Employee Awards | Leadership

Oregon State University – Cascades' annual award program was initiated in 2010 and recognizes faculty and staff members who have made outstanding contributions to key university initiatives ranging from teaching excellence to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Award Categories

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Recognizes an individual faculty or staff member that actively promotes diversity, equity and inclusion at OSU-Cascades through consistent and sustained efforts to improve opportunities for the diverse communities we serve, demonstrating the following traits:

Engaged in innovative curricular or extra-curricular program development across communities of difference
Advanced diversity, equity and inclusion through academic research and scholarship
Developed experiential or immersive learning opportunities that expand consciousness and responsibility related to social justice
Advised individual students or student organizations from underrepresented backgrounds and created pathways to success

Outreach

Recognizes an individual faculty or staff member that has excelled in outreach, demonstrating the following traits:

Service to the community – professionally related
Enhancing the reputation of OSU-Cascades
Extending OSU-Cascades scholarship to the community
Demonstrated impact on the community
Development of connections between OSU-Cascades and the community

Sustainability

Recognizes an individual faculty or staff member that has advanced the Sustainability Vision for OSU-Cascades, which is, “A sustainable future through critical thinking and creative action,” via the following qualifications:

Incorporating sustainability into courses or the overall curriculum
Implementing sustainable practices in any aspect of our operations
Extending teaching or research to have a demonstrated impact on sustainability in the community
Having a demonstrated impact on the sustainability culture of OSU-Cascades
Getting students involved in sustainability at OSU-Cascades

Distinguished Mentor

Recognizes an individual faculty or staff member that has demonstrated exceptional dedication to mentoring students or early career faculty/staff, making transformative impact on their academic or professional growth through the following qualifications:

Sustained commitment to mentorship with clear evidence of mentee success
Innovative approaches to mentorship that enhance professional or academic development, providing personal and holistic support, fostering resilience and well-being in mentees
Assisting mentees in establishing professional networks and securing opportunities for career advancement
Supporting mentees in research, publications, creative works and professional presentations

Bend Beavs Culture

Recognizes an individual faculty or staff member that demonstrates the Bend Beavs spirit via the following traits:

Employee who has a positive, can-do attitude
Employee who exudes optimism and encouragement
Employee who leads by example and whose work ethic and attitude is inspirational
Employee who shows a commitment to, and supports organized activities
Employee that encourages community building and helps to create a collegial and positive environment
Employee demonstrates a commitment to one or more of the four OSU-Cascades pillars
- Sustainability
- Health & Wellness
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Innovation & Creativity

Scholarship and Creative Activity

Recognizes an individual faculty member (professor or instructor) that has excelled in intellectual work whose significance is validated by peers and which is communicated.

Work must be based on high-level professional expertise
Originality
Peer reviewed and critiqued – publications include; books, manuscripts and journal articles with quantity and quality noted
Significant to the public beyond the university setting
External grants through OSU (not consulting)
Invited publications and presentations
Exhibitions with quantity and quality noted
National or international recognition

Teaching Excellence

Recognizes an individual faculty member (professor or instructor) that has excelled in teaching via the following qualifications:

Student input on teaching effectiveness and innovation
Number of students taught
Innovation in teaching
Curriculum development
National or international recognition
Demonstrated impact on student success
Demonstrated impact on students’ creative and critical thinking ability

Part-Time Teaching Excellence

Recognizes an individual faculty member holding a part-time teaching position that has excelled in teaching via the following qualifications:

Student input on teaching effectiveness and innovation
Innovation in teaching
Demonstrated impact on student success
Demonstrated impact on students’ creative and critical thinking ability

Service Excellence

Recognizes an individual staff member that demonstrates service excellence via the following traits:

Employee who is dedicated to service and continuously improving faculty, student and staff satisfaction and exceeding expectations
Employee who values and encourages personal and professional development for self and others, and motivates growth
Employee who is an effective team member and facilitator and coordinates well with both internal and external constituents
Employee who demonstrates excellence in resolving conflicts and/or challenges
Employee demonstrates a commitment to one or more of the four OSU-Cascades pillars
- Sustainability
- Health & Wellness
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Innovation & Creativity

Unsung Hero

Recognizes an individual staff member that demonstrates service excellence via the following traits:

Employee who makes significant contributions to a program/project/unit/etc. through consistent high-quality work
Employee who has a willingness to help as needed in whatever capacity necessary, above and beyond their normal duties
Employee who demonstrates reliability, loyalty, and commitment to excellence
Employee who builds strong connections and successfully collaborates with staff, faculty, and others across campus on programs/projects
Employee demonstrates a commitment to one or more of the four OSU-Cascades pillars
- Sustainability
- Health & Wellness
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Innovation & Creativity

Discontinued Award Categories

Outstanding Staff

Recognizes an individual professional faculty member or classified staff that has excelled in providing support to OSU-Cascades students, faculty or staff in the following areas:

Innovation
Solution-driven actions
Teamwork and collaboration
Consistency
On-going learning
Passion for services

Past Award Recipients