Heather Strode Community Impact Award

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Eligibility

Recipients of this award must be

• employed in PCAL full-time

In addition

• Recipients may hold joint appointments between PCAL and other WKU offices.
• Research leave, externships, sabbaticals, reduced course loads, FMLA, and parental leave do not disqualify one from candidacy. People in such positions who are typically employed full-time are considered, for the purposes of this award, duly eligible.
• To prevent conflicts of interests in distributing this award, serving members of the PCAL Think Tank are ineligible for this award in any cycle in which candidates not belonging to the Think Tank are nominated.
• Nominations are welcome from anyone associated with the PCAL community.
• Awardees will be honored at the summer PCAL Jumpstart celebration.

Advice for Submitting a Nomination

Nominations should highlight specific, observable actions and their impact on individuals, teams, or the broader PCAL community. Strong nominations provide clear evidence of contributions rather than general impressions.

Nominations should explain how your nominee meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Efforts to facilitate the wellbeing or work-life balance of PCAL employees
• Advocacy on behalf of PCAL employees’ rights, standing, recognition, or needs
• Supporting ways for PCAL employees to express concerns, process difficulties, receive and provide collegial support, and cope with challenges of the job.
• Efforts to recognize and celebrate the talents, experiences, and good work of fellow PCAL employees
• Encouraging, facilitating, or otherwise supporting fellow PCAL employees to reach occupational goals
• Partnering, mentoring, advising or otherwise collaborating with others in or outside of PCAL

In your nomination, provide evidence indicative of the relevant above criteria. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Initiating programs such as workshops, certificates, etc.
• Implementing new practices that promote wellbeing or efficiency
• Leading department initiative to support employees work-life balance (e.g., childcare/eldercare, advocating for a Zoom option for meetings for those who struggle to attend)
• Ensuring coworkers have the space to communicate in meetings
• Mentoring others (informally or more than is required)
• Offering professional development funds to support colleagues when not using one’s own.
• Advocating for equitable distribution of work for the benefit of others as well as self

Required Materials (in brief)

1. Nomination Letter (500 words or less):

• Make explicit which criterion/a your nominee meets
• Describe the nominee’s contributions
• Explain the context of their work
• Highlight why their contributions are meaningful and deserving of recognition. 

2. 2–3 Specific Examples of Impact (Required):

For each example, please include:

• The action taken by the nominee
• The context or situation
• The outcome or impact (who benefited and how)

3. Impact Summary (Short Paragraph or Bullet Points):

• What changed as a result of this person’s actions?
• Who benefited?
• Was the impact short-term or sustained?

Remember to…

• Focus on specific actions rather than general qualities
• Provide concrete examples and outcomes
• Be concise but thorough
• Emphasize impact on others and the PCAL community

Nominations will be evaluated using a rubric that emphasizes demonstrated contributions, documented impact, and alignment with the spirit of this award.