Please see below for a full description of each GSA Award.
The Alex Rittle Outstanding Senator Award
The Graduate Student Association has established the Alex Rittle Outstanding GSA Senator Award to honor an outstanding Senator who contributes in a meaningful way to the welfare and improvement of the graduate student body through service to GSA and the Graduate Senate. Senators are responsible for communicating with their constituents and advocating for the rights of their fellow students. This award honors a senator who consistently speaks up, advocates strongly, and who listens to others
Any representative from a Graduate Program or GSO is eligible for this award.
Award recipients receive a $250 honorarium.
The Jessica Soto Perez Memorial Award
The Graduate Student Association has established the Jessica Soto-Perez Award to honor an outstanding graduate student who aids his/her peers in academic and professional pursuits during their time at UMBC. Receipts of the Jessica Soto-Perez award show continued dedication to their fellow students through their compassion, hard-work, and academic excellence. This award honors students who are community minded and who reach beyond their own academic pursuits to support the achievements of others.
Any graduate student of UMBC is eligible for this award.
Award recipients receive a $250 honorarium.
The Donald Creighton Outstanding Faculty Award
The Graduate Student Association has established the Donald Creighton Outstanding Faculty Award to honor an outstanding adviser, mentor, or professor who aids graduate students in their academic and professional pursuits during their time at UMBC. It’s not easy being a great adviser. It often requires long nights, longer papers to be edited, and a dedication to the mental and academic well-being of students. The receipt of this award is an adviser, mentor, or faculty member who cares about the holistic well-being of their students.
Any adviser, mentor, or professor is eligible for this award.
Award recipients receive a $250 honorarium.
The Outstanding University Staff Award
The Graduate Student Association has established an Outstanding UMBC Staff Award to honor an outstanding University staff person who helps further the mission of GSA and advocates for graduate students. The work done by graduate students would not be possible if not for the unwavering support of dedicated staff. This award honors those who pick up phone calls at 4:29, fax documents at the last minute, and who always seem to remember every student in a department.
Any staff member at UMBC is eligible for this award.
Award recipients receive a $250 honorarium.
The Outstanding GSO Award
The Graduate Student Association established the Outstanding GSO Award during the 2020-2021 academic year to honor an outstanding GSO who contributes in a meaningful way to the welfare and improvement of the graduate student body through service to GSA and the Graduate Senate. Building engagement in the graduate community can be difficult. But the GSO who receives this award take that challenge in stride. The Outstanding GSO of the Year award is given to the organization who serves students, builds community, and enhances graduate student life
Any GSA GSO is eligible for this award.
Award recipients will receive an additional $250 for the next year’s budget.