Graduate College

Graduate Studies Council: Teaching and Research Awards

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The Graduate Studies Council has established two annual award programs to recognize graduate student contributions at Western Michigan University: the Graduate Research and Creative Scholar Awards and the Graduate Teaching Effectiveness Awards. The Graduate Research and Creative Scholar Awards were established in 1986 to acknowledge graduate students' contributions to the scholarly and artistic productivity of Western Michigan University. The Graduate Teaching Effectiveness Awards were established in 1998 to recognize effective teaching at WMU by graduate students as assistants to faculty, as independent instructors, or in other capacities that directly promote and facilitate student learning.

Nominations for both programs are sought on an annual basis by the Graduate College. Departments are contacted late in the fall semester regarding nomination procedures and deadline. Each department or unit with a graduate program may nominate one master's degree student and, where appropriate, one specialist and/or doctoral degree student for each of the awards.

Nominations are submitted by the departments. Please see your advisor or department chair for strategies to become competitive for these awards.

All-University Awards: Nominate a student using InfoReady

Important Note: The departmental awards are different and separate from the All-University Awards. Think of the departmental awards as being the first step needed to complete before advancing your graduate student department winner for consideration for an additional award.

The All-University GTE and GRCS Awards are the highest honors bestowed on graduate students by the University. We encourage you to consider nominating your current or previous department winners for these prestigious awards. It is an honor for both the student and the department! Students do not apply/nominate themselves for this award.

As such, only those individuals chosen by a department as a current (or previous) winner of the department-level Teaching Effectiveness or Graduate Research and Creative Scholar award can be nominated for consideration for the All-University Awards. Use the online application in InfoReady to nominate a student on behalf of your department for the All-University GTE and GRCS Award by the deadline, February 17, 2025. (The online application will be opened in mid-January, with the link posted here.) Committees formed by the Graduate Studies Council will review all nominations.

Questions on the All-University awards submission process should be directed to Diana Berkshire-Hearit at @email.