Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension

Nomination packages must be received by ESA headquarters by June 1.

This award consists of $500 and an inscribed plaque presented at the ESA Annual Meeting. 

The nominee must be a current ESA member, and must have demonstrated excellent performance through program creativity, impact, achievement, and delivery. Only nominations from ESA Branches are accepted for the ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension. Each Branch is limited to one nomination per year.

NOTE:  Members can only submit in one Branch each year.

All nominators and nominees will be required to sign the professional conduct disclosure form during the application process. View additional information on the professional conduct disclosure. Nomination packages for this award must include:

1. CV-Related Items - Nominators must provide a CV which includes the below sections.  For a full listing of what should be included in each of the sections click here.

• Section 1 - Background Information
• Section 4 - Extension/ Outreach
• Section 5 - Service

2. Other Items-

• Up to two letters of nomination/endorsement from professional colleagues and clientele

All nomination packages must be submitted electronically according to the following specifications:

Page Limits

• Page Limits – The entire nomination package must not exceed 20 pages total. This include letters of nomination or recommendation and publication lists. 

File Specifications

• Only the following file formats will be accepted: PDF, TIF graphic files, or JPG graphic files. Please make sure scanned images can be clearly read on a computer screen.
• Font size for text may not be smaller than 10 point.
• The nomination site requires all documents to be uploaded individually.

Submission Methods

Nomination packages must be submitted online via the DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN EXTENSION NOMINATION WEBSITE

View a video tutorial on the ESA application site

Nominees/candidates will be judged by the ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension Judging Panel using the following criteria for a total of 100 points:

Professional Background (60 points total)

• Leadership and participation in professional activities, including mentoring of junior extension professionals (12)
• Honors, awards, achievements, and recognition (7)
• Special assignments and committee activities (10)
• Service outside of extension, including community activities (5)
• Grantsmanship (8)
• Recommendation of colleagues, peer groups, etc. (8)
• Publications (10)

Program Management (40 points total)

• Creativity and innovation of program's concept (8)
• Development, educational strategy (8)
• Implementation, including publications (8)
• Diversity of program's delivery (8)
• Evidence of program's impact (8)

Notification -

The awards administrator will notify all candidates and their nominators with the results of their nomination approximately two months after the nomination submission deadline.

Any candidate nominated but not selected may be renominated no more than two times within the two-year period after the initial submission. Nomination packages will be retained for two years by the awards administrator. Nominators must send a letter of renomination to the awards administrator by the nomination deadline. Previously submitted documentation will be used for the evaluation process unless the nominator submits new or updated documents. The renomination email must contain this additional documentation. New or updated documents must follow the electronic submission requirements noted above.

View the full list of winners