Office of the ProvostFacultyAwards

Faculty Awards

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Faculty awards are given annually to honor those faculty members who epitomize the highest levels of excellence in the pursuit of the university’s mission and goals. Each fall the provost calls for nominations for these awards. The faculty awards include:

Distinguished Faculty Address

Recognizes the work of one faculty member whose achievements in research, scholarship, and teaching place that person in the front ranks of their discipline. The institution invites that individual to deliver a Distinguished Faculty Address to the University community.

Distinguished Teaching Award

Designed to specifically honor career-track faculty members who epitomize the highest levels of performance and excellence and who provide a vital role in teaching WSU students in the pursuit of the university’s goals and thereby in the fulfillment of its mission.

Emerita/Emeritus Society Legacy of Excellence Award

The annual Legacy of Excellence Lecture features a professor emeritus who, in retirement, continues to make outstanding contributions to academia, the University, and the community.

Faculty Mid-Career Award

The WSU Faculty Mid-Career Award recognizes faculty systemwide in the early to middle stage of their career who have demonstrated a strong commitment to WSU’s land-grant mission and its scholarship, teaching and engagement elements. Recipients of this award will have demonstrated outstanding performance and the potential to build on their achievements, thereby enhancing the University’s ability to create positive outcomes for all and meet the future needs of the state of Washington, the Pacific Northwest, our nation, and beyond.

Faculty Opportunity and Engagement Award

To recognize distinctive and outstanding teaching, research or creative work, and/or service and outreach that broaden access to education, foster academic and professional growth, and create opportunities for engagement across the multiple communities at Washington State University. This work may involve innovative approaches that support participation, success, and meaningful connection within the university and beyond.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award

Honors a WSU faculty member whose scholarly contributions and associated outreach efforts have measurably and significantly improved the lives of people through engagement with industry or other elements of the private sector.

Outstanding Department Chair or School Director

Awarded to a WSU department chair or school director who displays outstanding leadership, administrative acumen, innovation, and vision for the department/school that aligns with the University’s mission.

Regents Professors

The rank of Regents Professor can be held by no more than 30 Washington State University faculty members at any one time. Promotion to Regents Professor requires service to the university for at least seven years and attainment of the highest level of professional achievement.

Sahlin Eminent Faculty Award

WSU’s Sahlin Eminent Faculty Award was first presented in 2000. Recipient must have changed the thinking in their field by making lasting contributions through teaching, research, creative scholarship, and service; and the recipient must have contributed notably to the vitality and strength of the Washington State University Community. This award is the university’s highest faculty honor.

Sahlin Faculty Excellence Awards

The four Sahlin Awards recognize outstanding achievement in one of the following areas of faculty performance: Instruction, Leadership, Outreach and Engagement, and Research, Scholarship and Arts.

V. Lane Rawlins President’s Award for Distinguished Lifetime Service

Honors dedicated individuals who have given a substantial part of their career to advancing WSU through excellent service in administration, teaching, research, extension, or a professional field.

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Nominations were due on September 29, 2025. We look forward to reviewing nominations in 2026.