Awards
oSTEM's awards programs recognize the achievements of our members, chapters, and supporters during the oSTEM Annual Conference. Please review the award descriptions below and provide nominations for those individuals and groups you believe deserve recognition. Please scroll to the bottom for FAQ and tips for a great submission.
Our Awards
Service Awards
- Global STEM Service Award
Chapter Awards
- Chapter of the Year - Group
- Rookie Chapter of the Year - Group
- Chapter Leader of the Year - Individual
- Advisor of the Year - Individual New!
Partner Awards
- Strategic Alliance Award - Organization
- Partner Excellence Award - Individual
- LGBTQ+ Employee Network of the Year - Group
Volunteer Awards
- Volunteer of the Year - Individual
- Volunteer Spotlights - Individual, Multiple
Offline versions of the applications can be provided upon request by contacting info@ostem.org or by contacting the individual team responsible for the award.
Service Awards
oSTEM Global STEM Service Award
This award is presented to an active member, alumnus/a, chapter mentor, or organization leader of oSTEM who has demonstrated a strong dedication to oSTEM, LGBTQ+ people in STEM, and STEM education. They are an outstanding role model for the future of our community. They are accomplished in their academic or professional lives and they regularly advocate for the full inclusion of people of all marginalized identities. They are committed to and continually strive to understand the most effective methods for reaching equality for all people.
Eligibility:
- Must be an oSTEM member
- Must be attending the oSTEM Annual Conference
* Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at info@ostem.org.
Chapter Awards
Benefits
- A chance to celebrate all that you have accomplished over the past year and to demonstrate to those outside of your chapter or organization the amazing things you do.
- Be recognized at an award ceremony during the Annual oSTEM Conference.
- Chapter, Rookie, and Chapter Leader Awards will receive 4 free student registrations and reimbursement of 3 room nights at the conference hotel if booked under oSTEM block by Monday, October 16, 2023. ($1,500 value)
- Advisor Award receives 1 free advsior registration + 3 free student registrations. ($775 value)
oSTEM Chapter of the Year
This award recognizes the ongoing accomplishments of established oSTEM Chapters. The guiding purpose of the oSTEM organization is to empower LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy. It is the oSTEM chapters that contribute greatly to this work. If your chapter has made a significant effort toward achieving these goals on your campus and/or in your community we ask you to apply and be recognized for your efforts.
Eligibility:
- Must be a verified Standard oSTEM Chapter or Affiliate Chapter of active status
- Must have a representative attending the oSTEM Annual Conference. (Winner will receive 4 free student registrations and reimbursement of 3 room nights at the conference hotel if booked under oSTEM block by Monday, October 16, 2023.)
* Please only submit one nomination per chapter. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at membership@ostem.org.
oSTEM Rookie Chapter of the Year
This award celebrates the achievements made by those chapters which are only just getting started. The first years of any student organization can be difficult and a test of true staying power. For those student leaders who are able to navigate that time and accomplish change on their campus that reflects the oSTEM mission, we want to recognize you. If you feel that your chapter matches this description we encourage you to submit an application for this award.
Eligibility:
- Must be a verified non-affiliate oSTEM Chapter of active status
- Must have been founded within two years of the submission of this application
- Must have a representative attending the oSTEM Annual Conference. (Winner will receive 4 free student registrations and reimbursement of 3 room nights at the conference hotel if booked under oSTEM block by Monday, October 16, 2023.)
* Please only submit one nomination per chapter. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at membership@ostem.org.
oSTEM Chapter Leader of the Year
This award recognizes the impact that strong, innovative, and passionate leaders have on oSTEM chapters. The guiding purpose of the oSTEM organization is to empower LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy. Chapter leaders not only understand this mission but strive to embody it in their personal and professional lives. Whether they founded their chapter, created a tight-knit community of members, or created a network of connections, we want to hear about it! If your chapter leader has made a significant effort toward achieving these goals on your campus and in your community we ask you to nominate them so they can be recognized for their efforts.
Eligibility:
- Must be a chapter leader of a verified Standard oSTEM Chapter or Affiliate Chapter of active status in good standing with your Regional Coordinator
- Must be attending the oSTEM Annual Conference
* Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at membership@ostem.org.
oSTEM Advisor of the Year
This award recognizes those advisors who have gone above and beyond in their support to one or more oSTEM chapters. The guiding purpose of the oSTEM organization is to empower LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy. Our chapter's advisors support our chapters in succeeding in this mission. Their enthusiasm, advice, and dedication models the way for our chapters. If your advisor has made a significant effort toward achieving these goals on your campus and in your community we ask you to nominate them so they can be recognized for their effort.
Eligibility:
- Must be an advisor of a verified Standard oSTEM Chapter or Affiliate Chapter of active status in good standing with your Regional Coordinator
- Must be attending the oSTEM Annual Conference. (Winner receives 1 free advisor registration + 3 free student registrations.
* Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at membership@ostem.org.
Partner Awards
oSTEM Strategic Alliance Award
This award is presented to a current sponsoring organization, community partner, or grant provider of oSTEM who has demonstrated a strong dedication to oSTEM, LGBTQ+ people in STEM, and STEM education. They are recognized leaders in LGBTQ+ workplace or institutional inclusion. They consistently support oSTEM, Inc. and regularly engage with and support oSTEM chapters. They are committed to and continually strive to understand the most effective methods for reaching equality for all people.
