Call for nominations for Alum of the Year
Nominations for the 2014 Alum of the Year will be accepted beginning in January 2013, and are due April 5.
TO: Divinity School Alumni
FROM: Margaret M. Mitchell,
Dean and Shailer Mathews Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature
Every year, the Baptist Theological Union presents the Divinity School Alum of the Year Award to a Divinity School graduate. The award is normally presented in conjunction with a lecture by the honoree in Swift Hall following the BTU's spring meeting.
Our process for choosing the Alum of the Year involves soliciting nominations from the entire alumni body and submitting them to the Alumni Council for consideration. The Council then makes its recommendation to the Baptist Theological Union. We are grateful to all who have participated in the past by submitting names for consideration.
I now write to solicit nominations for the 2014 Divinity School Alumnus/a of the Year. All alumni/ae of the institution from any degree program are eligible to be nominated. The award honors especially distinguished professional accomplishment that reflects richly the values of the Divinity School. Click here to see a list of past recipients of the award.
Please consider the following criteria when evaluating potential nominees:
- Excellence of work and continued contributions to the person's field
- Recognition and influence beyond the person's immediate sphere
- Embodiment of the Divinity School's goals and values, and the range and extent of its educational programs
Please note the following restrictions:
- Current and emeritus faculty of the Divinity School are not eligible.
- Awards are not made posthumously; the nominee must be living.
- Self-nominations will not be accepted.
- All nominations are to be kept confidential, especially from the nominee him or herself.
This year we are accepting electronic nominations. Nominations should include a letter addressed to the Alumni Council and sent by e-mail attachment to Sara Bigger (sfbigger@uchicago.edu). These should arrive no later than Friday, April 5. Please note that an e-mail message is not sufficient. A formal letter of nomination is required, including the following:
- Rationale for awarding the honor to this particular person, with an emphasis on this person's stature within his/her field
- Citation of an article, book chapter, or other publication written by the nominee, or its equivalent
- Description of the specific ways in which this person embodies the values of the Divinity School
I want to note several considerations regarding procedure. First, all nominations will be held in strict confidence, as will the Council's deliberations. Second, to assist the Council in its deliberation, the formal letter of nomination must include the above points; a name submitted with no accompanying rationale will not be considered. Third, there is no limit to the number of times that you may resubmit a name for consideration. Each year the Council has received multiple worthy nominations, but only one can be chosen annually. The award will be announced in the autumn and presented in the spring, as has been our practice.
Please accept my very best wishes, and my sincere thanks for your thoughtful consideration and participation.
