The Office of Service-Learning annually recognizes faculty excellence with the Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award and the Service-Learning Research Excellence Award.
Applications for the 2027 Service Learning Awards are due Friday, December 11, 20226
Service-Learning Research Excellence Award
The Service-Learning Research Excellence Award was established in 2011 to recognize UGA faculty for excellence in research related to or resulting from academic service-learning. Academic service-learning integrates relevant community service with academic coursework and structured reflection to enhance student learning, develop civic responsibility, and address community needs.
Award recipients receive a $2,500 faculty development award. Award winners will be announced in February and recognized at UGA’s annual faculty recognition banquet during Honors Week.
Eligibility
UGA faculty members in any career track are eligible to apply.
Nomination Process
Nominations by deans and department heads, faculty colleagues, or self-nominations will be accepted. Joint nominations for co-authored or collaborative studies by UGA faculty will be considered and should be submitted as a single nomination. All materials should be submitted via this platform by the stated deadline. Nomination packets should include the following items*:
- Descriptive listing of service-learning research/scholarship conducted, including: research question, methodology, findings, and resultant publications/ presentations.
- A personal statement (no more than 2 pages) explaining how this service-learning research relates to the nominee’s overall research agenda, and the impact of this work on their discipline, students, or community;
- Abbreviated (no more than 5 pages) CV, emphasizing service-learning activities (including relevant presentations/publications, awards, and teaching); and
- A letter of support (no more than 2 pages each), from any of the following: department head/dean, current/former student, colleague, or community partner, addressing relevant activities, outcomes, or impacts of the nominee’s academic service-learning assessment, research, or evaluation.
*For joint nominations, include relevant components for each nominee.
For questions, please contact Dr. Shannon Brooks, Director, Office of Service-Learning at 706-542-0535, shannon.brooks@uga.edu. More information about the Office of Service-Learning’s faculty development and recognition programs is available at www.servicelearning.uga.edu.
Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award
The Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award was established in 2011 to recognize UGA faculty for excellence in developing, implementing, and sustaining academic service-learning opportunities for UGA students in domestic and/or international settings. Academic service-learning integrates relevant community service with academic coursework and structured reflection to enhance student learning, develop civic responsibility, and address community needs.
Award recipients receive a $2,500 faculty development award. Award winners will be announced in February and recognized at UGA’s annual faculty recognition banquet during Honors Week.
Nominations by deans and department heads, faculty colleagues, or self-nominations are accepted. All materials should be submitted via this platform by the stated deadline. Nomination packets should include the following items:
- Descriptive listing of service-learning courses taught along with the following information: course name/number, semester(s) and year(s) taught, number of students engaged, services performed, community partners involved, and student learning goals accomplished through service-learning.
- A syllabus from one of the listed service-learning courses, which demonstrates evidence of best practices in service-learning.
- Personal statement (no more than two pages) summarizing and contextualizing the nominee’s record of excellence in developing, implementing and sustaining academic service-learning instruction at the course or department level with relevant outcomes/impacts on students, community, and/or department (include explanation of role or involvement in course if nominee is not the instructor of record).
- Abbreviated (no more than 5 pages) CV, emphasizing service-learning activities (including relevant publications/presentations, awards, and teaching).
- Two letters of support (no more than 2 pages each, PDF), from any combination of department head/dean, current/former student, or community partner, addressing relevant activities, outcomes, and impacts of the nominee’s academic service-learning instruction.
For questions, please contact Dr. Shannon Brooks, Director, Office of Service-Learning at 706-542-0535, shannon.brooks@uga.edu. More information about the Office of Service-Learning’s faculty development and recognition programs is available at www.servicelearning.uga.edu.
Read About Past Years’ Award Winners
Other Awards
Additionally, faculty holding Professor or Associate Professor rank may apply or be nominated for the Engaged Scholar Award, offered through the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach. The OSL is also pleased to be able to support faculty nominations for UGA-internal recognitions (such as campus teaching awards) and external awards for engagement and service-learning (e.g., by the Gulf-South Summit, IARSLCE, ESC, Campus Compact, etc.). Please contact the OSL at osl@uga.edu with questions about award nominations or support letters.
Past Recipients of the Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award:
Stacy M. Campbell, 2026
Stephan A. Durham, 2026
Anna Rogers, 2026
Melissa Scott Kozak, 2025
Kerry Steinberg, 2025
Caroline Young, 2024
David L. Chiesa, 2024
Katie Darby Hein, 2023
Kim Skobba, 2023
Katherine Melcher, 2022
Gary T. Green, 2021
Candice Hollenbeck, 2021
Sarah Shannon, 2020
Kristina Jaskyte Bahr, 2020
Caree Cotwright, 2019
Elizabeth Davis, 2019
Cecilia Herles, 2019
Melissa Landers-Potts, 2018
Jerry Shannon, 2018
Carol Britton Laws, 2017
Sungkyung Lee, 2017
Emily Sahakian, 2016
Gretchen Thomas, 2016
Kris Irwin, 2015
Michael Marshall, 2015
Betina Kaplan, 2014
Corey W. Johnson, 2013
Katherine F. Thompson, 2013
Stacey R. Kolomer, 2012
Deanna McEwen, 2012
Pratt Cassity, 2011
Gwynn Powell, 2011
Past Recipients of the Service-Learning Research Excellence Award:
Emily Sahakian, 2026
Eric S. Zeemering, 2025
Jon Calabria, 2023
Gary T. Green, 2022
Lance Palmer, 2020
Joseph W. Goetz, 2019
Abigail Borron, 2018
Tiffany Washington, 2017
Kimberly Skobba, 2016
Peter Smagorinsky, 2014
Su-I Hou, 2011