NASPAA Awards

The Nadia Rubaii Distinguished Service Award is established in honor of the late Nadia Rubaii to recognize her legacy of extensive and transformative service to NASPAA and Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration education. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to NASPAA and the field through service that spans years and committees and who, even in membership, exhibits leadership. Specifically, nominees will have actively advanced NASPAA and its strategic goals through various vital committees. These might include Executive Council, COPRA, standards, and Social Equity as examples, but recipients will have significant service in several domains. Additionally, candidates will be recognized as ambassadors of NASPAA to new member schools, champions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and proponents of their program and its students. The selection committee will examine the totality of the contribution and consider the long-term impact of the nominee’s service. The recipient of this award will receive a $2,000 check.

CRITERIA

1. Documented sustained active engagement with and contributions to advancing NASPAA over a minimum of 15 years
2. Documented sustained active engagement and contributions to advancing the nominee’s program and students

NOMINATIONS

1. Letter of nomination identifying the individual’s qualifications for the award.
2. Two letters of support from individuals who served on NASPAA committees, COPRA, site visits, and international organizations attesting to the nominee’s contribution in that specific area of NASPAA service or public policy, affairs, and administration education.
3. A letter from the program specifies the individual’s contribution to advancing the program and advancing program students.

The NASPAA International Journal of Comparative Analysis Award recognizes public affairs educators who, in their classes, systematically compare and teach students how to engage in comparative analysis of key issues in the field of public affairs—whether of issues, programs, agencies, levels, branches, types of government, and countries. The award underlines that in the public and nonprofit sectors, effective governance demands a comparative perspective, especially to evaluate how and why similarities and differences in contexts, cultures, leadership, management, structures, and more matter. The award is given to a high-quality paper from the Annual NASPAA & ICPA-Forum/JCPA Workshop during the NASPAA conference and is chosen by a joint JCPA and NASPAA adjudication committee.

NASPAA welcomes nominations for the NASPAA Alumni Spotlight Award. Shine the spotlight on alumni who have devised innovative solutions to public sector problems. The recipients will be featured in a video to be shown at our Annual conference and on our website. The will also receive a trip to the NASPAA Annual Conference  where they will be publicly recognized.  

Why have a contest? It is critical that we show the world (especially policymakers and prospective students) that our schools change the world in very concrete ways. We need you to help us shine a spotlight on graduates who innovate, impact and inspire.  

Who can be nominated? NASPAA will honor an alumnus of BOTH a large university and small university!! Nominees from all levels of government as well as the nonprofit and consulting sectors are welcome.  (NOTE: We will only recognize individuals who have made a concrete difference in the past five years. This contest is not a lifetime achievement award.)  

Who can nominate? All (but only) NASPAA members can participate. Faculty, staff, alumni and students are eligible to submit nominations.  

How to nominate? Nominations require a short statement (500 words maximum) describing the specific action or example of the nominee's contribution, along with any outcomes the nominee was responsible for. Links to news stories, websites or testimonials are encouraged.  

Who will select? Nominations will be reviewed by members of NASPAA’s Marketing Committee using the following criteria:

• Clear and concise explanation of the problem, impact and improvement
• Measurement of the impact (quantitatively or qualitatively)
• Testimonials and facts that demonstrate the improvement was both needed and “made a difference.”

Finalists will be verified by the selection committee and notified of their standing in August.

Recognizes up to three PhD candidates who will be job-seeking for an academic position in the coming academic year. Candidates will be selected to present a paper at the annual conference in front of national and international public service education leaders who make hiring decisions. To qualify, applicants must be a PhD or DPA student at a NASPAA member school, intend to seek an academic position in the 2024-25 school year, graduate before August 31, 2025, and be able to attend the NASPAA annual conference.  To apply, candidates or advisors should submit the following:

1: Completed paper which will serve as their 'job market paper' 

2: Current CV 

3: A nomination paragraph from a faculty member which certifies that the student is expected to graduate by August 31, 2025

Recipients will receive a $350 check, complimentary registration to the NASPAA Annual Conference, and up to $300 in travel reimbursement.

