Faculty awards are more than fancy plaques and impressive lines on resumés.

“They’re not frivolities, they’re very meaningful for professional development and they truly demonstrate that we have quality faculty,” says Craig Parks, associate vice provost and former Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Leadership recipient. “It does take some time to put together award nomination packets, but it’s work that is vital for the promotion of our faculty.”

All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to submit nominations for any WSU faculty member. The Office of the Provost offers awards in a variety of categories for faculty and instructors in all career tracks and at all campuses. Nominations are due September 13.

Internal awards pave the way for external recognitions, which are key in the Drive to 25. National academy membership and faculty awards are two important Center for Measuring University Performance (MUP) metrics, which provide public confirmation of the excellence of our faculty, and help us further serve our mission and extend our reach.

Pat Carter, director of the School of Biological Sciences, is part of a small committee within SBS that sends forward nominations of outstanding faculty. He says the nomination process does involve extra time and effort, but it’s a rewarding experience regardless of the outcome.

“We have a lot of people who work really hard and they deserve to be recognized,” Carter says. “Even just nominating someone shows that you recognize the quality work they’re doing, and that’s important.”

Honoring our faculty is also important in demonstrating to the public the value of their outstanding work across our state and beyond.

“The awards encourage excellence among faculty members, especially because we’re away from a lot of other faculty,” says Xiaopeng Bi, clinical associate professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at WSU Everett. “It really helps to improve the visibility of our programs.”

Each nomination is carefully reviewed and the awards committees, made up of faculty and staff representing each college and campus, spend considerable time and effort to identify the most deserving candidates.

“Nominations for awards help us craft the stories we tell about our faculty and ourselves as an institution, says Melanie-Angela Neuilly, interim associate vice provost for faculty development. “This is why nomination letters are so important and should be a testament to the excellent work taking place at our University.”