51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

Outstanding Student Creative Communication Project Award

This award is given to a student who completes an outstanding project in a communication class. The award is meant to recognize creative assignments that do not take the form of a paper. Examples may include presentations, videos, and podcasts. The award is given on a calendar year basis (e.g., Spring-Fall 2024). Faculty may nominate projects or students may self-nominate.

Applications are due March 7, 2025. Email rebecca.rice@unlv.edu with questions.

Eligibility

• Must be a COM major
• Submit a final project from a COM class that is creative--not a paper (e.g., podcast, website, final presentation).
• Rigorously created: The project is based on communication theory or research.
• Professional & polished: The final project is of high quality, accurate, and communicates well.
• Creativity/innovation: The project is not formulaic, but is creative, and shows personal insights.
• Submit the project and the grading rubric for the project.
• Students or professors can nominate projects. 

Communication Rising Star Award

This award recognizes first and second-year (under 60 credits) standing COM majors who are contributing both in and outside of the classroom.

This award will be offered to up to two students in each standing ([First Year / under 30 credits] AND [Second Year / under 60 credits]) per year.

This award includes a $500 scholarship.

Applications are due March 7, 2025. Email rebecca.rice@unlv.edu with questions.

Eligibility

• COM Majors with under 60 credits (freshman or sophomore status)
• Excellent academic performance as demonstrated through grades, projects completed, and assessments of in-class performance.
• Involvement within the COM major, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ community, or greater community.
• Students can self-nominate or be nominated by professors.
• Submit a resume.
• Students submit a 1-page letter of interest explaining why they deserve the award OR professors submit a 1-page nominating letter on the student’s behalf.

The David Henry Writing Award

This award is given to a student who writes an outstanding paper in a COM class. The award is given on a calendar year basis (e.g., Spring-Fall 2024). Papers are nominated by Communication faculty and are judged on the following criteria:

• Conference acceptance quality
  • The paper’s writing quality is strong enough to be accepted to a student division at a regional or national conference
• Readability/enjoyability
  • The paper is fun and enjoyable to read and clearly expresses its argument
• Creativity/innovation
  • The paper is not formulaic, but is creative, innovative, and shows personal insight

The Misti Yang Outstanding Research Award

Students will submit a one to two-page nomination. Students’ one to two-page nomination letter should highlight their excellence in research, broadly defined. Students should discuss their research interests, trajectory, guiding questions, theories, and methods, and provide evidence of research products and outputs. For example, students may discuss the quality of their culminating project, presentations at conferences, participation in campus research events (such as 3 Minute Thesis and the Greenspun Symposium), submitting research for publications (scholarly or public-facing), collaboration with faculty on research, and any other research-related experiences or products.

The 5 pages of supplemental materials can include but are not limited to:

• 1 paragraph statement of support from a faculty member collaborator or advisor
• Copies of conference or publication submission and/or acceptance
• Google Drive links to copies of culminating project chapters, course papers, and/or research products
• Evidence of participation/acceptance in on-campus research symposiums
• Copies of research posters, slides, or other research products

Graduate Award for Outstanding Teaching

Students’ 1-2 page nomination letter should highlight their excellence in teaching. Students should address their creativity and use of innovative classroom activities, their willingness to help students, the basic course director, and other instructors, any training or certifications completed related to teaching, their engaging presence in the classroom, and involvement in pedagogical research and development. The committee will also review students’ classroom observation documents provided by the basic course director.

The 5 pages of supplemental materials can include but are not limited to:

• 1 paragraph statement of support from instructor or basic course director
• Letters of support from students
• Peer observation letters
• Materials created for the classroom
• Copies of certifications or evidence of completed trainings

Graduate Award for Community Leadership

Students’ 1-2 page nomination letter should highlight their participation in community leadership, broadly defined. Students should discuss engagement at the department, college, university, and/or local community. For example, students may discuss leadership roles in the department or on/off campus, student organization work, advocacy initiatives, community-engaged research or programs, event planning, volunteering, advocating and recruiting for the COM department, and supporting department initiatives such as the COM lab and the Public Communication Initiative.

The 5 pages of supplemental materials can include but is not limited to:

• 1 paragraph statement of support from instructor, COM advisor, or student organization advisor
• letters of support from peers, student organization members, community partners, etc.
• materials, fliers, and other documents developed for student organizations or community groups
• position descriptions for leadership roles held
• media or event coverage

COMLab Coach of the Year

This award is given to a student who has worked in the COMLab, helping students prepare for public speaking assignments. COMLab coaches help to ease nerves, gain confidence, improve arguments and delivery. The award is given to the coach who received the highest rating from COMLab attendees over the last academic year.

Dan Riley Scholarship

This scholarship recognizes a junior (going into senior year) who has displayed academic excellence.

Felipe Ortiz Scholarship in Criminal Justice

This scholarship is for underrepresented undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Jay Hahn Law Enforcement Scholarship

This scholarship recognizes a sophomore (going into junior year) who has displayed academic excellence.

Scholarship applications fo the Dan Riley Scholarship and the Jay Hahn Law Enforcement Scholarship are due Feb. 28, 2025. Contact Joshua Donnelly, the scholarship committee chair, with questions at joshua.donnelly@unlv.edu.

August Vollmer Award

This is a non-monetary award that recognizes a graduating senior who has worked in the field of criminal justice while attending 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. Please note, internships do not qualify.

Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award

This award recognizes a graduate student who has displayed outstanding academic performance during graduate studies.

Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award

Infinity World Development Scholarship

The Infinity World Development Scholarship was established to provide financial support for full time students (undergraduate or graduate) seeking a degree in Urban Studies. Students should have a minimum 3.0 GPA and preference is given to students interested in sustainability in arid urban environments.

James E. Deacon Scholarship

James E. and Mary Dale Deacon have created this scholarship to benefit students pursuing minors, majors, or advanced degrees in Environmental Studies.

Pat Goodall Scholarship

Created to honor the memory of Leonard "Pat" Goodall, a past president of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, this scholarship is intended to provide financial assistance to students (undergraduate or graduate) who are majoring in Public Administration. Student must be a Nevada resident.

Environmental and Public Affairs Scholarship

This scholarship is intended to provide financial support to full-time students with an interest in environmental studies.

• Best MPA Capstone award
• Graduate Teaching Award
• The Policy Impact Award