Commitment to Diversity Student and Faculty Awards
The Graduate School announces the 2025 Commitment to Diversity - Student and Faculty Awards.
Faculty Award
The Graduate School is pleased to invite nominations for the Commitment to Diversity - Graduate Faculty Award, which annually recognizes one faculty member for their outstanding contributions to diversity and inclusion within the UMass Amherst graduate student body. Selected based solely on the strength of nominating letters, the award recipient will be recognized by the Graduate School at the Annual Graduate Students of Color End of Year Banquet and receive a prize of $500. We strongly encourage faculty and graduate students who have benefited from the efforts of a faculty member to nominate them for this award by February 10, 2025.
Nomination materials should consist of the following:
- A letter from the nominator, not exceeding two pages, explaining how the nominee has significantly risen "above and beyond" to positively impact inclusion, engagement and diversity on the UMass Amherst campus, especially for graduate students.
- Three supporting letters, not exceeding two pages each, from current or former graduate students. Each supporting letter should describe how the nominee has contributed to inclusion and positive campus climate for graduate students. Ideally, one of the letters will come from someone who is not the nominee's primary advisee, but this is not required. The Graduate School will not solicit these letters; they must be included in the nomination submission.
- Nominations by graduate students are permitted.
Nomination materials should be submitted through the Google form here by February 10, 2025.
The award recipient will be chosen by a committee appointed by the Graduate School. Please direct any questions about this award to grad-communications [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu.
Student Award
NO LONGER ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS
The Graduate School is pleased to invite nominations for the Commitment to Diversity - Graduate Student Award, which annually recognizes one student for their outstanding contributions to diversity and inclusion within the UMass Amherst graduate student body. Selected based solely on the strength of nominating letters, the award recipient will be recognized by the Graduate School at the Annual Graduate Students of Color End of Year Banquet & Graduate Commencement and receive a prize of $500. We strongly encourage students who have benefited from the efforts of a fellow graduate student to nominate them for this award by February 10, 2025.
Nomination Process and Tips
Any graduate student may nominate another graduate student for this award. Self-nominations are not permitted. Letters submitted by multiple students in recognition of a nominee are especially welcome.
Nomination materials should consist of a letter from the nominator, not exceeding two pages, explaining how the nominee has significantly risen "above and beyond" to positively impact inclusion, engagement and diversity on the UMass Amherst campus, especially for graduate students.
Nomination materials should be submitted through the Google form here by February 10, 2025.
The award recipient will be chosen by a committee appointed by the Graduate School. Please direct any questions about this award to grad-communications [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (grad-communications[at]grad[dot]umass[dot]edu).