ISU Extension Award Descriptions

ISU Extension Marketing Award (New award)

The award may highlight either a program or organizational marketing effort.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension professional employees

Number awarded: One

Award: Framed certificate

Award Criteria:: • Illustrates creative, “fresh” ideas that can be replicated by others within Extension
• Demonstrates a county/project/program connection to ISU and ISU Extension
• Is created from a plan with stated goals, objectives and tactics
• Identifies specific target audience/s
• Includes measurable tactics
• Communicates results or impacts to appropriate stakeholders

ISU Award for Distinguished Service in Extension

Given as a tribute to Marvin A. Anderson, the first Dean of Extension at ISU, this is the top career award in ISU Extension. It recognizes sustained distinguished performance and educational contributions to ISU and clientele through Extension programs.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension professional employees

Number awarded: One

Award: Plaque and $1,500

Award Criteria: Career demonstrates

that recipient has excelled in assigned duties to ISU Extension,
consistently strong leadership skills and credibility with clientele,
outstanding efforts in planning, implementation (including educational leadership and audience involvement), and impact evaluation,
outstanding collaborative efforts to reach ISU Extension goals,
personal and professional development.

Meritorious Service

For meritorious achievements and educational contributions to clientele through dedication to duty and significant contributions to the mission of ISU Extension over time.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension professional employees

Number awarded: Up to six per year

Award: Plaque

Award Criteria: Career demonstrates

strong leadership skills and credibility with clientele,
outstanding efforts in planning, implementation (including educational leadership and audience involvement), and impact evaluation,
supports collaborative efforts to reach ISU Extension goals,
personal and professional development.

Achievement by an Individual

To recognize a SINGLE outstanding ISU Extension effort by an individual. The majority of the effort should have been carried out during the past three years. It could include efforts that are normally expected of staff, but carried out with much originality or creativity.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension employees

Number awarded: Three to four per year.

Award: Framed citation

Award Criteria: Effort

is relevant to ISU Extension mission also timely and relevant to priorities in the field in which nominee works,
shows positive impact on clients,
shows evidence of leadership and involvement of other people, either within or outside of ISU Extension,
demonstrates innovation, creativity, and originality.

Team Achievement Award - Educational

To recognize a SINGLE outstanding ISU Extension effort by a team for educational programing. Efforts considered would be those normally expected but carried out with originality and creativity.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension employees

Number awarded: Three to four per year.

Award: Framed citation for team leader

Award Criteria: Effort

is timely and relevant to priorities in the field in which nominee(s) work(s),
shows positive impact on clients
shows evidence of leadership and involvement of other people, either within or outside of ISU Extension,
demonstrates innovation, creativity, and originality,
demonstrates entrepreneurial efforts.

Team Achievement Award - Organizational

To recognize a SINGLE outstanding ISU Extension effort by a team for an organizational effort - improving system quality. Efforts considered would be those normally expected but carried out with originality and creativity.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension employees

Number awarded: Three to four per year.

Award: Framed citation for team leader

Award Criteria: Effort

is timely and relevant to ISU Extension mission and priorities in the field in which the nominee(s) work(s),
shows positive impact on office, organization and staff,
shows evidence of leadership and involvement of other people, either within or outside of ISU Extension,
demonstrates innovation, creativity, and originality,
demonstrates entrepreneurial efforts.

Diversity Achievement

Eligibility: All ISU Extension employees.

Number Awarded: Up to two per year

Award: Framed citation for team leader

Award Criteria: Outstanding performance in one or more of the following

teaching that increases clients' awareness of the value of diversity and that promotes better human relationships and understanding of diverse points of view;
involving people of diverse backgrounds in extension decision-making bodies and programs;
effective educational efforts to diverse audiences.

New Professional

To recognize new Extension professionals who have made significant contributions to achievement of the goals of ISUE.

Eligibility: All ISU Extension professional employees with five years or less of extension work in any state as of September 1 of the year in which the award is presented.

Number awarded: Up to five per year

Award: Framed citation

Award Criteria: Overall accomplishments

are relevant to ISU Extension values,
show positive impact on clients,
are timely and relevant to priorities in field in which nominee(s) work(s),
show evidence of involvement of other people, either within or outside of ISU Extension,
demonstrate innovation, creativity, and originality.

ISU Pride of Extension for Office Management

To recognize an innovative project or effort to meet extension client needs and consistently demonstrate strong office management skills.

Eligibility: ISU Extension office management staff (not A-base and P-base appointments) including county-paid office assistants, campus merit staff secretaries and clerks, and others.

Number Awarded: Up to four per year

Award: Framed citation

Award Criteria:

Office management skills, including coordination, organization, communication, and accounting systems practices
Interpersonal skills including adaptability, team building capacity, and respect for co-workers and clients.
Marketing and image building skills
Ability to create a positive environment for innovative programming and clientele learning
Demonstrates progress toward improved skills that enhance performance

ISU Pride of Extension for Program Management

To recognize outstanding efforts to provide Extension programs and leadership to meet clientele needs.