Eligibility:
- Must be a current sponsoring organization of oSTEM
- Must have a representative attending the oSTEM Annual Conference
* Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. Please only submit one nomination per organization. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at sponsorship@ostem.org.
oSTEM Partner Excellence Award
This award is presented to an individual representative of a current sponsoring organization, community partner, or grant provider of oSTEM that has demonstrated a strong dedication to oSTEM, LGBTQ+ people in STEM, and STEM education. They are an outstanding role model for the future of our community. They are accomplished in their academic or professional lives and they regularly advocate for the full inclusion of people of all marginalized identities. They are committed to and continually strive to understand the most effective methods for reaching equality for all people.
Eligibility:
- Must be an employee or member of a current sponsoring organization of oSTEM
- Must be attending the oSTEM Annual Conference
* Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at sponsorship@ostem.org.
oSTEM LGBTQ+ Employee Network of the Year
Support, a sense of belonging, and encouragement are key to employee growth, positive performance, and retention. Employee Networks have stepped in to fulfill these basic human needs through the creation of a community that supports employees, champions inclusion and diversity, and reaches out to better the community around them for all people. The vitality of these employee groups cannot be overstated, and the hard work they do deserves recognition. The oSTEM LGBTQ+ Employee Network of the Year Award highlights and applauds the work of an organization's employee network that embodies the oSTEM mission of empowering LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally through the cultivation of environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy.
Eligibility:
- Must be a current sponsoring organization of oSTEM
- Must have a representative attending the oSTEM Annual Conference
* Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged. Please only submit one nomination per organization. If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact us at sponsorship@ostem.org.
Volunteer Awards
oSTEM Volunteer of the Year & Spotlights
This award recognizes volunteers who have gone above and beyond to bring oSTEM to new heights in the last year. The Executive Board recognizes volunteers who have demonstrated their drive to achieve great things and push our organization to grow. In the past, awardees have been recognized for creating our scholarship program, spearheading the pivot to an online format for our cornerstone event during COVID, cultivating and expanding institutional support for professional members and collegiate members, and stepping into leadership roles with grace and professionalism. oSTEM is powered by the hard work and commitment of our volunteers. It is only with volunteers like this that oSTEM is able to continue our work of empowering LGBTQ+ people in STEM and setting them up for success in the personal, academic, and professional realms. If the work of these volunteers inspires you, consider volunteering your time, talent, and effort.
Eligibility:
- Must be an oSTEM Global Volunteer
- Must be attending the oSTEM Annual Conference
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the rules?
- You can nominate as many people and/or chapters as you want for the same or multiple awards.
- Anyone can nominate, regardless of whether they are a member of your oSTEM chapter or not. Students, alumni, staff, friends, family, sponsors, event attendees, people you've worked with, school teachers and members of the public are all welcome to submit nominations.
- Don't hesitate to nominate yourself or your chapter! After all, you have the best understanding of your own achievements and what deserves to be celebrated.
What makes a good nomination?
Writing nominations can be a challenge. You may know this person or chapter is amazing and it's often difficult to express this in a few words. Here are some hints and tips for what makes a good nomination:
- Quality over quantity: While it's fantastic to have numerous individuals interested in nominating the same person or activity, keep in mind that the quantity of nominations does not carry weight in the judges' decision-making process. They are primarily seeking high-quality and impactful submissions.
- Emphasize impact: Highlight the impact of the person or chapter you're nominating. For instance, if they organized a panel, specify how many people showed up. Showcasing tangible outcomes demonstrates the impact.
- Seek inspiration from previous winners: Take some time to read about the achievements of previous award recipients. Reading about their accomplishments can serve as a valuable source of inspiration and guide you in crafting an outstanding nomination.
- Provide ample details: When nominating someone or a chapter, make sure to include as much information as possible. You already know how amazing they are, so convey that to the judges by giving them a comprehensive picture of everything.
- Assume no prior knowledge: Remember that the judging panel may have no prior knowledge about the person or activity you're discussing. Therefore, let them know and use concrete examples to illustrate why the nominee or their accomplishments are exceptional.
When are the winners announced?
Winners will be announced via our social media and email. We will also be coming together to celebrate our winners in person at the award ceremonies during our annual conference this year in Anaheim, CA.
Who decides the winners?
The awards will be judged by a panel of membership volunteers. Across the membership team is a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Identifiable information such as chapter name and nominee name will be removed from the nomination to reduce bias by the Head Judge. All those judging will be asked to declare their biases in advance and will be requested by the Head Judge to not be involved in any decisions where they are deemed to have a conflict of interest. All judging will take place in September.
What is oSTEM's data policy with the nominations?
- Only members of the oSTEM Inc. Membership team will have access to the nomination data.
- Your data will not be shared and you have the right to request all nominations submitted to your name.
- Judges will receive copies of nominations only; no information on the nominator will be shared.
- You have the right to withdraw your nomination at any time before the judging. Simply email membership@ostem.org.
- All award winners will be published on our social media and website. You have the right to opt-out by emailing membership@ostem.org.