Grants & Awards

Eligibility

All regular (.50-1.00 FTE) staff members in the College Arts and Sciences who have been employed within ASC for at least two years (which can be non-consecutive) are eligible to apply. The length of employment is calculated from the employee's date of hire by the College of Arts and Sciences until the application deadline. Eligible staff members can receive the grant once per academic year. 

Funding 

Funds are available to support up to $1,500 per person. Grants are to be used within one year of being awarded. 

Proposals for the following will NOT be considered:

• Professional development to address skills or equipment required by your current position (the department/unit should provide all required training/equipment)
• Activities that have taken place prior to the application deadline

Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received a Staff Professional Grant.

Criteria 

Successful applications should include:

• A detailed Professional Development Proposal that: 
  • Demonstrates how funding will support the mission of the university (as defined by the Office of Academic Affairs) and the unit, as well as the applicant’s educational goals.   
  • Provides a clear explanation of how the project/activity will provide short and long-term benefits to the university, the unit, and the applicant.
  • If the project or activity funded will include the acquisition of physical assets or the production of a product, the proposal should include an explanation of how the asset(s) and/or products will be handled by the university or the unit, both immediately and in the long-term. 
• An Itemized Budget with expenses detailed and references to sources of estimate included. Budget items must be clearly and explicitly connected to the use of funds. 
• A Letter of Support from your chair/director/dean that includes a statement of support for the proposal and approval for the allotted time to complete the activity/program to be considered university time.

2024 - 2025 Deadlines

Autumn Deadline: November 1, 2024

Spring Deadline: March 1, 2025

Applicants will be notified of the SAC committee's decision via email approximately four weeks following the application deadline. 

Apply Now

For more information, please email Toni Calbert.5

Check out these videos featuring some of our previous grant winners:

Now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Outstanding Staff Award cycle!

To recognize staff members in the Arts and Sciences who have demonstrated sustained excellence in overall job performance and have improved or enhanced work life and services of faculty, staff, students, and/or the university.

Funding

Each award recipient will receive a one-time cash award. The amount of this reward is TBD and will be updated as soon as details are known.

Eligibility

All regular (.50-1.00 FTE) staff members in the College of Arts and Sciences who have been employed within ASC for three or more years or have been employed by Ohio State for five or more years with at least one year within ASC, are eligible to be nominated. The length of employment is calculated from the employee's date of hire by the College of Arts and Sciences until the application deadline.

Criteria 

To nominate an outstanding staff member for this award, please submit two nomination letters to Rachel Sanabria by February 3, 2025 at 11:59 pm. While we do not have strict formatting requirements for letters, we recommend that letters are between 500-1000 words. Each nominator may choose to address different aspects of the outstanding staff nominee’s performance, but, overall, successful application packages generally speak in detail on the following considerations: 

• Supports positive culture: How does the nominee promote and contribute to a culture of inclusivity and positivity? 
• Staff advocacy, mentorship, and role modeling: How does the nominee support their colleagues, direct reports (if applicable), or other constituents? Do they support advancement for those around them or proactively work to promote self-growth in a way that benefits their unit? Do they communicate information and share resources with their colleagues?
• Excellence in assigned job duties: What are the nominee’s expected job functions, and how has the nominee gone beyond expectations?  Have they improved their department’s or unit’s processes?  
• Service: How does the nominee engage in service to their unit, the College, the University, their profession, or the greater Ohio State community? We recognize that service may take many forms, please explain what it means in your context. Examples could include, but are not limited to, committee service, professional organizations, or participation in other on-campus organizations outside the scope of their staff role.
• Evidence of sustained excellence: How has the nominee evolved within their role and raised the standard for themselves? 
• Other standout qualities: Simply put, what else do you want us to know about this person?  

