Excellence in Advising & Student Services

Excellence in Advising & Student Services Awards Program 

The Excellence in Advising and Student Services Awards program recognizes outstanding work and innovation in advising and student support. Awards will be made to individuals and teams who have been nominated for their significant positive impact on students, student support programs, and/or the student services community as a whole. Student support plays a critical role in student engagement, belonging, and success, and because advising matters at Berkeley, we believe significant contribution deserves campus-wide recognition. 2026 award recipients will be celebrated at our December 16, 2026 event on campus; registration details to follow.

We encourage nominations of advising and student services staff from throughout our Berkeley community, including Student Affairs, Equity & Inclusion, Graduate Division, Undergraduate Education, Schools & Colleges, Study Abroad/Summer Sessions/Extension, Berkeley International Office, and beyond!

Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026. This deadline is firm, as there is a short window of time for the volunteer readers to review and score nominations. Please review the following answers to some of our most frequently asked questions as you consider submitting your nomination:

• Please email advising-strategy-and-training@berkeley.edu if there are accommodations we can provide that would make this nomination process more accessible for you.

• The submission deadline is firm because there is a short window for the volunteer reviewers to evaluate nominations. 

• Eligible nominees do not need to have the term “advisor” in their title. All advising and student support staff at UC Berkeley may be nominated.

• Nominations can be made by anyone in the campus community including students. We accept self-nominations, including for team awards. The key to nominations is quality rather than quantity. Group nominations are appreciated. 

• Staff can be nominated for more than one category. A nomination for each category must be submitted separately, and the nominee will not be selected for more than one award. 

• Previous winners are not eligible to receive the same award within the past three award years (2023, 2024, 2025). If membership of a team has substantially changed (at least 50% new members) since that team won a category, the team may be considered for the same category it won in the past. See this document for a list of previous winners

• Staff, faculty, and administrators who have left the University within one academic year are eligible to be nominated.

• Entries within each category will be independently evaluated by a review team of using the criteria outlined below and using the 2026 Advising & Student Services Awards Scoring Rubric. Quotes from colleagues and students strengthen nominations and are an important component of the scoring rubric.

• Once nominations are reviewed, the committee may move a nomination to a different category if it is determined to be a better fit.

We encourage you to attend a virtual office hours session to learn more about what our nomination reviewers are looking for, and to ask any questions you may have before submitting your nomination:

• Friday, August 21 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. | Register for 8/21 Zoom Link

• Tuesday, September 8 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Register for 9/8 Zoom Link

• Monday, September 21 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. | Register for 9/21 Zoom Link

If you are unable to attend an office hour, please direct questions to advising-strategy-and-training@berkeley.edu.

Award Categories (Read Descriptions Here!)

• Advising Innovation (Staff; Individual or Team)

• Equity Champion (Staff; Individual or Team)

• Excellence in Data and/or Research-Driven Student Services (Staff; Individual or Team)

• Service to the Advising and Student Services Community (Staff; Individual or Team)

• Outstanding New Advisor or Student Services Professional (Staff; Individual)

• Outstanding Advisor or Student Services Professional (Staff; Individual)

• Outstanding Advising or Student Services Administrator, Director, or Manager (Staff/Supervisor; Individual)

• Outstanding Peer Advisor, Mentor, Counselor, or Ambassador (Student; Individual or Team)

• Outstanding Faculty Advisor (Faculty; Individual)

• Advising Champion (Administrator; Individual)

Award for Special Performance and Contributions (Staff; Individual)

• The Mary Slakey Howell Excellence in Advising and Student Services Award: Our Highest Honor, For Exceptional Contributions to Students and the Advising Community

Nomination Process

Please completely fill out the nomination form, linked below, paying particular attention to the award categories and the nomination scoring rubric

The nomination form requests the following in order to successfully submit your nomination:

• Information about the nominee

• Information about the nominator(s)

• In 4000 characters or less, address how the individual or team meets the criteria for the specific category. Within the context of that category, ensure you give specific examples and quotes illustrating how the individual or team demonstrates:

• A positive impact on individuals and/or communities (students and/or staff) and an authentically student-centered, caring, and connected approach to advising and student service;

• Innovation (e.g., in methods, approaches, tools, programs, resources, etc.);

• Alignment with Berkeley’s Advising & Student Services Goals and Principles

• In 750 characters or fewer, summarize the key points of your nomination in a paragraph that will be published on the awards website, should your nominee be selected. The summary should include the nominee's name, title, and department/unit/program.

• Additional question for Mary Slakey Howell Award nominations: The Mary Slakey Howell Award is the most prestigious advising and student services award. In 2000 characters or fewer (including spaces), please elaborate on why you think your nominee's service rises to this level.  This nomination also requires 1-2 letters of support from individuals who are well-informed with the nominee's work, highlighting their visionary leadership and exceptional contributions and dedication to the advising community. 

If you prefer to submit a nomination in an alternative format, please email advising-strategy-and-training@berkeley.edu for format-specific nomination guidelines.