Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award 

Overview

The Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award is given each year to recognize and encourage excellence in student mentoring beyond standard classroom interaction. An example of a definition of mentoring is, "building a purposeful and personal relationship in which a more experienced person (mentor) provides guidance, feedback, and wisdom to facilitate the growth and development of a less experienced person (mentee)."

Each dean will appoint a committee comprised of students, faculty, and administration to select an outstanding faculty mentor from the college. From the eight college nominees, the Faculty Evaluation Committee will select an Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year. The award recipient will be recognized at the annual University Faculty Awards Event in March and will receive $1,500.

 2024 Undergraduate Faculty Mentor Recipient

Ronald Sims

Ronald Sims

College of Engineering | Biological Engineering

Dr. Ron Sims is the College of Engineering Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year due to his sustained and extensive devotion to undergraduate student success. As the instructor of the Biological Engineering capstone course, Dr. Sims has connected teams of students with industrial partners including WesTech, Upside Foods, Cyanotech. Dr. Sims directs an army of undergraduate researchers in his lab, many of which go on to complete graduate degrees with him and have earned national wards. Additionally, Dr. Sims is the faculty mentor of several award-winning student clubs including IBE, SWBEC, and USUSA Akido Club.

Congratulations to the 2024 Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Nominees!

Kimberly Snow

Read Story

Kimberly Snow

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services | Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling

View Previous Award Recipients

Criteria

The nominee must be serving in a benefitted faculty position.

Criteria for selection of nominees may include:

  • Mentoring and guiding students as they progress toward academic and career goals
  • Work with students that involves professional, community, and/or global engagement
  • Active involvement in student clubs, organizations, and honors/scholarship groups
  • Student leadership development
  • Impact on student support in their retention, belonging, and/or thriving in their academic and personal lives

Past recipients of the award will not be considered.

Nomination Materials

Submission deadline: Friday, January 26, 2024

The following required nomination materials must be prepared in 12 pt. font and not exceed 20 pages:

  • A one to two page statement from the candidate summarizing their objectives as a mentor of undergraduate students, how these objectives are met, and examples of recent outcomes of this mentorship
  • Letters from current/former mentees describing the impact of mentoring (it would be beneficial if these letters came from alumni as well as current enrollees)
  • Letters from colleagues attesting to the candidate's impact on mentees
  • Additional evidence, quantitative and/or qualitative, relevant to the award criteria
  • A one to two page letter from the department head explaining the candidate's role and impact as a mentor and how this compares to department/college norms

Additional required materials (not provided to the Faculty Evaluation Committee):

  • A short biography (two paragraphs maximum)
  • A candid photo: landscape-orientation photo (1920X1080 minimum size) of nominee engaged in activity related to their nomination (teaching, working with students, doing research in the office, lab or field, etc.)
  • A professional portrait at least 1000 pixels high resolution, titled FirstName_LastName.jpg
  • A description why this individual received the College nomination (statement of 60-100 words or less from the Dean or selection committee chair).

Submit materials in PDF format via electronic form.


For more information on the Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award, please contact:

Michele Hillard
Sr. Administrative Assistant
Phone: (435) 797-0121
Email: michele.hillard@usu.edu