The Staff Awards Program at NMU

NMU Human Resources coordinates the staff awards program at NMU for the Excellence in Service, Distinguished Team and Innovation awards. Nominations are reviewed annually by a university committee and winners are chosen for each category. These winners are typically recognized at an event each April, receive a physical award commemorating their achievements, and also receive a monetary stipend. 

Excellence-in-Service and Distinguished Team awards recognize employees and teams that demonstrate exemplary performance and service, furthering the goals of the university while demonstrating the core values of Community, Opportunity, Rigor, Environment, Inclusion, and/or Connections. The Innovation Award, which recognizes an individual or a team who demonstrates our Innovation value through risk taking, problem solving, creativity and/or discovery. This award seeks to recognize bold attempts to seize opportunities that align with our Strategic Plan or address problems  – regardless of whether or not the work was successful.

Visit the Employee Recognition Policy for more details on the programs and eligibility requirements.

Excellence in Service Award

The Excellence in Service awards are presented to individuals who demonstrate a sustained high level of performance and an exceptional commitment to NMU’s mission, vision, strategic outcomes, and core values.

Submit a Nomination

Distinguished Team Award

The Distinguished Team awards are presented work teams that demonstrate exemplary performance while working together in an open and collaborative manner to achieve a task or charge that furthers the University’s mission, core values, and goals.

Submit a Nomination

Innovation Award

The Innovation award recognizes an individual or a team who demonstrates our Innovation value through risk taking, problem solving, creativity and/or discovery. This award seeks to recognize bold attempts to seize opportunities that align with our Strategic Plan or address problems  – regardless of whether or not the work was successful.  

Submit a Nomination

Tips on Writing a Nomination

Who should you nominate? Before you can write your nomination you must first, carefully review the nomination criteria for the awards to determine the most appropriate person or team you would like to honor.

  • Team awards:
    • Nominated teams may include members of faculty and/or staff.  Teams may include students, however, the team membership must consist of substantially more members of faculty and/or staff than students.
    • Any individual, including past Excellence-in-Service winners, may be nominated as part of a team at any time.
  • Individual awards:
    • Have at least two (2) years of service at NMU as a full or part time (not less than .50 FTE) employee.
    • Have at least one (1) year of service in their current assignment.
    • Have a positive employment record during the past two (2) years.
    • Cannot be serving on the Selection Committee at the time of nomination.
    • Excellence-in-Service winners may only receive the individual award once every five years.

Review the policy and the procedures for each award: Employee Recognition Policy

  • Write your nomination with as much specific information as you can.
  • The selection committee is relying on your words and examples to “see” your nominee’s attributes and contributions. The people on the selection committee may not know anything about your nominee’s job, so detailed information is key! Include a brief description of your nominee’s typical job duties. Tell the committee how the nominee goes above and beyond their normal duties.
  • Give specific examples – use descriptive language and then give a situation or example that shows why the individual or team should win the award. Giving specific and detailed examples about your nominee, will help the selection committee better understand why your nominee should win!
  • Provide detailed accomplishments and your nominee’s impact at the University.
  • Share examples of how your nominee serve as a role model and/or mentor for others.
  • If applicable, list projects and programs where he/she is involved.
  • Describe how your nominee(s) work performance demonstrates commitment to NMU's mission, vision and core values and/or contributes to transformative change in health, well-being and sustainability.
  • Use Strong Statements
    • Weak: “Steve is innovative and a true team player.”
    • Strong: “Steve realized some of our monthly reports were being prepared manually, he took it upon himself to automate the process. Steve even went as far as to train our team on Microsoft Access-with specific emphasis on how to apply the tools and techniques to our needs. He put together a terrific training session with handouts and notes that we continue to use as reference materials.”
  • Avoid sweeping generalities; Make every sentence count!

Faculty Awards

In addition to the award types listed above, NMU faculty are also eligible to earn Distinguished Faculty Awards, Excellence in Teaching Awards, Excellence in Professional Development Awards and the Technology Innovation Award (previously TLC Award for faculty), which are overseen by Academic Affairs.  Learn how to nominate someone to receive one of these awards.