VCU Staff Senate Awards for Excellence
The VCU Staff Senate Awards for Excellence are the premier university awards offered within VCU, for VCU/VCU Health staff members. The awards focus on VCU values and provide the deserved exposure and recognition of the hard work and extraordinary achievements of staff, which make VCU the great place it is today. Any VCU/VCU Health staff or faculty member may nominate a staff member who meets the specific criteria for each of the awards.
The nomination period is closed as of December 19, 2025
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
- A $500 monetary award for up to two recipients
- Professional certificate and trophy for the award winners
- Recognized at an award ceremony on March 12, 2026
- Photographed and recognized on VCU Staff Senate web page
- Letter of recognition to VCU President and department head of the employee
PROCESS
The VCU Staff Senate Awards & Recognition Committee will review nominations and determine all winners. Due to that, members of the committee are not eligible to be nominated. Please complete all required information requested and submit nomination online.
NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS
- The nominator will provide a statement of at least 250 words demonstrating how the nominee has provided outstanding service to their department or school OR to the broader VCU community for many years.
- Nominations for this award require a letter of support from the nominator.
- Additional letters are optional. While additional letters are optional, please understand that more supporting documentation will give the review committee a more complete picture to assess the contributions of the nominee.
- The limit is 3 letters; these letters may include statements or testimonials from the nominee’s co-workers, supervisor, manager, students, or faculty members that highlight the nominee’s accomplishments and character. Each letter should be between one and two single-sided pages, formatted in 12-point font.
The five awards descriptions for 2026:
OVERVIEW
The VCU Staff Senate will present this award to a salaried VCU / VCU Health staff member who has served with VCU / VCU Health for no longer than three years. This recipient shows promise in their field and is making a large impact on the VCU community in the short time (six months to three years) that they have been a part of the university.
ELIGIBILITY
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- Nominees must be a non-probationary salaried VCU or VCU Health staff member in good standing for at least six consecutive months, but no more than three years from their first day of working.
- Nominees may not have received any sort of University or Health System New Employee Award within their first three years of employment.
OVERVIEW
The VCU Staff Senate Professional Integrity Award is an honor bestowed to an individual staff member who promotes and exemplifies VCU’s ethical standards. The recipient is recognized for their extraordinary performance and dedication in their position and their demonstrated leadership to the university through their distinguished efforts to enhance excellence in their fellow staff members, students or faculty.
ELIGIBILITY
- Nominees must be a non-probationary salaried VCU or VCU Health staff member in good standing.
- Nominees must not have received any Integrity Award of VCU or VCU Health within the last three years prior to the closing date of nominations.
OVERVIEW
The VCU Staff Senate Exceptional Customer Service Award is an honor bestowed to an individual staff member who promotes and exemplifies VCU’s customer service. This award is an opportunity to recognize the performance of staff members who work well with customers and exhibit a natural ability for customer service. The recipient is further recognized for their extraordinary dedication in their position through their outstanding customer service efforts to their fellow staff members and the University community. These actions are applicable to services provided to both internal and external customers of the University.
ELIGIBILITY
- Nominees must be a non-probationary salaried VCU or VCU Health staff member in good standing.
- Nominee must not have received or currently being considered for, any Customer Service Award of VCU or VCU Health within the last 12 months prior to close of nominations.
OVERVIEW
The VCU Staff Senate Executive Award for Staff Advocacy is an honor awarded to an outstanding employee who has contributed to the advancement, benefit and well-being of VCU / VCU Health staff. This honor is awarded to an employee whose actions can only be described as truly extraordinary. The recipient of this award is a leader who views staff members as valuable and whose interactions within the university foster a positive workplace culture. The individual consistently strives, encourages, and advocates for staff excellence.
ELIGIBILITY
Nominees must be a non-probationary salaried VCU or VCU Health staff member in good standing who has been employed for a minimum of three years.
OVERVIEW
The VCU Staff Senate will present this award to a long-serving staff member who has dedicated the majority of their professional career to providing outstanding support or service to the VCU community.
Eligible recipients are individuals not in senior leadership positions, but who currently provide or have provided direct support or service in an administrative, frontline, or service role. Must have served within VCU / VCU Health for at least 15 years.
ELIGIBILITY
- Nominees must be a non-probationary salaried VCU or VCU Health staff member in good standing.
- Must have served with VCU or VCU Health for at least 15 years.
- Nominee may not have received a similar award within VCU or VCU Health previously.
*** PLEASE NOTE ***
All awards of The Staff Senate Awards of Excellence are reserved for members of the Classified Staff and the Academic & University Professionals employee classifications of VCU and the staff of VCU Health.
If you are experiencing issues accessing the nomination form or uploading documents, please contact staffsenate@vcu.edu.
Thank you.