Presidential
Medal of
Graduate Student Excellence

2018

Award Criteria

The 2018Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence will be awarded to at least two of the university’s outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated the following criteria:

  1. Graduation.Eligibility for graduation from a graduate degree program in Summer 2017, Fall 2017,Spring2018 or Summer 2018.
  2. Academic Learning & Discovery. The nominee has a cumulative university grade point average of 3.2 or better and also exhibits evidence of high academic excellence and achievement within their respective academic field.

Examples of high academic achievement may include,

  • Research work and publication that has potential for global impact and/or attainment of inter/nationally competitive fellowships and scholarships.
  • Student’s academic record in the graduate program and the quality and impact of the student’s culminating experience, including creative arts, performance and projects conducted in a professional setting.
  • Local, state, regional and/or inter/national recognition for academic achievements.
  1. Significant Leadership Contribution. The nominee demonstrates innovation, initiative, independenceand a positive peer impact. Candidates have demonstrated growth and advancement in their involvement with an organization and/or in their discipline.

Examples include,

  • Significant leadership in UC co-curricular activities (e.g., advocacy, governance, honorary, service, social or athletic organizations); endeavors and pursuits towards diversity and/or global engagement; andrecognition for their contributions at the regional, state and/or inter/national organizational level.
  • Participation in community activities; contribution to the community or country through the creation and/or enhancement of an organization/agency.
  1. Significant Graduate Student Impact. The nominee’s work during their time as a graduate student is impactful,and gives back to the university and the community.

Examples of significant graduate student impact include,

  • Contributing towards personal growth, development and/or academic success of other students at the university (effective mentoring, outstanding teaching performance).
  • Nominee’s exemplary pursuits and endeavors have contributed to the graduate community and student life as a whole in a unique way.
  • Nominee’s work and commitment to advancing welfare of and quality of student life asvalidated through external recognition.
  1. Potential for Future Success and Achievement. Tangible evidence that upon graduation, the student is poised for strong success (job offers, book/article contracts, grants for postdoctoral study, invitations to speak/perform, patents, etc.).

Application Components

  1. Nominee’s basic information page (below and available at
  2. A current resume or CV, no more than three pages.
  3. An essay of no more than four typed, double-spaced pages, explaining, in terms of the criteria, why you think you should be named a recipient of this award and reflecting on your involvement illustrating innovation, initiative, independence, a positive peer impact and contributions to a group for sustainability and growth.
  4. Twocompleted nomination forms, each submitted with the corresponding letter of recommendation. One nomination should come from a UC faculty member, the other should come from a UC staff or administrator.
  5. One additionalletter of recommendation is permitted. No other additional materials will be accepted.

Submission Guidelines

All nomination materials must be submitted electronically to Arun Muthusamy, the GSGA President, at . Submit all materials together (in the same email, flash drive or cloud storage folder).Incomplete and late submissions will be rejected, no exceptions. The submitter will not be notified if materials are missing and the nominee will not be allowed to update or add materials after the deadline.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on November 30, 2017.

Interview Availability

All nominees must be available during the weeks of January 22–26 and January 29–February 2for an interview with the selection committee (dates are subject to change). Interviews will only be granted to finalists.

Presidential
Medal of
Graduate StudentExcellence

2018

Nominee’s Basic Information:

Name:
Local Address:
Local Phone: E-mail:
All-University Cumulative Grade Point Average: M-Number:
Program(s) of Study/Degree(s) Expected:
Date of Graduation: Summer 2017  Fall 2017  Spring 2018 Summer 2018

I agree that the information contained in this application is factual. I hereby give permission to the Selection Committee to obtain information including, but not limited to, any disciplinary records in my name and the transcript of my academic record at the University of Cincinnati. This information will be used for the sole purpose of verifying my personal attributes and suitability for this nomination.

______

Student Nominee’s Signature Date

2018Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence

Nomination Form

The nominator should be a faculty, staff or administrative member of the University of Cincinnati. The nominator should submit this form and corresponding letter (guidelines below) to the student to be included with his or her complete application.

Name of PMGSENominee (student):

Name of Nominator:

Nominator’s Title and Department:

Phone: Email Address:

Please evaluate the nominee on the following on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high).Please refer to the award application packet or the PMGSE web page ( for a description of the award criteria.

LOWHIGH

Academic Learning & Discovery12345Not Observed

Significant Leadership Contribution12345Not Observed

Significant Graduate Student Impact: 12345Not Observed

Potential for Future Success and Achievement12345Not Observed

Please write a letter answering the following questions and providing additional comments.

The selection committee is interested in specific details of the nominee’s leadership that you have observed through your relationship with him or her. The selection criteria are listed at for your reference.

  1. How long and in what capacity have you known this nominee?
  2. Given the criteria, why should the nominee receive a Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence?Please focus your comments on specific occasions in which you observed the nominee demonstrating leadershipand the resulting contributions.
  3. Has the nominee applied to and/or received inter/national recognition for excellence in his/her chosen field(s) of interest(s)?
  4. What is the nominee’s leadership style and why is it effective?

______

Nominator’s Signature Date

2018 Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence

Nomination Form

The nominator should be a faculty, staff or administrative member of the University of Cincinnati. The nominator should submit this form and corresponding letter (guidelines below) to the student to be included with his or her complete application.

Name of PMGSE Nominee (student):

Name of Nominator:

Nominator’s Title and Department:

Phone: Email Address:

Please evaluate the nominee on the following on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high).Please refer to the award application packet or the PMGSE web page ( for a description of the award criteria.

LOWHIGH

Academic Learning & Discovery12345Not Observed

Significant Leadership Contribution12345Not Observed

Significant Graduate Student Impact: 12345Not Observed

Potential for Future Success and Achievement12345Not Observed

Please write a letter answering the following questions and providing additional comments.

The selection committee is interested in specific details of the nominee’s leadership that you have observed through your relationship with him or her. The selection criteria are listed at for your reference.

  1. How long and in what capacity have you known this nominee?
  2. Given the criteria, why should the nominee receive a Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence?Please focus your comments on specific occasions in which you observed the nominee demonstrating leadershipand the resulting contributions.
  3. Has the nominee applied to and/or received inter/national recognition for excellence in his/her chosen field(s) of interest(s)?
  4. What is the nominee’s leadership style and why is it effective?

______

Nominator’s Signature Date