The Exceptional Staff Member Award will be nominated by a graduate student and is given to a Michigan Tech staff member who exemplifies one or more of the following:

• Professional excellence and advocacy for graduate students. 
• Readily available to help and encourage graduate students in personal and professional success.
• Awareness of current university procedures, disciplinary trends, and academic  opportunities.

Our Exceptional Graduate Mentors exemplify the following: 

• Assist graduate students in navigating their academic career at  Michigan Tech toward professional success.
• Make themselves available to counsel and encourage graduate students.
• Create an open environment with their students that encourages personal growth beyond academic pursuits.
• Share their expertise in research, teaching or other scholarly pursuits.
• Involve graduate students in their research collaborations, presentations, and publications.
• Advocate for graduate students as a professor, advisor, research collaborator, etc.

Our Exceptional Student Leaders exemplify the following:

• Substantially contribute to the betterment of their department or overall graduate community.
• Take on leadership roles at MTU.
• Recognized by others as a standard bearer of integrity.
• Collegial attitude and demeanor.

Our Exceptional Student Scholars exemplify excellence in academic pursuits such as, but not limited to:

• Exceptional work ethic in courses:
  • Performance inside and outside of classes
  • Assisting the success of fellow graduate students
• Outstanding research efforts:
  • Contributions beyond credit requirements (mentoring fellow graduate students, interdisciplinary projects, innovative ideas, etc.)
  • Publications, patents, presentations
• Noteworthy teaching endeavors: 
  • Dedication to instructional/tutoring obligations (NOT just grading)
  • Extraordinary dedication to their students’ success 
  • Development or implementation of original teaching practices