2026 Call for Award Nominations

The Call for Nominations for the 2026 ACHE South Awards is open!

Join us in celebrating excellence in continuing higher education! Nominations for individual and program awards and grants are open now and will be presented at the ACHE South Conference, February 16–18, 2026

Individual award categories:

  • Joseph P. Goddard Scholarship Award
  • Wayne Whelan Research Grant
  • Distinguished Program Award (Credit & Non-Credit)
  • Continuing Education Leadership Award
  • Mini Grants (ACHE members or graduate students)
  • Outstanding Faculty Award

Joseph P. Goddard Scholarship Award

ACHE South will present a scholarship of up to $1000 to an ACHE South member engaged in graduate studies on either a full-time or part-time basis. Applicant must be a full-time or part-time student currently enrolled or accepted for admission in an accredited graduate degree program. The course of study must be applicable to the advancement of continuing education as a profession. Applicants must be adult students (25 years of age or older).

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Wayne Whelan Research Grant

ACHE South will award a grant of up to $1000 to an ACHE South member engaged in research that will advance knowledge in the field of adult and continuing education. It is expected that the research will culminate in a publication or professional presentation. The Wayne Whelan Research Grant recipient will be required to prepare an abstract of findings for presentation at the next scheduled Regional Conference. While the Wayne Whelan Research Grant may be used in conjunction with advanced study, the same person cannot receive more than one monetary award (Joseph P. Goddard Scholarship, Mini-Grant, or Wayne Whelan Research Grant) in the same year.

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Distinguished Program Award (Credit & Non-Credit)

ACHE South will recognize the outstanding credit and non-credit programs in ACHE South. Programs will be judged on innovation, creativity, success, impact, and adaptability. The goals, objectives, and evaluation methods will be reviewed.

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Continuing Education Leadership Award

ACHE South recognizes an individual for outstanding service in the field of continuing higher education. Individuals nominated for this award should have made extraordinary contributions that are widely recognized regionally or nationally over an extended period of time, provided significant leadership in the cause of continuing education – credit or non-credit, be a member or past member of ACHE, be a member or past member of ACHE South, and performed various service functions within the regional organization. The person cannot be a current ACHE South officer.

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Mini-Grants

The purpose of the ACHE South mini-grants is to support development, implementation, expansion, and research of programs or projects in adult, continuing education, and lifelong learning in the region. ACHE South members or graduate students with sponsorship from ACHE South members are eligible to apply. The same person cannot receive more than one monetary award (Joseph P. Goddard Scholarship, Mini-Grant, or Wayne Whelan Research Grant) in the same year.

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Outstanding Faculty Award

ACHE South recognizes outstanding faculty from ACHE South who models effective teaching behaviors, is systematic, motivates students, and cares about students

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