AWARDS

Purpose: The purpose of the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) is to recognize excellence in teaching in Virginia’s Community Colleges.

The Award: The Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence is awarded annually to one teaching faculty member in the VCCS who distinctly represents the teaching excellence found at VCCS college(s). The award provides the recipient with a VCCS stole and $5,000. One nomination per campus will be accepted.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants

• Are full-time teaching faculty with unrestricted rank and salary proposals,

• Possess a minimum of five years of full-time VCCS service during which at least 75% of the workload was devoted to teaching, and

• Are recommended by the president of the employing institution

Criteria: The criteria on which the recipient is selected reflect the following:

1. Instructional Effectiveness

• encourages active learning

• respects diverse talents and ways of knowing

• creates and offers many options for learning

• gives prompt feedback

• emphasizes time on task

• assesses student learning through documentation

• promotes a complete range of thinking skills

• integrates the acquisition of basic academic success skills and academic values into coursework

• integrates technology appropriately into teaching and learning

• understands current trends and issues related to pedagogy and the discipline

2. Student Focus

• promotes positive student relationships

• encourages cooperation among students (through group work or projects, collaborative learning communities, or other mechanisms)

• engages learners as full partners in the learning process, with learners assuming responsibility for their own choices

• communicates high expectations

• encourages personal development, work, and career preparation

• creates opportunity for change in learners

• engages students in activities outside of the classroom such as clubs, organizations, tutoring, field trips, or similar activities* (Excluded for 2022 award consideration due to pandemic restrictions)

3. Discipline Competence

• possesses specific knowledge and skills

• maintains currency through discipline-related professional development

4. Personal Attributes

• models lifelong learning

• engages in positive working relationships with students, colleagues, departments, campuses, and/or community

• affirms and participates in shaping a college’s culture (mission, vision, and values)

• demonstrates clear reasoning skills

New award this year!

Purpose: The Chancellor’s Award for Student Services Excellence recognizes an exceptional member of a college’s Student Services department who has consistently gone above and beyond their regular duties to provide outstanding support and assistance to students. This prestigious award aims to honor individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to enhancing the overall student experience and have significantly impacted the lives of students through their dedication, professionalism, and exceptional service.

The Award: The Chancellor’s Award for Student Services Excellence is awarded annually to one student services professional in the VCCS who distinctly represents the excellence in serving students found at VCCS college(s). The award provides the recipient with a plaque and $5,000. One nomination per campus will be accepted.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants:

• Are full-time student services professionals who do not hold the position of dean or higher,

• Possess a minimum of five years of full-time VCCS service during which at least 75% of the workload was devoted to providing services directly to students, and

• Are recommended by the president of the employing institution

Criteria: The criteria on which the recipient is selected reflect the following:

1. Excellence in Student Support

• Demonstrates a high level of commitment to student success by providing exceptional service and support. 

• Strong understanding of student needs, actively listen to student concerns, and provide genuine empathy while striving to find effective solutions. 

2. Innovation and Creativity

• Displays a proactive and innovative approach to addressing challenges and improving the student experience.

• Contributes fresh ideas, embrace new technologies and methods, and develop innovative programs or initiatives that enhance the overall support and services provided to students. 

3. Collaboration and Teamwork

• Actively collaborates with colleagues, demonstrating a strong commitment to working effectively as part of a team. 

• Fosters positive and constructive relationships, share knowledge and resources, and contribute to a cooperative and supportive work environment. 

4. Leadership and Professionalism

• Exhibits exceptional leadership skills, inspiring and motivating others to achieve excellence. 

• Leads by example, display professionalism and integrity in their work, and serve as a role model for their peers and students alike. 

This award is funded through the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education

Purpose: A fund supporting the Susan S. Wood Professorship for Teaching Excellence was created by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education in November 2013 to honor Dr. Susan S. Wood’s 40 years of service to Virginia’s Community Colleges. The Susan S. Wood Professorship for Teaching Excellence recognizes a VCCS faculty member who demonstrates faculty excellence, dedication to students, and academic leadership.

The Award: The Susan S. Wood Professor will receive a $1,500 honorarium paid at the end of the spring semester. The honorarium shall not become a part of the individual’s base salary. Designation as Susan S. Wood Professor shall not affect the faculty rank of the individual.

Eligibility: Individuals applying for this honor should be full-time faculty members in the VCCS whose careers reflect a history of striving for excellence, commitment and dedication to students, creative and innovative approaches to teaching, active involvement in one’s discipline, demonstrating leadership and collegiality among peers (at the college, state, and/or national levels), and reflecting continuous professional growth and development during his/her continuum of being a faculty member. The individual should be a seasoned professional who is giving back to the profession in some meaningful and demonstrable way, for example mentoring junior or adjunct faculty, engaging in research, and involving students in their work. A minimum of five years’ service to the VCCS is preferred.

*This award is made possible in part by support from the George B. Vaughan Leadership Endowment Fund through the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education

Purpose: Friends and family of Dr. George B. Vaughan established an endowment fund in 2014 to honor Dr. Vaughan’s distinguished service of over 40 years as a national leader in community college education. The George B. Vaughan Leadership Award for Outstanding Adjunct Faculty serves as a legacy of Dr. Vaughan’s achievements and as an inspiration for VCCS faculty. The award recognizes one outstanding VCCS adjunct faculty member per region for a total of up to five awards to be bestowed per year. The George B. Vaughan Leadership Award for Outstanding Adjunct Faculty is the first VCCS award to recognize the approximately 4,600 adjunct faculty members who are making an impact with countless students across Virginia.

The Award: Each Vaughan Award recipient receives an $800 honorarium paid before the end of the spring semester.

Eligibility: Individuals applying for this honor must be current VCCS employees, serving as adjunct faculty members at the time of nomination, with a minimum of two years of service to their current, nominating college. Service does not have to be continuous but should be at a single VCCS college. Applicants’ adjunct teaching careers should reflect the excellence in leadership, teaching effectiveness, and student service exemplified by Dr. Vaughan. Adjunct faculty are nominated by their college president via a letter of recommendation. Presidents may nominate no more than one adjunct faculty member per campus.

Purpose: The Excellence in Education (EIE) Awards acknowledge exceptional college work in support of the VCCS mission. The Excellence in Education awards program provides an annual opportunity to showcase, celebrate, and share ideas and innovations across the VCCS that contribute to improving student outcomes and reaching our strategic goals.

The Award: The Excellence in Education Awards is a celebration, acknowledgement and affirmation of the tremendous work that so many are doing to serve our students and communities.

The 2025 New Horizons Excellence in Education Awards will utilize nominations for these honors from the following conference categories:

• Award for Developing Virginia's Talent

• Award for Reaching More Virginians

• Award for Excellence in Delivering Education to Today’s Learners

• Award for Supporting Today’s Learners – Creating a Culture of Care

The winner project/program in each category will be awarded a certificate and $500.

Please note: All cash prize award funds will be transmitted from the System Office to the business office of the winner’s college for disbursement; funds will not be made payable directly to awardees by the VCCS System Office.

Eligibility:  Any VCCS employee may be nominated for an award.