Student Involvement Awards

SALD  Celebration of Student Involvement  / Great Hall TUC

The annual Student Involvement Awards recognizes our students for their leadership and involvement at the University of Cincinnati. Each year, individual students, groups, and registered student organizations are recognized and celebrated for their outstanding contributions to UC. 

The Student Involvement Awards include dinner, awards & recognition, student government inauguration, and a keynote speaker.

Nominate or Apply for Awards

Applications for Student Organization and Indivdiual Leadership Awards open on Monday, January 23rd and close on Friday, February 10th at 11:45pm.

Save the Date

The 2023 Student Involvement Awards will be held on Thursday, March 30th, 2023 in Nippert West Pavillion. Doors open at 5:30pm and the Program begins at 6:00pm. 

The Student Involvement Awards are a ticketed event. Ticket order begins on March 1 and ends on March 26. Tickets will be available for pick up from 455 Steger Student Life Center March 27 - March 29.

The student leadership awards, presented by Student Activities & Leadership Development,  are open to any UC student, part-time or full-time, who is involved in the UC community. Involvement can be demonstrated in various ways, including but not limited to student employment, community service, student organizations, attending UC events, etc. The awards are rooted in the Center for Student Involvements values: ILEAD.

  • Inclusive Community
  • Leadership
  • Engagement
  • Advocacy 
  • Discovery

The deadline to apply for the Leadership Awards is February 10th at 11:45pm.

Student Leadership Award Descriptions
Award Description
Dedication to Inclusive Community Award The Dedication to Inclusive Community award recognizes a student who has demonstrated and acted on a dedication to fostering an inclusive environment that values inclusion, growth, development, and support by building partnerships through collaboration. 
Leadership Excellence Award The Leadership Excellence Award recognizes a student who has demonstrated a commitment to leadership development by striving to be the best version of themselves through living their values and purpose through actions and standards.
Engaged Student Award The Engaged Student Award recognizes a student who has demonstrated a commitment to involvement in the UC community through service within and outside of the University of Cincinnati, participation, and leadership in academic and extracurricular activities as well as demonstrated growth within these areas.
Dedication to Advocacy Award The Dedication to Advocacy Award recognizes a student who has demonstrated a commitment to become engaged global citizens by examining contemporary issues related to systems of difference and inequality to empower them as agents of change in creating a socially just community.
Dedication to Innovation Award The Dedication to Innovation Award recognizes a student that has demonstrated a commitment to experiential learning opportunities through change, innovation, vision, and creativity. 

Student Activities Board honors registered student organizations and their individual members with a variety of prestigious awards each year. Review the awards given and their descriptions in the drop downs. Eligible organizations must be registered at the time of application. 

The deadline to apply for the Student Organization Awards is February 10th at 11:45pm.

Student Organization Awards
Award  Description
Impact Award  This award recognizes a Bearcat student organization that has made a substantive and positive impact on a specific community through direct, concerted efforts. The organization that receives the Community Impact Award should not only excel in areas of leadership and scholarship, but also seek to apply these abilities in innovative ways to improve the lives of others- whether that be locally, nationally, or globally.
Inclusive Excellence Award This award recognizes the Bearcat student organization which best pursues diversity and inclusion through its mission, activities, and/or outreach. This organization understands that our history empowers us to rethink change.
Outside the Box This award recognizes an organization that has pivoted from their previous functions and capacities to address a new problem. This can mean anything- whether it's an inventive marketing strategy, a new event, or a virtual campaign- tell us about your organization's outside the box work.
Rookie of the Year This award recognizes a newly formed registered student organization with a sustainable vision of change. The winner of this award will have demonstrated consistent yearlong growth as indicated by programming and adjustments to new challenges. Student Organization must have been approved during the 2021-2022 or 2022 -2023 academic years. 
Student Organization of the Year This award recogizes an organization that has demonstrated excellence at the University of Cincinnati that goes beyond what is expected. Nominated student organizations will be reviewed based on membership, recruitment, programming, and service.
Individual Awards for Members of Registered Student Organizations
Award Description

Advisor of the Year

Student Activities Board would like to recognize an outstanding student organization advisor. Recipients for this award should demonstrate excellence in at least one of the following areas: InclusiveCommunity, Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy, or Discovery.
Emerging Leader of the Year In an effort to honor more student voices and encourage generational Bearcat leadership, SAB would like to award three emerging leader awards. The three winners of this award take initiative, are driven to develop every day, and are enthusiastic about leadership.
President of the Year The President of the Year award serves to recognize and honor the hard work of an individual who has devoted much time, effort, and passion into their organization. This leader lifts as they climb, inspiring others to take responsibility in the face of uncertainty. Similar to the Advisor of the Year, this individual demonstrates: Inclusive Community,  Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy, or Discovery.