Eligibility: ISU Extension program support staff (not A-base and P-base appointments) in all program areas, including county-paid program assistants, merit staff, term appointment staff, and others.

Number Awarded: Up to four per year

Award: Framed citation

Award Criteria:

Audience development and program implementation skills, including work at the local, area, and state levels
Innovative and creative programming skills
Interpersonal and team-building skills
Program impact
Ability to convey educational information to clients
Demonstrates progress toward improved skills that enhance performance.

ISU R.K. Bliss Extension Award

To recognize outstanding achievement by an ISU Extension staff member in developing an overall or continuing extension education program.

Eligibility: Cooperative Extension county staff and field specialists.

Number Awarded: Two per year, one to a male and one to a female

Award: Plaque and $500 cash award

Award Criteria: Career demonstrates

outstanding efforts in program implementation, including when appropriate, teaching effectiveness, credibility with clientele, and organizational skills,
outstanding efforts in program planning and development, including educational leadership, audience involvement, and impact evaluation,
outstanding cooperation with other staff in support of University Extension goals,
continual personal and professional growth and development.

County Extension Education Director Excellence Award

To recognize sustained distinguished performance and educational contributions to ISU and clientele by a county extension education director.

Eligibility: ISU Extension staff who have served as county extension education directors for three years or longer

Number awarded: One

Award: Framed Citation and $500

Award Criteria: Career demonstrates:

Ability to work effectively with county extension council in setting county priorities
Creative, innovative, and original office management achievement, with good management and supervision skills
Creative, innovative and original program management achievement, delivering a well-rounded program involving all program areas and quantifiable successes
Team player with field specialists and other county directors
Community connectedness, seen as major player by others
Ability to access additional resources (grants, collaborations, etc.)
Service outside the county to extension committees, professional organizations, etc.

4-H Youth Development Program Director's Award

To recognize a professional staff member for outstanding programming in 4-H in terms of quality and quantity of program. Program efforts should include a variety of components with an intentional effort to expand content and/or the audience base for 4-H programming. Recognition will be for overall programming rather than a single effort.

Eligibility: Extension professional (CEED, Field Specialist, State Specialist or any other professional) staff working with youth at the county area or state level.

Award: Plaque and a $500 cash award to be presented annually.

Award Criteria: Overall accomplishments:

demonstrate positive impact on intended clients,
demonstrate innovation, creativity, originality, and expansion of the audience base,
timely and relevant to priorities in field in which nominee(s) work(s),
show evidence of involvement of other people, either within or outside of ISU Extension.

Scholarship and the Discovery/Engagement Partnership Award

To recognize scholarship on the part of campus and/or field staff that contributes significantly and/or demonstrates effectively the Extension-research partnership.

Eligibility: Individual Extension field or campus staff, or team

Award: $1,000 check from central Extension funds to an individual or team

Award Criteria: Exceptional scholarship in:

creating campus/community partnerships
helping Iowans understand, design, and implement research-based programming
helping the research community analyze needs, design, and implement programs in partnershp with communities
documenting significant outcomes/impacts of such efforts through scholarly and public channels

Excellence in Agricultural Extension Programs Award

To recognize a professional field staff member for outstanding performance in agriculture programming. The nominee's efforts should include a variety of components demonstrating innovation, creativity and originality. Recognition will be for overall programming rather than a single effort.

Eligibility: Extension field specialist working with agricultural programs or County Extension Education Director with academic degree (masters) in agricultural discipline.

Number Awarded: Two

Award: Certificate and a $500 cash award to be presented annually.

Award Criteria: Overall accomplishments:

are timely and relevant to ISU Extension mission,
demonstrate a positive and measurable impact on clients,
show evidence of involvement of other people either within or outside of ISU Extension,
demonstrate innovation, creativity, and originality.

Prevention Science Partnership Award

To recognize exemplary work on the part of field staff that contributes significantly to the Promoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER) project at the Partnership for Prevention Science Institute, PPSI. The project’s goals are to:

Promote positive youth development
Enhance life skills
Prevent substance use and other problem behavior in youth
Develop positive, sustainable school, community & family partnerships

Eligibility: Any extension field staff person, full or part-time, who has completed three years of continuous employment in his or her current position at the time of nomination.

Award: Recognition plaque and a $1,000 cash award to be presented annually.

Award Criteria: Overall accomplishments:

Developing linkages between Community prevention activities and PPSI research projects,
Providing leadership in connecting PPSI staff with families and other community stakeholders,
Exhibiting exceptional leadership in community activities that enhance PPSI Goals,
Assisting in breaking down barriers between science-based projects and local communities, and
Connecting local prevention initiatives with PROSPER prevention partnerships as appropriate
Is a member of a PROSPER project team

Selection of Recipient: The PPSI Staff will select the recipient of this award.

ISU Extension Homepage Awards Homepage

Please send comments and questions to Daniel Ossian: (dnossian@iastate.edu)
Last update: January 24, 2008