Mentor Awards

Mentoring undergraduates in research and creative endeavors (i.e., scholarship) is different than mentoring students in their academic pursuits (i.e., academic advising). As defined by the Council on Undergraduate Research, undergraduate research is " an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline". This process begins with discovery of disciplinary scholarship, is followed by scholarly inquiry (e.g., articulating questions and engaging in the process and practices) and culminates in creation of scholarship (e.g., creating an original scholarly project, communicating about the project)

Eligibility

Any full-time tenure or non-tenure track West Virginia University faculty member who has not received this award in the past five (5) years or   for the graduate mentor award,  any graduate student who has directly served in a mentoring role.

• Committee: Nominations will be reviewed and outstanding nominees will be invited to submit supporting documentation.
  
• Awards: Awards will be announced publicly in spring during research week and awardees will be recognized by the President and Provost at the annual faculty and staff awards dinner at Blaney House. Winners will receive a plaque and a small grant to be used for continued support of undergraduate research. 

Nominations

Nominations are accepted from any source - WVU College Deans, Department Chairs, faculty colleagues, and student researchers, including self-nomination. Nomination of a mentor from several sources (e.g., multiple students, faculty colleagues or a combination thereof) tend to enhance the nomination.  Outstanding nominees will be invited to submit supporting documentation. 

Students, staff, faculty, alumni and the public are invited to nominate mentors (faculty or graduate students) who exhibit the qualities of excellent research mentorship, including but not limited to:

• Establishing a strong professional mentoring relationship with their undergraduate research student(s)
• Acting as a role model for methods of inquiry or artistic expression in the chosen field of study and for the responsible and ethical conduct of research or creative activity
• Demonstrating an ability to inspire students to pursue research or scholarly activities
• Supporting the dissemination of student work through recognized professional outlets
• Engaging students in all aspects of scholarship (discovery, inquiry and creation