Highlander Awards

Program Awards Descriptions

Outstanding Advocacy Efforts Award
This award recognizes a student organization initiative that has displayed strong leadership in generating awareness about existing social issues, such as sustainability or human rights.  Nominations should demonstrate how its members advocated for a cause,  what was gained as a result of their advocacy, and the impact they had on the University or larger community.  

Service Program of the Year
This award recognizes a student organization whose program saw a need and initiated positive change outside the NJIT community through service and action.  Nominations should demonstrate how its members provided direct service to individuals or the community, such as assisting youth with homework, how they made a significant contribution to the community, and explain what was gained as a result of participation in the service event. Monetary or academic credit should not have been received from involvement.

Inclusive Excellence Award
This award recognizes a student organization program that provides information and raises awareness about diversity or multicultural topics, such as race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, sex, ability, cultural identity, and/or cross-cultural communication.  Nominations should describe how their program sought to provide students with opportunities to explore how they can become better leaders in a diverse world.

Professional Development Program of the Year
This award recognizes a student organization program which provided an impactful professional development opportunity for students.  Nominations should describe the elements of the event that allowed students to develop professionally, such as with speakers, alumni engagement, etc, and what students gained from attending the program.

Student Organizations Awards

New Student Organization of the Year
This award recognizes a student organization that has been established at NJIT within the past 2 years and has sustained active engagement throughout.  Nominated organizations should have demonstrated involvement in the NJIT community by providing creative programs, a new opportunity for students that had not been met before in other areas, leadership positions, has worked to ensure the organization is successful in years to come, and must show how they have made a positive impact within their first year or two.  

Student Organization of the Year
This award recognizes an established student organization which exemplifies commitment to the betterment and strengthening of the organization’s chosen community.  Nominated organizations should have strong leaders who consistently work together toward the group’s common goals as well as serve as a role model for other student organizations in these areas:  excelling in fulfilling the organization mission and goals, maintaining and retaining members, engaging in teamwork and collaboration with other student organizations, providing a variety of programs that reflect the mission and purpose of their organization, providing opportunities for members to develop their leadership skills, and creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for diverse membership.

Individual Student Awards Descriptions

Outstanding Advocacy Efforts Award
This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated leadership in generating awareness about existing social issues and advocating for change in the NJIT or larger community.  These students serve as a role model for social change.  Nominations should express how the NJIT or larger community has improved as a result of this student’s efforts and how they have grown as an advocate.  

Inclusive Excellence Award
This award recognizes a student who has displayed leadership and advocacy on diversity topics and has devoted time and effort to improvement within the NJIT or larger community.  These students serve as a role model for diversity education, inclusion, and social justice.  Nominations should express how the NJIT or larger community has improved as a result of this student’s efforts and how they have grown from helping expand multiculturalism.

Community Impact Award
This award recognizes a student who has made significant contributions to the community through their time, action, talent, and dedication.  These students serve as a role model for service, are invested in helping others in the community, and increase awareness of community issues through volunteer projects.  Monetary or academic credit should not have been received from involvement.  Nominations should express the student’s direct service to the community, such as assisting youth with homework, and how they have grown from being of service.

Highlander Spirit Award
This award recognizes a student who has displayed extraordinary Highlander spirit and NJIT pride.  Whether working on campus, attending sporting events, or working to increase student engagement at NJIT, these students serve as formal and informal ambassadors of NJIT and exude pride in their institution no matter where they are.  Nominations for this award should express how the student has represented NJIT and their school spirit, why it is important, and the impact it has made.

Student Staff of the Year
This award recognizes a student employee who has made valuable contributions to NJIT, gone above and beyond their required work responsibilities, and shown a commitment to balancing work, academics, and student involvement.  Nominations should demonstrate the student’s growth of competency in three or more of the following areas:  Reliability, Initiative, Adaptability, Professionalism, Positive Attitude, Quality of Work, and Uniqueness of Contribution.  Please include the department in which the nominee works and the supervisor's name.

Rising Leader Award
This award recognizes a first year or sophomore student who exemplifies the next generation of student leaders at NJIT.  These students have already shown to have a positive impact at NJIT by serving in a student organization, attending events and meetings, taking initiative to assist with events, advocating for student causes, and/or dedicating oneself to student life in other ways. Only students in First Year or Sophomore standing are eligible to receive this award.

Lisa A. Pierce Student Leader of the Year Award
This award is in honor of Lisa Ann Pierce (1968-2004) who worked in Higher Education for over 10 years.  Lisa was committed to challenging students to pursue their dreams.  This award recognizes a student who best exemplifies the leadership qualities within a student organization or team, such as consistently motivating other members, providing vision for the group, and leading by example in accomplishing organizational goals.  Nominations should express how the student is a positive role model for peers, shows commitment to their organization(s), is reliable, and affects positive change in the student community through campus involvement. Only students in Junior, Senior, or Graduate standing are eligible to recieve this award.

Presidential Leadership Award
This award is the most prestigious NJIT can bestow upon a student and is presented by the University President.  It recognizes two students per year, one undergraduate and one graduate, who embody the mission and values of NJIT through their campus leadership, community service, and academics.  Nominations should express how the student exemplifies high ideals and actively impacts NJIT positively while being involved in both student life and excelling academically.

Individual Faculty/Staff Awards

Advisor of the Year
This award recognizes a faculty or staff member who consistently contributes their time, energy, mentorship, compassion, and commitment to the student development of the student organization they advise.  This advisor helps motivate the organization by realizing their potential and achieving their goals, assisting with conflict resolution strategies, while mentoring individual members and leading by example.  This advisor pushes the organization to distinguish itself, as well as challenges the members to develop and enhance leadership skills. This person has gone above and beyond to aid a student organization, is very active in the campus community beyond their formal role at NJIT, and exemplifies NJIT pride.  

Student Impact Award
This award recognizes a person employed by NJIT, who is not a member of the faculty or a student organization advisor, and has had a profound positive impact on the student experience.  This individual has gone above and beyond to support and empower NJIT students.

Specific Award Criteria

Organization & Program Award Criteria

• Good standings with the governing council
• Attend all required meetings and trainings hosted by the Office of Student Life and governing council
• Organizations or Programs should not have received the award within the past 2 years

Individual Student Awards

• 2.5 cumulative GPA for all individual awards, 3.0 cumulative GPA for Presidential Leadership Awards
• Enrolled in Fall 2023/Spring 2024 courses
• Must be a First-Year or Sophomore to be nominated for Rising Leader Awards
• Must be a Junior, Seniors, or Graduate student for the Lisa A. Pierce Student Leader Award