Recognizes significant research completed by a doctoral candidate in the field of public policy, affairs, or administration; open to students who completed their dissertation between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Candidates must be nominated by their dissertation advisor and their institution’s principle representative to NASPAA. Only one nomination per institution is allowed. To apply, the dissertation advisor should submit the following:

1. Copy of the completed dissertation in MS Word format
2. To ensure a blind review, please remove all personal identifying information including:
   • First and last name
   • Your university
   • Your dissertation advisor and committee
   • Any acknowledgements
   • Any dedications
3. This completed 2024 application form signed by the advisor and the NASPAA principal representative.  NASPAA staff will keep track of your nomination through this form.  Therefore please make sure it is completed accurately.

The recipient will receive a $500 check, complimentary registration to the NASPAA Annual Conference, and up to $300 in travel reimbursement.  

Note: Any school submitting a dissertation will be asked to have a representative serve on the annual dissertation review committee within 5 years of the submission. Each committee member will have 8 weeks to read 3-4 dissertations, rate them, and then participate in a conference call to discuss all submissions.

The Duncombe Excellence in Doctoral Education Award was established in 2014 in honor of the late William (Bill) Duncombe because of his legacy in educating doctoral students. It recognizes a faculty member who displays similar qualities in going above and beyond in educating doctoral students across many years. Preference will be given to nominees with more than 10 years working with Ph.D. students. To nominate a faculty member, please submit the following: (1) A letter of nomination (2) The nominee’s curriculum vitae (3) At least 5 letters of support from former or current Ph.D. students.  Information that would be helpful to the selection committee include:

1. How many doctoral students has your nominee mentored, over what time period?
2. How long has your nominee been mentoring doctoral students?
3. In what way has your nominee’s mentoring of doctoral students been exemplary? Provide as many specific examples as possible.
4. Please provide citations to publications and conference papers if your nominee has co-authored with Ph.D. students.
5. Explain how your nominee’s mentoring helped specific doctoral students reach their goals.
6. If your nominee has received positive reviews for his/her mentorship, please provide relevant non-confidential excerpts from those reviews.
7. If your nominee has won a university mentorship award for working with doctoral students, please provide information about that award.
8. Any other information you can marshal to support your nominee.

The winner will receive a $1,000 prize at the NASPAA Annual Conference.

Recognizes a NASPAA faculty member for excellence in teaching public policy, public affairs, or public administration over an extended time period (generally ten years or more). The faculty member should demonstrate outstanding contributions and sustained excellence through course content, course presentation, quality of advising impact, teaching innovation, mentoring of students, receipt of university teaching awards, etc. Nomination of faculty members with primary teaching responsibility at the Master’s level is especially preferred. Nominations may be submitted by a colleague or a program director (preferred).  Recipient will receive a $500 check. To apply, submit the following documents as a single file; the file should not exceed 10 pages in length which should include:

1. Two to three page letter that includes the most salient reasons why this person should be selected and signed by the nominator. 
2. Three supporting letters from students are required

• Co-sponsored by NASPAA and the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA); recognizes an individual’s research which has made substantial impact on the thought and understanding of public administration; it does not honor lifetime contributions or recent publications.
• Nominations must include the impact of the work as the nominee experienced it, indicate what has been learned from the work, and clearly document the impact of the work. Nominees must be living, but need not be an ASPA member.

This award shall recognize a staff person who fulfills and supports the operational and management activities of one of our member schools.  Such duties would include but are not limited to admissions, career placement, DEI officer, financial aid, alumni development, grant writing, academic advising, business/office management, marketing & communications, student affairs/support, faculty support, registrar, external/government affairs, and others.  This award is intended to recognize full time professional staff.  If a member of the faculty works full time in a professional staff capacity he or she may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.  The honored individual will have shown a sustained commitment to students in whichever area they specialize in.  Some staff members may have lots of direct contact with students, others more indirect but ultimately they are all working toward the core mission of student and school excellence.  Ideally the recipient will have served in a staff capacity for a minimum of five years (he or she may have served in different roles but the total amount of time in the program/department/school should be five or more years).  Parallel to the student excellence piece is a demonstrated commitment to the school's (department's) community/culture.   Another key piece is the ability to work seamlessly across silos (recruitment coming together with admissions, with financial aid, etc.) to get students where they need to be. 

