Volume XX Number 8

Honors and Awards

Recommendations for Distinguished Service Awards

By Deborah Silvi, Chair, Distinguished Community Awards Committee 

To recognize members who demonstrate exemplary dedication and service to their STC communities, the Society runs three special award programs: the Distinguished Chapter Service Award (DCSA), the Distinguished SIG Service Award (DSSA), and the Distinguished Service Award for Students (DSAS). Community leaders who would like to recognize members for their hard work and commitment should consider recommending them for these awards.

In deciding whom to recommend, chapter administrative councils, SIG managers (and their administrative councils, where available), and student chapter advisors are encouraged to consider consistency of service throughout the time of membership along with depth of effort and variety of service. Variety of service can be interpreted in different ways depending on the size and type of the community; its measurement is at the discretion of the recommending individuals. Please note that members who have already received any one of these three awards from one community cannot receive it a second time from the same community.

Each recommendation should clearly specify, in a short paragraph, why the individual is being recommended. A brief citation should be attached to the recommendation. Each citation should be meaningful to the potential recipient. For examples of citations, please refer to the appropriate award guidelines on the STC Web site.

The deadline for submitting recommendations is November 30, 2007. Please put the required information into a Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF document and e-mail it to the Distinguished Community Awards (DCA) Committee Chair, Deborah Silvi. Recommendations will be collected and presented to the STC Board of Directors for approval at its January meeting.

Please note that the guidelines for these awards, as posted on the STC Web site, are out of date. Where they differ, the processes noted in this article supersede the processes now posted online. We hope to have the guidelines updated by October 30. If you have questions, please contact Deborah Silvi.

DCSA

All chapter members, with the exception of current voting members of the chapter administrative council, are eligible for the DCSA. Each chapter may make at least one recommendation. Please refer to “Guidelines for the Distinguished Chapter Service Award”  to determine if your chapter is eligible to make additional recommendations.

The announcement and presentation of the DCSA are left to the discretion of the chapter. Award certificates and plaques will be forwarded to chapter presidents in late February. Announcements of the award recipients will be posted on the STC Web site on April 7, 2008, so if you’re planning to surprise any of your recipients, please inform them prior to that date.

DSSA

All SIG members, with the exception of the current SIG manager, are eligible for the DSSA. Each SIG may make at least one recommendation. Please refer to “Guidelines for the Distinguished SIG Service Award” to determine if your SIG is eligible to make additional recommendations.

DSSA recipients will be announced on Leadership Day or during one of the main gatherings of SIG members at STC’s Technical Communication Summit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Award plaques will be mailed directly to award recipients after the conference.

DSAS

Eligibility requirements will be changed this year to include student members of regular chapters, as well as members of student chapters. Those with student membership status during the period for which the award is given are eligible for the DSAS. STC defines student membership status as taking two courses per term. A student may receive this award only once. The student chapter advisor and the administrative council work together to select a nominee for the award. Each chapter may make one recommendation. Please refer to “Guidelines for the Distinguished Service Award for Students” for additional information.

The announcement and presentation of the DSAS are left to the discretion of the chapter. Award certificates will be sent to student chapter advisors or chapter presidents in late February. Announcements of the award recipients will be posted on the STC Web site on April 7, 2008, so if you’re planning to surprise any of your recipients, please inform them prior to that date. In addition, award recipients will be announced on Leadership Day or during the main gathering of student members at STC’s Technical Communication Summit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Honoring Service

The distinguished service awards offer an exciting opportunity to recognize dedicated community members for their service to the Society. While there is no obligation to recommend candidates annually, all STC communities are encouraged to consider these awards as part of their annual activities.