2024

• Alison Baker, Department of Psychology 
• Julia Papke, Department of Linguistics
• Mark Anthony Arceno, Department of Comparative Studies
• Mike Bierschenk, Department of English 
• Sarah Beaumont-White, Department of History 
• Wayne Miller, Department of Anthropology

2023

• Jerrell Beckham, Department of African American and African Studies
• Ashley Bowerman, Department of History
• Chad Mahan, Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts
• Staci McKinniss, Department of Microbiology and CLSE
• Lisa Wareham, Department of Psychology
• Laura Whitaker, Department of Psychology

Honorable mentions: 

• Irene George, ASC Research Administration
• Megan Lobert, Department of Spanish and Portuguese
• Paige Piper, Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts
• David Snodgrass, Department of Molecular Genetics
• Walter Williams, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

2022

• Adam Andrews, Center for Life Science Education
• Tom Gallagher, Department of Molecular Genetics
• Rhonda Maynard, Department of History
• Liz McGinnis, Department of Psychology
• Andrew Newbold, Department of Art
• Brooke O'Leary, Department of Statistics
• Katie Stanutz, Department of English
• Gabrielle Stephens, Department of History of Art
• Gabe Tippery, Department of Design
• Athena Yiamouyiannis, Department of Mathematics

2019

• Charlene Brenner, STEAM Factory
• Shannon Hand, Department of Speech and Hearing Science
• Steve McCann, Department of History/Department of African American and African Studies/Melton Center for Jewish Studies
• MaryKatherine Ramsey, Department of English
• Joanna Spanos, ASC Honors
• Larysa Stepanova, Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures

2018

• Lauren Barrett, Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures
• Melissa Beers, Department of Psychology
• William Husen, Department of Mathematics
• Tom Marker, ASC Technology Services
• Courtney Sanders, Department of Political Science
• Elizabeth Vu, Department of Comparative Studies

2017

• Sue Ellen Dehority, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology
• Kristina Dunlap, Department of Physics
• Lynaya Elliott, Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Elizabeth Freeman, Department of Anthropology
• Cassie Patterson, Center for Folklore Studies and University Folklore Archives
• Amy Schmidt, Department of Dance

2016 

• Damian Bowerman, Department of Theatre
• Nicole Cochran, Department of Psychology
• Julia McGory, Department of Linguistics
• Luciana Musetti, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
• Nick Spitulski, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
• Bernadette Vankeerbergen, Program Director Curriculum and Assessment, ASC Administration

2015

• Stephanie Fowler, Department of Psychology
• Michael Kaylor, Arts and Sciences Technology Services
• Tiffany Quattlebaum, Department of Psychology
• Karen Royce, ASC Advising and Academic Services and School of Earth Sciences
• Eddie Singleton, Department of English 
• Kris Wethington, ASC Advising and Academic Services

2014

• Anne Collins, ASC Advising and Academic Services
• Diana De Vol Bevilacqua, Department of Mathematics
• Amy Kulesza, Center for Life Sciences Education
• Susan Pennington, Institute for Population Research
• Brian Smith, Department of Statistics
• Kirstina Ward, Department of History 

2013

• David Alden, Department of Mathematics
• Melinda Miracle Bogarty, Department of African American and African Studies
• Joan Leonard ,Department of Molecular Genetics
• Eric Mayer, Department of Theatre
• Elizabeth Miller, Department of Mathematics
• Pablo Tanguay, Department of English/ASC

2012

• James Bach, Department of History
• Carolyn Cox, Department of Dance
• Prudence Gill, Department of Art
• Dale Gnidovec, School of Earth Sciences
• Aurelia Kubayanda, Honors Program
• Marge Lynd, Department of Comparative Studies 

2011

• Cynthia Dassler, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology
• Jim DeGrand, Department of Geography
• Lisa Van Dyke, Department of Statistics
• Shelia Francis, Advising and Academic Services
• Therese O’Donnell-Leonard, Department of Chemistry
• Roy “Jack” Zuefle, Department of Mathematics

2009

• Rachel Barnes, Department of Theatre
• Jennifer Belisle, Advising and Academic Services & ASC Technology Services Office
• Paul Brower, Department of Statistics
• Doug Dangler, Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing
• Judith Ridgway Center for Life Sciences Education
• David Staley, Department of History

