Inclusive Excellence
Creating Community at UW–Madison

DDEEA Awards

Purpose: 

The Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA) Staff Awards aim to recognize and celebrate the outstanding contributions of our dedicated staff members. These individuals actively contribute to and passionately champion the mission and vision of the DDEEA. Through these awards, we highlight the pivotal role our staff play in shaping a vibrant, diverse, global, and interconnected community within the university.

Timeline: 

  • The committee convenes in early spring (February) 
  • Open call for nominations (March) 
  • Close call for nomination (May) 
  • Committee convenes and makes recommendations to the CDO (May-July) 
  • Announcement and recognition at the DDEEA Summer Retreat (August) 

Nomination Packet: 

Each nomination must include

  • A nomination statement (limited to 1,000 words)
  • Additional supporting document
  • A resume or CV

All materials must be submitted as one PDF file not exceeding three pages. The resume/CV does not count toward the three-page limit.

Guidelines for submission: 

Clearly outline how the nominee aligns with the criteria for the award. Avoid vague language or industry-specific terms. Provide concrete evidence and engage colleagues for supporting statements.  

Nominate a colleague

Award Categories

The Driving Success Award recognizes staff who are dedicated to achieving organizational excellence by consistently enhancing the standard of the quality of the work. Nominees actively contribute to enhancing the growth and effectiveness of a program within the division, serving as benchmarks for excellence in organizational performance.

Eligibility Criteria:  

The nominee must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee with a minimum of one year’s employment.

Nominators

Both self-nominations and nominations by colleagues are acceptable. Each nominator must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee.

The Community Builder Award acknowledges the collaborative and synergistic spirit of DDEEA staff. Nominees work diligently to foster a supportive, collegial, and engaging work environment, creating spaces for personal and professional flourishing. This award reflects the DDEEA’s commitment to creating a community where personal and professional talents and aspirations are intentionally nurtured to achieve institutional goals.

Eligibility Criteria:  

The nominee must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee with a minimum of one year’s employment.

Nominators

Both self-nominations and nominations by colleagues are acceptable. Each nominator must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee.

The Early Career Leadership Award celebrates nominees who are emerging as leaders within their first three (3) years of employment within the DDEEA. This award acknowledges their remarkable growth and contributions to the division. Individuals recognized with this award have enacted our strategic approach (4Cs) in their leadership roles within the DDEEA. This award recognizes staff who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities and are proactive as it relates their efforts. The award not only applauds their current contributions but also anticipates their potential for further growth as influential leaders within the DDEEA and the broader campus community.

Eligibility Criteria:  

The nominee must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee for one to three years employment.

Nominators

Both self-nominations and nominations by colleagues are acceptable. Each nominator must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee.

The Outstanding Leadership Award honors staff whose leadership exemplifies the vision, mission, and strategic approach of the DDEEA. These nominees are leaders who confront challenges thoughtfully and intentionally, positively transforming both the DDEEA and UW-Madison. These individuals lead in spaces with an unwavering commitment to educational innovation, organizational success, and community engagement. It is evident through their vision and actions, they actively dedicate time and effort to enhance our processes, programs, and services. These leaders empower others through role modeling, feedback, and building meaningful relationships, inspiring colleagues to maximize their potential. With a record of engagement in formal / informal leadership roles, their contributions span across the division and various organizational spaces, making a significant and positive impact.

​​Eligibility Criteria: 

The nominee must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee for at least three years.   

Nominators: 

Both self-nominations and nominations by colleagues are acceptable. Each nominator must be a non-student, full-time professional DDEEA employee.

Nominate a Colleague

Staff Awards Evaluation Criteria

Driving Success Award Evaluation Criteria: 

  1. Exemplary Work Quality:
    1. Nomination includes specific examples as evidence of consistently producing high-quality work.
    2. Demonstrates work largely free of errors and requiring minimal revisions.
  2. Continuous Process Improvement:
    1. Nomination includes specific examples of contributions to continuous process improvement
    2. Provides evidence of suggesting new processes, designing innovative processes, and identifying and addressing broken processes.
  3. Effective Problem-Solving:
    1. Nomination includes examples of effective problem identification.
    2. Demonstrates forward-thinking by predicting and avoiding potential pitfalls. 
    3. Provides evidence of resolving potential issues proactively. 

