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Faculty Awards
The Faculty Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of LMU faculty and the many ways they make a difference through teaching, research, creative work, interdisciplinary collaboration, service, and other contributions to our academic community.
The Office of Faculty Engagement coordinates the Faculty Awards process in partnership with faculty-led awards committees. Together, we recognize the excellence, dedication, and impact of our faculty.
Explore the Faculty Awards
Each award recognizes a distinct area of faculty achievement. Explore the award descriptions and criteria to learn more about what each award recognizes and what is required for a nomination. It’s important to note that the following Faculty Awards will be presented on Tuesday, March 16, 2027.
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- President's Fritz B. Burns Distinguished Teaching and Learning Award: Recognizes a full-time, tenured faculty member who demonstrates sustained excellence in teaching and learning through innovative pedagogy, deep expertise, and lasting commitment to student learning and success.
- Rains Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Works Award: Recognizes a full-time, tenured faculty member whose sustained scholarship or creative work demonstrates a meaningful contribution to their field and exemplifies LMU’s mission through intellectual, creative, interdisciplinary, or community impact.
- Rains Award for Excellence in Service and Faculty Leadership Award: Recognizes a full-time, tenured faculty member who demonstrates sustained commitment to service and faculty leadership, with a meaningful lasting impact on the university community.
- Distinguished Term Faculty Teaching Award: Celebrates a term faculty member whose teaching demonstrates a distinctive commitment to student learning, thoughtful and effective pedagogy, and meaningful impact on students.
- The Term Faculty Distinguished Teaching Award is open to all full-time, currently employed LMU faculty members who have completed at least two years of teaching at LMU as a term faculty member.
- Previous recipients of the award are not eligible to apply.
- One award is presented each semester: one in Fall and one in Spring.
- Distinguished Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award: Celebrates a part-time faculty whose teaching demonstrates exceptional commitment to student learning, thoughtful pedagogy, and meaningful impact on the student experience.
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The award is open to all part-time, currently employed LMU faculty members who have completed at least four semesters of teaching at LMU as a part-time faculty member.
- Previous recipients of the award are not eligible to apply.
- One award is presented each semester: one in Fall and one in Spring.
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How the Process Works
- Nominate a colleague (Nomination closed)
Faculty community members are invited to nominate colleagues for Faculty Awards during the nomination period. Peer nominations are encouraged. - Nominees complete their materials
Nominated faculty will be invited to complete a nomination portfolio that demonstrates how their work aligns with the criteria for the award.
- Letters of support are submitted
Each nominee must identify two letter writers: a department chair or associate dean and a faculty peer. Letters of support provide additional context about the nominee’s contributions and impact.
- Faculty Awards Committees review nominations
The appropriate Faculty Awards Committee evaluates completed nomination portfolios against the established award criteria and selects award recipients.
- Recipients are notified and celebrated
The Office of Faculty Engagement notifies award recipients, who are recognized at the annual Faculty Awards & Recognition Ceremony.
Key Dates
- October 26, 2026: Nominations open
- November 6, 2026: Nomination deadline
- November 11, 2026: Nominees are invited to complete their nomination portfolios
- January 8, 2027: Deadline for letters of support
- January 11, 2027: Nomination portfolio deadline
- February 16, 2027: Faculty award recipients are notified
- March 16, 2027: Faculty Awards & Recognition Ceremony
Please note that letter writers must submit their letters of support by January 8, ahead of the January 11 nomination portfolio deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Faculty community members are encouraged to nominate colleagues whose work reflects the purpose and criteria of an award. Please consult the individual award criteria for any specific nomination or eligibility requirements.
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The Office of Faculty Engagement reviews nominations after the nomination deadline. Beginning November 11, nominees will be invited to complete a nomination portfolio and provide supporting materials.
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Nominees submit materials demonstrating how their work aligns with the award criteria and identify two letter writers: a department chair or associate dean and a faculty peer. Award-specific requirements will be provided with the portfolio instructions.
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All nominees must provide two standard letters of support:
- Department Chair Letter: A letter from the nominee’s Department Chair. If the nominee is a Department Chair, the letter must come from their Associate Dean.
- Faculty Peer Letter: A letter from a faculty colleague who can speak to the nominee’s contributions and impact.
Additional Dean’s Letter Requirement
Nominees for the following awards must also provide an additional letter of support from their Dean:
- Presidents Fritz B. Burns Distinguished Teaching and Learning Award
- Rains Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Works
- Rains Award for Excellence in Service and Faculty Leadership
For these three awards, three letters of support are required: a Department Chair or Associate Dean letter, a Dean’s letter, and a Faculty Peer letter.
All letters of support must be submitted by January 8, 2027.
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Faculty Awards Committees review completed nomination portfolios against the established criteria for each award and determine the recipients.
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The Office of Faculty Engagement will notify award recipients beginning February 16, 2027. Recipients will be celebrated at the Faculty Awards & Recognition Ceremony on March 16, 2027.
Questions?
For questions about the Faculty Awards process, nomination materials, or deadlines, please contact the Office of Faculty Engagement at Teacher.Scholar@lmu.edu