Nominate your faculty: 2026-27 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards

Submit your nomination
 

Overview

Effective mentoring by faculty is often cited as a critical component in the persistence of students in graduate education, especially, but not exclusively, in doctoral programs. Since 1987, the Graduate College has recognized faculty members for their outstanding service to the graduate student and postdoctoral scholar communities through mentoring excellence, commitment to professional development and career advancement and the fostering of inclusive, collaborative academic environments.  According to the National Academies, “Mentorship is a professional, working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support the personal and professional growth, development, and success of the relational partners through the provision of career and psychosocial support.”

Nomination Process

The nomination portal for the 2026-27 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards will close September 25, 2026. Nominations must come from current ASU graduate students, postdoctoral scholars or alumni. 

• Outstanding Doctoral Mentor

  
  This category recognizes tenured and tenure-track faculty nominated by a doctoral student.

• Outstanding Master’s Mentor

  
  This category recognizes tenured, tenure-track faculty nominated by a master’s student.

• Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentor

  
  This category recognizes faculty excellence in mentoring postdoctoral scholars.

• Outstanding Instructional Faculty Mentor

  
  This category recognizes teaching professors, instructors, faculty associates, clinical faculty, and other non-tenure track instructional staff for exemplary graduate student mentoring.

   

Awards are based upon nomination by current ASU graduate students or postdoctoral scholars. 

Each graduate student or postdoctoral scholar may nominate only one faculty member per academic year. Multiple students may nominate the same faculty member, but each nomination must be submitted individually.

The initial review will be based solely on the strength of your nomination statements. Please be thoughtful, thorough, and prepared to spend 60–90 minutes completing the form.

Awards

$1200 awards in the form of research or travel funding will be presented to 1 mentor in each category - Outstanding Doctoral Mentor, Outstanding Master’s Mentor, Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentor, and Outstanding Instructional Faculty Mentor.

Eligibility

Nominees must be full-time Arizona State University faculty who have demonstrated a record of commitment to graduate student or postdoctoral scholar success through holistic mentoring, commitment to professional development, fostering of inclusive and collaborative academic environments, or thesis/dissertation committee service.

Previous Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award winners are not eligible for consideration. The Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards webpage has a list of previous awardees and their essays on mentoring.

Evaluation Criteria

Nominees will be evaluated based on each of the following criteria:

1. Psychosocial Support Functions – a demonstrated record of mentoring excellence as indicated by a clear understanding of the professional and psychosocial needs of mentee/s;
2. Commitment to professional development and career advancement – a demonstrated commitment to graduate student and postdoctoral scholar professional development and career advancement as indicated by encouraging pursuit of publication, external grant funding or conference presentation, cultivation of a strong professional portfolio, development of network connections, dissemination of knowledge (knowledge mobilization) and transferable skill development;
3. Fostering of inclusive, collaborative and equitable academic environments – a demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity in mentoring as indicated by cultural awareness and sensitivity, recognition and respect for differences in perspective (cultural, racial, socioeconomic, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), and openness and transparency in the mentoring/advising process;
4. Knowledge and skill development support - a demonstrated commitment to evaluation of graduate student or postdoctoral scholar capacity and support in guidance to continue their development and pursuit of success; 
5. Culturally responsive mentoring -  a demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity in their work with graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, as indicated by active listening; promotion of recognition and respect for differences in perspective (cultural, racial, socioeconomic, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), and openness and transparency in the lab/classroom.

Process and Timelines

Initial Review, Second Review and Faculty Notification

Nominations must be received by September 25, 2026 for consideration. In October, a review of nominations will be conducted to determine which will advance to the second round of review. At that time nominees selected to advance to the second round will be informed of their nomination and asked to submit the following:

1. A 750 to 1,000-word statement on their mentoring philosophy and the importance of mentoring to graduate student and/or postdoctoral scholar success;
2. Name, title, department and contact information for supervising chair/department head.
3. Curriculum vitae, including names, email addresses and relationships (i.e. faculty advisor, committee member, research project director) for three (3) previous graduate students or postdoctoral scholars.
4. Questionnaire about their mentoring experiences.

Review and Awardee Selection

Review for the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards will take place through November and December of 2026. Nominees and nominating students will be notified of final nomination status in late January.

All finalists will be invited to attend the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards in late February, 2027. 
 

Submit your nomination