University Exemplary Department or Program Award
The University Exemplary Department or Program Award recognizes the work of departments and programs that maintain exemplary teaching and learning environments for students and faculty. With this award, the university publicly honors the collaborative efforts and successes of a group of dedicated colleagues - actively performing work that is essential for sustaining a truly excellent academic environment. The University Exemplary Department or Program Awards are given in recognition that the academic excellence of individuals is achieved within distinctive working and learning environments to which many individuals contribute in essential ways.
A total of $40,000 will be available for awards to the department(s) and/or program(s) as to be determined by the selection committee drawn from the university community.
The awards program was established as a part of the university's Faculty Rewards Project, a project which seeks to clarify the expectations of faculty and define appropriate rewards for accomplishments.
Award Theme
Each year, the University Exemplary Department or Program Award focuses on a different theme. For 2025, departments and/or programs will be recognized for identifying and implementing data-informed decisions to advance teaching and learning.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the University Exemplary Department or Program Award, the nominated department or program must 1) have teaching and learning as a primary purpose and 2) identify as a “department” (i.e., academic department or school) or “program” (i.e., an academic program) housed within one of the ten academic colleges.
Nomination Materials
Nominations are invited from students, faculty, or others who have benefited from the work of the nominated department(s) or program(s). Nomination packets must include the two items listed below.
- A nomination letter addressing the following:
- Information about data used (e.g., department/program/university level data, externally sourced data), data collection (e.g., student survey/focus groups, faculty survey), and other pertinent information that would help provide context (e.g., data gathered from one semester/multiple years, number of participants).
- Generally, how has your department or program used data to inform and enhance teaching and learning practices?
- What strategies has your department or program implemented to increase access to and effective use of data by faculty, staff, and/or students in support of teaching and learning?
- How has your department or program supported the full cycle of data-informed decision-making: a) identifying relevant data, b) analyzing and interpreting data, c) applying insights to improve teaching and learning, and d) evaluating the impact of changes?
- How will your department or program sustain its commitment to data-informed decision-making to support continued advancement in teaching and learning?
- Letters of support from current and former faculty, students, administrators, agencies, and other beneficiaries, focused on the achievements of the department or program relative to this year's theme.
Nomination packets must be uploaded to the online nomination form as a single PDF file, not to exceed 10 pages. The nomination packets must also be formatted in 12-point Arial font with 1” borders (except for the letters of support).
The call for nominations will open on August 18, 2025 and close at 5:00 p.m. on September 30, 2025.
If you have questions about the University Exemplary Department or Program Award, please email the Center for Excellence for Teaching and Learning at teaching@vt.edu.