5 Steps to a More Effective PAEA Award Nomination

PAEA’s Faculty & Staff Awards offer special recognition to both individuals and programs. So get inspired! Here’s an easy-to-follow “recipe” for nominating the person or program that inspires you.

Explore the 11 categories to learn more about each award’s criteria and requirements. You can also learn about our past winners at the bottom of each category page to help you get started. When you’re ready, follow the steps below to submit an effective nomination.

1. Choose your nominees.

Gather a few colleagues to think about the people, projects, articles, and partnerships that have made an impact on your work or PA education as a whole. Remember — there is no limit to the number of nominations that you or your program can submit. Once you’ve identified at least one nominee for each category you wish to submit for, prioritize your list and determine who will serve as the nominator for each nominee.

Tip: Bring the list of award categories with you to your next faculty meeting to source ideas.

2. Gather your nomination materials.

Double check the award category for its required materials. Keep in mind that awards for individuals will require a current CV, while awards for programs may require a letter from the program director.

Tip: Save time by sending one BCC email to your nominees asking for a current CV.

3. Write a strong nomination statement.

While only the nominator will be asked to submit a nomination statement, additional letters of support may be required for some award categories. When writing your nomination letter, be intentional about addressing the award criteria by including specific examples of each. Although there is no word/page limit, a more concise and clear letter helps our reviewers avoid confusion and ultimately makes a stronger case.

Tip: Use the award’s criteria to form the outline of your nomination statement.

4. Collect your letters of support.

If you are a primary nominator, you may be asked to submit additional letters of support to serve as references for the nominee. Work with your peers to determine who will write these. Note that you do not need to have the letters of support to submit your nomination. Once you have submitted your nomination letter and other materials, we will ask you for the email addresses of the people who will write letters of support. We strongly recommend giving them a heads-up so that they are prepared ahead of time. We’ll do all of the heavy lifting and communicate to them exactly what we need.

Tip: The number of letters of support required depends on the award category, so be sure to double check how many you need to submit.

5. Cross your fingers!

The PAEA Faculty & Staff Awards serve as the highest honor for the PA education community and therefore are very competitive. Each nomination is thoroughly reviewed by our Awards and Honors Review Committee — a panel of thoughtful leaders from across the spectrum of PA education —  to honor the best in our profession. Our 2019 award recipients will be announced this fall at the PAEA Education Forum in Washington, DC. We hope to see you there to celebrate excellence in PA education!

If you have any questions, be sure to contact us at awards@PAEAonline.org.