Nominate a Student

Nomination Deadline for 2026 Awards: Friday, December 12, 2025

Student Leadership Award

The Maureen McDermott Student Leadership Award recognizes a student who contributes positively to the community, empowers others, and inspires those around them. They need not hold a leadership position; rather, they demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and role model inclusive and ethical leadership in their actions. Scroll for nomination form below.

General

  • Undergraduate student in a degree program enrolled in at least 6 credits during the spring semester of the awards cycle (November to April)
  • In good standing with the University
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA semester or cumulative average either as of spring or fall 2025

Specific

  • Student does not have to hold a leadership position in the group
  • Student makes significant contribution to their club/group that moves the organization forward
  • Student’s contribution makes a positive impact on the University community
  • Student demonstrates outstanding leadership skills, empowers others, inspires a shared vision, role models inclusive and ethical leadership

Servant Leadership Award

The Robert L. Carothers ecognizes a student who supports the growth of others and the community by embodying the tenets of the Servant Leadership Model (Greenleaf, 1977). Students in this category demonstrate a long-term commitment to making a positive and measurable impact related to a specific cause or social issue that affects URI, RI and/or the global community. Their practice of leadership develops other leaders and encourages others to serve. Scroll for nomination form below.

General

  • Undergraduate student in a degree program enrolled in at least 6 credits during the spring semester of the awards cycle (November to April)
  • In good standing with the University
  • Minimum 2.5 GPA semester or cumulative average either as of spring or fall 2025

Specific

  • Demonstrates a long-term commitment to making a positive and measurable impact related to a specific cause or social issue that affects URI, RI and/or the global community
  • Demonstrates the 10 Characteristics of a Servant Leader (Spears, 2010) in practice including: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of the people, and building community
  • Applies the Servant Leadership Model (Greenleaf, 1977) to their practice of leadership in a way that develops other leaders and encourages others to serve

Student Employee Excellence Award

Recognizes a student’s contributions that provide a positive impact on the University community through their campus employment. They make a significant contribution to the work environment, consistently providing quality service to others, and demonstrating outstanding employment traits. Scroll for nomination form below.

General

  • Undergraduate student in a degree program enrolled in at least 6 credits during the spring semester of the awards cycle (November to April)
  • In good standing with the University
  • Minimum 2.0 GPA semester or cumulative average either as of spring or fall 2025

Specific

  • Student must be salaried employee working on-campus (work study or institutional pay)
  • Student must have worked for at least one semester by April 2025 and for more than four hours per week
  • Student makes a significant contribution to work environment and moves group forward in goals and mission
  • Student’s work contribution makes a positive impact on the University community and student consistently provides quality service to others
  • Student demonstrates excellent or outstanding employment traits such as honesty, credibility, punctuality, focus, responsibility, professionalism, strong conflict management skills, organizational skills, and supervisory skills