These criteria align with the focus of the “Driving Success Award,” emphasizing the dedication to achieving organizational excellence, raising the standard of work, and actively contributing to the growth and effectiveness of programs within the division or the DDEEA. The criteria reflect the importance of producing high-quality work, contributing to continuous improvement, and demonstrating effective problem-solving skills.  

 Community Builder Award Evaluation Criteria: 

  1.  Fostering Inclusivity: 
    1. Demonstrates a commitment to fostering a respectful, diverse, and collegial work environment.
    2. Displays thoughtfulness, honesty, and respect in communications. 
    3. Shows respect for individual differences, encompassing lifestyle, behavior, abilities, attitudes, values, and views.
  2. Creating a Positive Work Environment: 
    1. Supports a positive work environment that encourages personal and professional flourishing. 
    2. Is approachable and accessible to colleagues, contributing to an open and welcoming atmosphere. 
    3. Maintains cooperative work relationships, fostering collaboration and unity.
  3. Conflict Resolution: 
    1. Deals constructively, discreetly, and directly with conflict, promoting resolution and maintaining a harmonious workplace. 

 These criteria align with the focus of the “Community Builder Award” recognizing individuals who actively contribute to creating an inclusive, supportive, and collegial work environment. The criteria emphasize qualities and behaviors that contribute to a positive and welcoming community within the DDEEA. 

 Early Career Leadership Award Evaluation Criteria: 

  1.  Articulation of the 4Cs Approach: 
    1. Nominees should demonstrate a clear and effective use of the 4Cs approach in their leadership roles within the DDEEA.
  2. Impact on Unit/Program: 
    1. Nominees should exhibit a demonstrated impact on their unit/program, aligning with the stated mission, values, and goals of the DDEEA.
  3. Impact Beyond the DDEEA and Campus: 
    1. Nominees should provide evidence of exceptional leadership qualities, their involvement with increasing responsibilities, and significantly impact in DDEEA and/or beyond.
  4. Comparison with Early Career Professionals: 
    1. Nominees should demonstrate substantial impact in their work, especially when compared to other early career professionals within three years in their current position.
    2. Evaluation should consider the nominee’s potential for further growth as a leader within the DDEEA and on the broader campus community. 

 These criteria align with the focus of the “Early Career Leadership Award,” recognizing emerging leaders and their significant contributions within the DDEEA. The criteria emphasize leadership qualities, their commitment enacting our strategic approach (4Cs), and the potential for future growth within the division and campus community. 

 Outstanding Leadership Award Evaluation Criteria:  

  1.  Commitment to DDEEA’s mission/vision:
    1. Nominees should demonstrate a clear and unwavering commitment to advancing the mission/vision of the DDEEA.
  2. Positive Transformation Efforts: 
    1. Nominees should actively and unwaveringly dedicate time and effort to positively transform the DDEEA and/or UW-Madison.
  3. Innovative and Creative Approaches: 
    1. Nominees should provide evidence demonstrating an understanding of innovative and creative approaches when thinking about the future of the DDEEA.
  4. Empowering Leadership Approach: 
    1. Nominees should showcase a leadership approach that empowers others to enhance processes, programs, and services within the DDEEA.
  5. Inspiring Potential Maximization: 
    1. Nominees should inspire staff to maximize their potential through practice, role modeling, feedback, and building meaningful relationships.
  6. Advocacy for People, Staff, Programs, and Services: 
    1. Nominees should be leaders who advocate for the people served, staff, programs, and services within the DDEEA.
  7. Record of Leadership Engagement: 
    1. Nominees should have a record of engagement with leadership roles and specific contributions to the division and/or across different organizational spaces.
  8. Positive Impact on Workplace and Communities: 
    1. Nominees should have a demonstrated impact on making the workplace and communities better through their leadership. 

 These criteria align with the themes presented in the award description, emphasizing qualities and actions that contribute to outstanding leadership within the DDEEA.