HFA Outstanding Graduate Student Award

The HFA Outstanding Graduate Student Award recognizes graduate students for exceptional research, creative activity, or performance. Up to two awards of $500 will be made annually. Recipients will be recognized at the end-of-year HFA Awards and Recognition Ceremony. 

Nominations are due by Friday, October 30, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
Nomination Form

Eligibility 

To be eligible, graduate students must be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program in HFA and in good standing or making satisfactory progress according to the home department’s requirements. 

Nomination Procedure 

Nominations must be submitted by the student’s Graduate Program Director (GPD) and are due on Friday, October 30, 2026. Nominations submitted by respondents other than the nominee’s GPD will not be considered. Nominations should include: 

• A one-page statement describing the nominee’s achievements in research, performance, or creative activity, including specific examples of impact, innovations, recognition or awards within the HFA community or the discipline 
• Confirmation that the nomination is in good standing and making satisfactory progress according to the home department’s requirements 
• The nominee’s current CV or artistic résumé 

All nominations are confidential and are reviewed and ranked by a panel of graduate faculty.  The nominee(s) selected by the HFA Dean are notified in the spring,  

Award Management 

The HFA Business Office will disburse the student award as financial aid. 

Who to Contact 

Lisa Green, lgreen [at] umass [dot] edu (lgreen[at]linguist[dot]umass[dot]edu), Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Student Success