2008

• Stephanie Bernhardt, Department of History of Art
• Margaret Milliman-Wing, Department of Microbiology
• Matt Misicka, Center for Life Sciences Education
• John-David Slaughter, Department of Economics
• Joan Snowden, Honors Program

2007

• Kathy Edwards, The Ohio State University Press
• Jane Pletcher, ASC Advising and Academic Services
• Melinda Robinson, Department of Spanish and Portuguese
• So Yung Wilson, Department of Psychology
• Denise Witcher, Department of Mathematics

2006

• Diana Camella, Department of Political Science
• Kevin Dill, Department of Chemistry
• Kim Kovarik, Department of English
• Sylvia Meadows, Department of Psychology
• Peggy Strow, Center for Life Sciences Education
• Tom Watters, Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology

Criteria: 

The Arts & Sciences Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Award is intended to celebrate members of the ASC staff community who have a proven record of advocacy for DEIJ issues. In line with the university-level award, we welcome nominees who have implemented policies, procedures, and/or programs to enhance diversity on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran or military service status, gender identity or expression, economic status, political belief, marital status, or social background. All active Arts & Sciences staff (50% or more FTE) are eligible for the award. 

We recognize that different positions may lend themselves better than others for DEIJ work to be visible to or reach a scale at the level of policy, programming, or procedures, especially outside of the individual’s unit. As such, we hope to offer an opportunity to recognize nominees who have made their impact felt in a variety of capacities. This may mean that the recipient uses their professional platform to advocate on behalf of fellow Ohio State community members, but it can also extend to DEIJ efforts outside of their professional responsibilities, potentially recognizing volunteer work and community service. We argue that community service and volunteer work can be its own form of ambassadorship for Ohio State, and we want to celebrate engagement in diversity work in myriad forms. To that end, we want to make our award accessible and open to self-nominations. 

Application/Nomination Process: Complete application packets will include at least two and up to three letters of support for the nominee. One letter can be written by the nominee, and letters of support can be from any faculty, staff, or student at Ohio State. We also propose making the application process more inclusive be allowing a letter of support to come from members of community organizations that the nominee works with. If a letter of recommendation comes from a community partner, we may reach out to your Ohio State supervisor to confirm their support. Materials should be emailed to Rachel Sanabria, with “ASC SAC Diversity Enhancement nomination" in the subject line by February 3, 2025. We prefer to receive all nomination letters in one email.

Nomination materials:  Submit a letter of nomination (three pages maximum) that addresses how the nominee has demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing diversity above and beyond their role or responsibilities through one or more of the following. Your nomination should describe creative models, strategies or best practices and why it should be considered a best practice. Please specify sustained and recent contributions. Documentation of data and success rates also should be included. 

• Description of accomplishments, leadership and service in support of diversity enhancement. 
• Description of achievement in creating a supportive environment. 
• Description of mentorship and/or advocacy for fellow members of Arts & Sciences. 
• Description of achievement in recruiting and retaining, and administrative positions.
•  Description of achievement in recruiting, retaining and graduating diverse groups of students. 
• Consistent demonstration of one or more of the university’s values: Excellence, Collaborating as One University, Acting with Integrity and Personal Accountability, Openness and Trust, Diversity in People and Ideas, Change and Innovation, Simplicity in Our Work, Empathy and Compassion, and Leadership. 
• Description of engagement in the broader community or as volunteer work. 
• Supporting Materials: Please provide no more than three letters of support for this nomination. While not required, other relevant supporting material, such as curriculum vitae (abbreviated) or resumes (individual nominations only) and newspaper articles may be included.

Considerations for Award

• Curriculum Vitaes
• Student Evaluation (SEI) Scores
• Interviews with Nominees
• Class Visits

Previous College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Graduate Associate Teaching Award recipients are not eligible for this award. A one-time award of $500 is provided annually.

For more information, please email rottersman.1@osu.edu.