2023 Call for Awards

In order to stimulate, encourage, and reward outstanding contributions to the advancement of continuing higher education, the Association has established awards or honors for different categories. Nominations are due by Thursday, August 31, 2023.

Individual Awards

Leadership Award

Open to: All members and non-members
Submission period: through August 31, 2023

This award is the highest award presented by ACHE and recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions in leadership, theory, and practice in continuing higher education on a national or international level. The focus of this recognition is on contributions of a general nature that extend beyond Association activities.

The nominee does not need to be an ACHE member.

ACHE officers and Board members are not eligible for this award.

Each nomination shall be supported by at least two letters of recommendation from individuals who are in positions to verify the nominee's actions that address the award's criteria.

Submit Nomination for Leadership Award

Meritorious Service Award

Open to: All members
Submission period: through August 31, 2023

This award recognizes individuals for their outstanding leadership, performance, and service to continuing higher education at their own institution and within the Association for a minimum of 5 years.

ACHE officers, staff members, and Board members are not eligible for this award.

Each nomination shall be supported by at least two letters of recommendation from individuals who are in positions to verify the nominee's actions that address the award's criteria.

Submit Nomination for Meritorious Service Award

Emeritus Award

Open to: All members
Submission period: through August 31, 2023

This award provides recognition to Association members upon their official retirements from their major continuing education roles at their institutions. The Association desires to recognize only those retirees who have displayed significant degree of leadership within the Association for at least 10 years.

Each nomination shall be supported by at least two letters of recommendation from individuals who are in positions to verify the nominee's actions that address the award's criteria.

Submit Nomination for Emeritus Award

Rising Star Award

Open to: Staff from ACHE member institutions or organizations, or someone with sponsorship from an ACHE institutional or organizational member
Submission period: through August 31, 2023

Criteria:

No more than 5 years experience in continuing education
Be employed at an ACHE member institution or organization, or have sponsorship from an ACHE institutional or organizational member
Either developed (or contributed to the development of) or extended an outstanding program or division within a CE unit. Examples:
- a credit or non-credit program
- a certificate program
- extended the audience of a program
- tapped a new audience
Or, conducted research or published on a topic that has led to the enhancement or advancement of the field of adult continuing education
Each nomination shall be supported by at least two letters of recommendation from individuals who are in positions to verify the nominee's actions that address the award's criteria.

Submit Nomination for Rising Star Award

Program Awards

Distinguished Program - Credit & Non-Credit

Open to: Institutional and Organizational members in good standing
Submission period: Closes August 31, 2023

Distinguished Program Awards will be presented each year at the Association's Annual Meeting and Conference. One award each will be presented for an outstanding credit program and an outstanding non-credit program.

Submission Criteria...

For Credit submissions: the program must have been in existence for 2 or more years
For Non-Credit submissions: the program must have been in existence for 1 or more years (Exception: programs or events that are contained within a one year timeframe, such as conferences or a fund-raising event)

The submitted program will be judge on the following criteria:

A. Originality or Innovation - A program should be judged original or innovative in two or more of the following areas:

Audience
Minority, under-represented, or underserved population
Delivery system
Marketing and promotion
Resources and/or facilities
Partnering or in consortial arrangements
Topics, content, or program design

B. Success - To be judged a success, a program must fulfill all of the following:

Meet established goals and objectives
Receive positive response from the target group as demonstrated in evaluations (measurable outcomes)
Meet budget requirements defined for its goals and objectives

Applicants are asked to submit a nomination form that includes a 500-word summary of the program/project as fully implemented, and then answers to the following:

How was the project original or innovative per the criteria outlined in section 'A,' Originality or Innovation?
How does the project meet the criteria in section 'B,' Success?

Submit Nomination for Distinguished Program Award

Creative Use of Technology

Open to: Institutional and Organizational members in good standing
Submission period: Closes August 31, 2023

This award recognizes ACHE members for their innovative uses of instructional and distance learning technologies in lifelong learning. Both credit and non-credit programs are eligible for nomination, as are uses of learning technology for student services, research, marketing or administrative projects. Up to two awards may be given each year

Submission Criteria...

The winning program or project must be innovative, have a proven success record, demonstrate excellence, and be adaptive to other settings or institutions.

