Faculty Funding
Engaged Scholar Prize
Celebrating extraordinary community-engaged teaching, learning and research
Purpose
A celebration of faculty achievement, the annual Engaged Scholar Prize recognizes a faculty member whose innovative approaches to connecting community-engaged learning and scholarly activities stand out and serve as inspiration to students, colleagues and community partners alike.
Prize
The Engaged Scholar Prize carries an award of $30,000 to further expand and deepen community-engaged activities through support to essential participants, including community partner(s), the faculty member and Cornell students — undergraduate, graduate or professional.
Public Presentation
The Engaged Scholar Prize represents Cornell’s commitment to supporting faculty members who teach, research and act in ways that demonstrate higher education to be a critical partner in confronting the world’s most challenging questions. With this distinction, the recipient is asked to give a public presentation or workshop in a venue appropriate to their work. An additional stipend will be provided to support the participation of key community partners in this presentation.
Nominations
Nominations for the 2020 prize were due in November 2019.
Award Criteria
The Engaged Scholar Prize recognizes excellence in multiple aspects of community-engaged learning, teaching and research, including:
- integration of community-engaged learning across the following:
- teaching and mentoring;
- research and scholarship;
- creation of public goods and networks (e.g., exhibits, websites, groups);
- demonstration of reciprocity and mutuality in community-based partnerships;
- commitment to assessment of impacts and learning outcomes for all participants.
Nomination Process
Candidates for this award may be self-nominated or nominated by others. All actively tenured and tenure-track faculty, and non-tenure-track faculty are eligible.
The nomination should be in the form of a brief letter that speaks to the award criteria, above. Nominees will also submit a package of supporting materials, described below.
Submission Package Checklist
- Nominator’s information, including name, title and contact information
- Nominee’s information, if different from nominator’s
- Nominee’s CV
- Narrative description, including:
- history of the nominee’s involvement with community-engaged teaching, learning and research;
- integration of community engagement within teaching, learning and research activities;
- evidence of the impact of the work on students and communities and/or community partner(s);
- evidence of research, service or creative products resulting from the partnership.
- Community Partner information, including:
- Organization name
- Primary contact
- Email address
- City, state and country
- Website
- How long the partnership has existed
- Letters of support from:
- dean (required);
- department chair (required);
- community partner(s) (required).
- other colleague(s) (optional);
- student(s) (optional).
Recipients
2020
Maureen Waller, professor of policy analysis and management
2019
Anthony Burrow, associate professor of human development
2018
Shorna Allred, associate professor of natural resources
- Read: Summit keynote outlines peril climate change poses for indigenous peoples
- Read: Allred receives third annual Engaged Scholar Prize
2017
Max Zhang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering
- Read: Engineer Max Zhang awarded Engaged Scholar Prize
- Read: Max Zhang: Local engagement yields ‘real social impact’
- Read: Max Zhang aims for impact in Ithaca and beyond
2016
Bruce Levitt, professor of performing and media arts
- Read: Bruce Levitt awarded inaugural Engaged Scholar Prize
- Watch: Engaged Scholar Prize lecture (October 2016)
Questions about the prize?
Contact the Office of Engagement Initiatives. We’re here to help.