March 06, 2008

Phi Kappa Phi chapter seeks award nominations

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University Carbondale chapter of the national honor society Phi Kappa Phi wants nominations for the annual Scholar and Artist awards.

Nominees must excel at teaching and, for the outstanding scholar award, at research or, for the outstanding artist award, at creating. Past recipients of the award make up the selection committee. They consider the entire dossier of each nominee, including past honors, publications, papers, presentations, patents, inventions, performances, service – anything that serves to distinguish the nominee as an outstanding member of the SIUC scholarly and artistic community.

The SIUC chapter awards include a $300 cash award, membership in Phi Kappa Phi and a medallion representing the society. The awardees also go on for consideration at the national level. Award winners at the national level receive a $10,000 cash prize, a plaque and an expense-paid trip to the national convention to give a presentation on their research or creative activities.

SIUC has a strong record with Phi Kappa Phi. The University is the only institution with two Outstanding Scholars. Larry Hickman, SIUC professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Dewey Studies, is the current Outstanding Scholar. In 2001, Andrzej Bartke, professor of internal medicine at the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, claimed the honor.

Ronald Naversen, awards chairperson for the SIUC chapter and an SIUC professor of theater, said serving on a selection panel can be a humbling experience. He said Phi Kappa Phi recognition is one way he knows to "help the SIUC community become aware of and appreciate these talented individuals" at the University.

When an SIUC scholar or artist goes on to win a national award, he said, the recognition "shows the depth and breadth of our University's scholarship."

"What department, college or university wouldn't want their deserving faculty winning awards?" he said. "The fact that two of our local chapter scholar award recipients… were sent forward to the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Scholar Award and won is a wonderful achievement. No other university can claim to have two award winners."

Naversen said a letter of nomination, the nominee's curriculum vita, and at least two letters of support are required with each nomination. Preferably, one of the letters should be from someone who is not affiliated with SIUC but is in the nominee's chosen discipline. Artist nominations may include slides, tapes or other documentation of the nominee's work.

Naversen said nominations often come from department chairs and program directors or college deans familiar with faculty accomplishments.

"We also get nominations from our own Phi Kappa Phi members who know the benefits of membership that come with this honor," he said.

For a list of chapter award winners, see www.siu.edu/~pkp and follow the link to the scholar/artist section. For a list of national winners, see www.phikappaphi.org and follow the link through scholarships and awards.

Send nominating materials to: Ronald Naversen, Department of Theater, Mail Code 6608 at SIUC by April 7.