Applicants are asked to submit a nomination form that includes a 500-word summary of the program/project as fully implemented, and then answers to the following:

What are your goals and objectives with this project?
How was the program innovative?
Which technologies do you use and why did you select them?
Why was the selection successful?
What does your program cost and how was it financed?
How have you evaluated the program, and if so, what were the results?
What is the most significant lesson learned from this experience?
How might other institutions replicate or adapt this program to their needs?

Submit Nomination for Creative Use of Technology Award

Outstanding Services to Underserved Populations

Open to: Institutional and Organizational members in good standing
Submission period: Closes August 31, 2023

This award recognizes ACHE members for their innovative lifelong learning programs that demonstrate outstanding service to underserved populations. Both credit and non-credit programs are eligible for nomination.

Submission Criteria...

The winning program or project must be innovative, have a proven success record, demonstrate excellence, be adaptive to other settings or institutions, and document service to populations typically underserved by continuing higher education.

Applicants are asked to submit a nomination form that includes a 500-word summary of the program/project as fully implemented, and then answers to the following:

What are your goals and objectives with this program or service?
Why does this program or service successfully meet the goals of this award?
How was the program innovative?
What technologies, if any, were employed and how were they used?
What does your program cost and how was it financed? What was the cost, if any, to the beneficiaries?
Has the program or service been evaluated? What are the evaluation results?
What is the most significant lesson learned from this experience?
How might other institutions replicate or adapt this program to their needs?

Submit Nomination for Outstanding Services to Underserved Populations Award

Older Adult Model Program

Open to: Institutional and Organizational members in good standing
Submission period: Closes August 31, 2023

The Older Adult Model Program Award recognizes an ACHE member for a program or activity that provides outstanding learning opportunities and/or service to an older adult population.

Submission Criteria...

For Credit submissions: the program must have been in existence for 2 or more yearsFor Non-Credit submissions: the program must have been in existence for 1 or more years (Exception: programs or events that are contained within a one year timeframe, such as conferences or a fund-raising event)

The winning program or project must be innovative, have a proven success record, demonstrate excellence, and be adaptive to other settings or institutions. Additionally, the program must be ongoing and delivered on a regular basis (i.e. not a single course or activity, such as an Elderhostel event).

Applicants are asked to submit a nomination form that includes a 500-word summary of the program/project as fully implemented, and then answers to the following:

What are your goals and objectives with this program or service?
Why does this program or service successfully meet the goals of this award?
How was the program innovative?
What technologies, if any, were employed and how were they used?
What does your program cost and how was it financed? What was the cost, if any, to the beneficiaries?
Has the program or service been evaluated? What are the evaluation results?
What is the most significant lesson learned from this experience?
How might other institutions replicate or adapt this program to their needs?

Submit Nomination for the Older Adult Model Program Award

Marketing & Publications Awards

Crystal Marketing Award

Open to: Institutional & Organizational members in good standing
Submission period: Open Now - closes August 31, 2023!

The Crystal Marketing Award recognizes the ACHE institution that achieves significant results from a marketing communications tool through a print, broadcast or electronic medium. The strategic approach, quality of the work, and results achieved are important criteria in determining the winner. A first-place award will be presented to the single entry that exemplifies the most creative and outstanding uses of marketing, either of a multi-faceted campaign or a single initiative. A number of honorable mentions may also be cited.

Types of Entries Examples of marketing communications tools that could bring the Award to your organization include, but are not limited to:

website design
electronic tools
print advertising
campaign broadcast spots (radio, television or Web)
publications
public relations events or a social networking campaign

The marketing/promotional initiative can include elements of print publication, radio and television, media relations, public relations activities, electronic communications, internal magazines, newsletters and similar tools.

Members may submit multiple entries. However, each entry must be in support of a continuing education program or activity, not of other branches of the school.

Submission Criteria...Applicants are asked to submit a nomination form that includes a 500-word summary of the program/project as fully implemented, and then answers to the following:

Who was the target audience?
What are your goals and objectives with this project?
How was the project implemented?
What was the budget, both projected and actual?
Has the project been evaluated? If so, what were the evaluation results?
What was the most significant lesson learned from the project?
How might other institutions replicate or adapt this program to their needs?

Submit Nomination for the Crystal Marketing Award