Each recipient must be nominated by his or her Dean or Director in a letter not to exceed 3 pages.  Please, only one nomination per school.   Additionally, two letters of support from a professional colleague, student, or alumnus are required.  The recipient shall be awarded $500 at the NASPAA Annual Conference along with complimentary conference registration.  

The diversity award recognizes a program (not an individual) that exemplifies the highest standards of promoting and supporting diversity in one or more of the following areas:

1. Research
2. Teaching
3. Service

Nominations can be submitted by an individual or a program and self-nominations are encouraged. To apply, submit a one-page summary which includes the most salient reasons why the program should be selected.

This award promotes the incorporation of a social justice lens into the core curriculum of a NASPAA school; a faculty member or faculty team will show how social justice principles have been incorporated into the syllabus and teaching activities of at least one core course. The recipient (a faculty member or faculty team) will receive a $1,000 check. Nominations can be submitted by an individual or a program and self-nominations are encouraged. To apply, submit the following:

1. One-page summary which includes the most salient reasons why the program should be selected
2. A copy of the course syllabus should be included with nominating email.

The social equity award recognizes a program (not an individual) that exemplifies the highest standards in of promoting and supporting social equity in one or more of the following areas:

1. Research
2. Teaching
3. Service

Nominations can be submitted by an individual or a program and self-nominations are encouraged. To apply, submit a one-page summary which includes the most salient reasons why the program should be selected.

Recognizes the author(s) of a manuscript which appeared in the Journal of Public Affairs Education and, from the viewpoint of the editors, makes the most outstanding contribution to public affairs education. Judging criteria includes the quality of theoretical grounding, significance of topic and findings, quality of writing, argument, and supporting evidence, creativity, and pedagogical value. The selection committee does not take nominations for this award.

The Outstanding Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Book Award recognizes a book published within the last two years and its author(s) or editor(s) for their contribution to the scholarship of teaching and learning in public affairs education. Judging criteria includes the quality of theoretical grounding, significance of topic and findings, quality of writing, argument, and supporting evidence, creativity, and pedagogical value. To nominate a book, please submit the following: (1) Three physical copies or a digital copy of the book (2) A 500-word statement on the contribution of the book to the discipline and (3) a 3-4 page CV of the author(s)/editor(s) that demonstrates their commitment to the scholarship of teaching and learning. The 2024 winner must have been published in either 2022 or 2023.

Recognizes excellence in programming and chapter management in pursuit in the PAA goals of scholarship, leadership, and excellence in graduate public service education. To be considered, the chapter advisor should submit a short note or letter with the most salient reasons why they should be selected. The chapter's annual report will also be reviewed in the selection process.

Recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions in support of a PAA chapter. Advisors may be current or outgoing and can only receive the award once in a 5-year time span. Nominations can come from the individual, a student, or a faculty member. To be considered, the nominator should submit a short note or letter with the most salient reasons why this person should be selected. The chapter's annual report will also be reviewed in the selection process. 

(Two awards: one for a Master's paper and one for a doctoral candidate paper) 

Recognizes outstanding student papers. Nominated papers will be judged on the basis of relevance of the topic, appropriate use of methodology, quality of presentation, originality, innovativeness, clarity, and academic quality.

To apply, candidates should submit an electronic copy of the paper, in MS Word format, that does not exceed 20 pages double-spaced, and a letter of support from a faculty sponsor. The 20 pages is inclusive of all content; appendixes and references are not included in the 20 page limit.  Doctoral Recipients will receive a $350 check and up to $300 travel reimbursement.  Master’s recipients will receive a $300 check and up to $300 travel reimbursement. Nominees do not need to be Pi Alpha Alpha members or a student at a PAA chapter school.