One of the highlights of the annual conference is our awards luncheon, where we honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to NSEE and to the field of experiential education. We encourage you to nominate your partners and colleagues for the awards. Click here to download the Awards Nominations Form. There are eight awards, the criteria is below:

Outstanding Leader in Experiential Education: K-12 Award

Recognizes a K-12 teacher, principal, or superintendent who has demonstrated innovative uses of experiential learning in their classroom and/or in their school system.  Nomination criteria include:

• Employed by a K-12 school or school district
• Leadership role in crossing boundaries between K-12 public/private education and experiential education
• Leadership role in the development and implementation of substantive ongoing experiential programs which are student centered
• Promote experiential education at K-12 level work in NSEE or elsewhere so that others have benefited from their programs
• Leadership in serving as a role model/mentor to newcomers and rising leaders in EE

Outstanding Leader in Experiential Education: Higher Education Award

Recognizes an NSEE higher education member who has demonstrated innovative uses of experiential learning in their institution.  Nomination criteria include:

• Employed by a 2 or 4-year degree granting institution
• Leadership role in crossing boundaries between traditional academic and experiential education
• Leadership role in design, development, and implementation of EE programs connecting the classroom, curriculum and campus/community-based/corporate organizations
• Leadership/participation in national/regional conference sessions and/or publications contributing to EE
• Experience serving as a role model/mentor to newcomers and rising leaders in EE

Outstanding Leader in Experiential Education: Community-Based Organization Award

Recognizes a community-based organization or nonprofit that has made outstanding contributions to the field.  Nomination criteria include:

• Leadership role in the design, development, and implementation of EE programs impacting a variety of communities
• Leadership role in advocacy for EE programs in the community involving individuals/groups from diverse groups, i.e. education, local/state governments, private non-profits
• Service within NSEE to share and promote model programs

Outstanding Leader in Experiential Education: Corporate/Foundation Award

Recognizes a business or corporation that has demonstrated outstanding support of experiential education through its financial or volunteer commitment to the field.  Nomination criteria include:

• Continuity of the program:  The corporate/foundation leader has an established experiential education program where top management’s commitment is evident through the organization’s continuing goodwill efforts toward the EE program
• Corporate/foundation leader must have demonstrated commitment to advancing EE as outlined in the nomination
• Employer/corporate/foundation leader endeavors to provide quality work experience for students by taking an active role in the orientation on new students/interns/co-op; handling of student logistics; planning and development of EE assignments; and training of EE supervisors

Outstanding Experiential Education Program

Recognizes an outstanding K-12 or higher education institution that has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to experiential education in their classrooms or on their campuses.  Nomination criteria include:

• Goals and objectives of EE program consistent with NSEE mission and best practices
• Innovation in the design, implementation and evaluation of the EE program
• Outreach level and the depth and breadth of program impact between and among diverse groups and communities

Experiential Education Pioneer Award

Recognizes an individual that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the field over the course of at least one decade of involvement in the field.  Nomination criteria include:

• Leadership role(s) in teaching/research/practitioner in the field
• Previous awards for exemplary leadership/achievements in EE
• Demonstrated advocacy for EE
• Leadership role in mentoring EE professionals
• Leadership positions/contributions to NSEE, i.e. Board, SIG’s/Networks/Regions

Experiential Education Rising Leader Award

Recognizes an individual who has joined the organization within the past five years and is already making outstanding contributions to the field.  Nomination criteria include:

• Active leadership role(s) within EE/NSEE i.e. Board, SIG’s/Networks/Regions
• Conference participation/presentation
• Research/publications
• Field based projects
• Leadership role in mentoring newcomers to NSEE

Outstanding Experiential Education Research/Dissertation

Recognizes an NSEE member who has published research or completed a doctoral dissertation within the past 2 years that makes important contributions to our understanding of experiential education.  Nomination criteria include:

• Publication of research or completion of doctoral dissertation about experiential education within two years of the award
• Research or doctoral dissertation makes important contributions to an area of experiential education that is valuable to NSEE members

For a list of previous winners, click here.