or would like to submit a nomination, please contact the GPSS Secretary.

Graduate Program Assistant of the Year

The Graduate Program Assistant of the Year Award is presented to the Graduate Program Assistant (GPA) that has been the most invaluable to graduate students in their department.  GPAs are responsible for many of the day to day tasks that must be taken care of in order for graduate students to be able to complete their degree, from paper work to advising and everything in between.  This award is intended to recognize a GPA who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping graduate students to navigate many of the pitfalls of their graduate education.  The GPSS Secretary solicits nominations for the GPA of the Year Award by email in March.  Nominations, of no more than 250 words, can be made by any graduate or professional students of the department and will be voted on by the GPSS Executive Committee by the last meeting in April.

The following are examples of the criteria that will be considered in the selection of the award recipients:

• Availability and quality of advising services
• GPA-student relations in the department
• Promptness in facilitating the administrative needs of the students (examples include taking care of problems or questions with tuition waivers or payroll, helping to complete applications, the formation of exam committees and the scheduling of exams, facilitating travel, etc.)
• Student involvement in the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and representation on University Committees

List of Past Award Winners:

• 2011: Susanne Recordon, Political Science.
• 2010: Yuko Mera, Comparative Literature
• 2009: Catherine Zeigler, Anthropology
• 2008: Frankye Jones, Electrical Engineering
• 2007: Brenda Banks, Music