Graduate Excellence & Inclusion Awards
Each year, the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement and the Graduate and Professional Diversity Council present several awards to graduate and professional degree students who have demonstrated excellence in their advancement of efforts around inclusion, mentorship, outreach, and student engagement. Additionally, we present awards to faculty, staff, and community members who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to promoting the growth and personal and professional development of graduate and professional students who represent the diversity of the Cornell community.
2025 Graduate Excellence & Inclusion Awards and Recognition Celebration
May 14, 2025
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: G10 Biotechnology
Distinguished Award Categories
The Graduate Excellence & Inclusion Awards are given to graduate and professional degree students (or recent graduates), collective groups of graduate and professional students (partnerships, committees, coalitions, etc.), faculty, and staff who have significantly advanced aspects of inclusion, mentorship, outreach, and student engagement through their excellence in leadership and service. We encourage nominations from students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Nomination Submission Deadline: March 19, 2025
Nomination & Selection Timeline
- Call for nominations: Late February
- Nominations are due: Mid-March
- Decisions finalized and released: Late April
Nomination Guidelines
Within the nomination form, you will have the opportunity to upload a letter of nomination for each individual and/or organizational nominee. If you are aware of others who may be preparing a letter of nomination for the same individual and/or organization, we encourage (but do not require) the submission of a collaborative letter of nomination.
Though self-nominations are permitted for the individual award categories listed below, anyone who self-nominates for an individual award, must supplement their self-nomination with at least one secondary nomination from someone who can speak meaningfully to how the self-nominee’s contributions map to the award criteria.
- Exemplary Leadership & Service Awards
- Casey Moore Impact Award
- Faculty Champion Awards
Word Count Limits: Letters of nomination should be no less than 350 words, but no more than 1000.
Award Categories
Exemplary Leadership & Service Awards [Individual Award Category]
Awarded to students who have a demonstrated track record of exemplary leadership and service to the Cornell graduate and professional student community, especially in the areas of outreach, inclusion, and student engagement. Service might include but is not limited to efforts to build a stronger graduate and professional student community through peer mentorship, student advocacy, and support of graduate student organizations.
Recipients of this award have demonstrated the ability to collaborate positively with the others toward a shared goal that has improved the academic, personal, and/or professional lives and experiences of members of our graduate community.
These awards have two subcategories:
Early Career
Awarded to first-year professional degree students (MPA, MFA, DVM, etc.), first year research master’s degree students (MS, MA, etc.), and/or pre-A Exam PhD students at the time of nomination.
Advanced Career
Awarded to professional and research master’s degree students beyond their first year of study and/or post-A Exam PhD candidates at the time of nomination.
Community Access & Outreach Awards [Organizational Award Category]
Awarded to collective groups of individuals (student organizations, partnerships, committees, coalitions, etc.) engaged in outreach initiatives that create avenues of access and/or advance aspects of inclusion and equal opportunity for the benefit of communities within or beyond Cornell.
This award has two subcategories:
Impact on Communities Within Cornell
Awarded to collective groups that have positively impacted communities Within Cornell through initiatives creating avenues of access and/or advancing aspects of inclusion and equal opportunity.
Impact on Communities Beyond Cornell
Awarded to collective groups that have positively impacted communities Beyond Cornell through initiatives creating avenues of access and/or advancing aspects of inclusion and equal opportunity.
Casey Moore Impact Award [Individual Award Category]
Awarded to a member of the community who is neither a graduate student nor a faculty member who contributes to the advancement of access, equal opportunity, and success in graduate education. They have done this by going above and beyond in their mentoring and support of the success of Cornell graduate and professional degree students, especially as it relates to enhancing their sense of belonging, overall well-being, progression, and achievement.
Faculty Champion Awards [Individual Award Category]
Awarded to faculty members who advise graduate and/or professional degree students who foster access and inclusion in graduate education through exemplary mentorship, leadership, and/or outreach activities within the Cornell community. Those who receive this award have shown an unwavering commitment to promoting the growth and personal and professional development of graduate and professional students who represent the diversity of the Cornell community. This award has two subcategories:
This award has two sub-categories:
Early Career Faculty
Awarded to early career faculty members to recognize immediate and significant contributions.
Advanced Career Faculty
Awarded to mid to advanced career faculty to recognize their ongoing and significant contributions.