Purpose Awards
Note: awards may be open to Faculty, Students and Staff or a subset thereof. Please check award criteria for eligibility.
Arizona Arts Excellence Award
The Arizona Arts Excellence Award recognizes individuals who embody our purpose and values by helping to ensure Arizona Arts serves as a gateway to the visual and performing arts that is inclusive of all students, improves lives in Arizona communities, and supports human flourishing nationwide.
The Arizona Arts Excellence Award is given to four individuals annually: 1 undergraduate student, 1 graduate student, 1 staff member, and 1 faculty member.
College of Fine Arts Excellence in Fundraising Award
This award is presented to a member of the College’s faculty or administration who makes an important contribution to fundraising endeavors.
Selection is made by the Philanthropy Office with approval by the Dean.
Pat Bjorhovde Excellence in Fundraising Award
This award is presented to a member of the College’s staff who makes an important contribution to fundraising endeavors.
The recipient is selected by the Philanthropy Office, with approval by the Dean.
Faculty Awards
The Charles and Irene Putnam Award
The Charles and Irene Putnam Award is considered the College’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in teaching, as demonstrated by outstanding achievement in teaching during the eligible review period.
Nomination: Nominations are accepted from the Directors of the various Schools and must be submitted to the Dean’s office each spring.
The College Honors & Awards Committee reviews and forwards the recommendation to the Dean.
James R. Anthony Award
The James R. Anthony Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching is awarded to a member of the College faculty who has consistently demonstrated a sustained level of outstanding achievement in teaching.
Eligibility: This award is for the more senior faculty who should be recognized for the longevity of “excellence” and for sustaining their reputations for quality teaching over an extensive period of time.
Nomination: Anthony nominees (one per school) come forward as detailed letters of recommendation from the director/head and must be submitted to the Dean’s office.
The College Advisory Committee selects the winner of the James Anthony Award.
The Roy A. & Stardust K. Johnson Faculty Mentoring Award
This award is given in the College of Fine Arts each year in recognition of outstanding faculty-to-faculty and/or faculty-to-GTA mentoring.
Nomination: Any faculty member and/or GTA in the respective unit may nominate a faculty candidate by submitting a nomination letter to their School Director. One final nomination for the Roy A. & Stardust K. Johnson Faculty Mentoring Award should be made directly to the Dean’s Office by the School Director.
The Dean selects the winner from the nominations submitted by the Directors.
CFA Undergraduate Advising/Mentoring Award
This award is given to a faculty member (including adjuncts/academic professionals) or Graduate Teaching Assistant who exhibits true excellence in undergraduate academic advising or mentoring.
Nomination: Nominations by students or faculty, endorsed by the School Director, for the Undergraduate Advising/Mentoring Award should be made in the spring.
The Dean selects the winner from the nominations submitted by the Directors.
Student Awards
Creative Achievement Award
The Creative Achievement Award honors students who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship, creativity, innovation and passion for the arts. Selections are made by a designated committee within each school.
The names are forwarded to the Dean’s office and presented at the annual Creative Achievement Awards Convocation in the fall.
CFA Outstanding Senior
The CFA Outstanding Senior award goes to a student who shows exceptional accomplishment in creative activity/scholarship, leadership, and citizenship (including outreach activities).
This award is given twice during the academic year, at both the December and May graduation convocations. For each convocation, the Dean’s office selects one senior from those submitted by schools as the college’s Outstanding Graduating Senior, with the above-mentioned criteria receiving equal weight in the selection.
CFA Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant
The CFA Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant award goes to a graduate student who has shown exceptional teaching ability as exemplified through a demonstration of at least two semesters of excellent teaching.
One student per School is nominated, and their names are sent forward to the Dean’s Office. The selection is made by the Dean’s office.
CFA Undergraduate Advising/Mentoring Award
This award is given to a faculty member (including adjuncts/academic professionals) or Graduate Teaching Assistant who exhibits true excellence in undergraduate academic advising or mentoring.
Nomination: Nominations by students or faculty, endorsed by the School Director, for the Undergraduate Advising/Mentoring Award should be made in the spring.
The Dean selects the winner from the nominations submitted by the Directors.
Staff Awards
Donna Altenhof Award
Each year, we will honor a staff member who has worked in the College of Fine Arts or one of its units for a minimum of eight years, and whose overall performance has been at an exemplary level of excellence for a sustained period of time.
Shirley J. Heafy Award
Each year, we will honor a staff member who has worked in Arizona Arts or one of its units for no more than three years, and whose overall performance has been at an exemplary level of excellence.
Excellence In Service Awards
Each year, Arizona Arts will honor staff members who are providing outstanding service through their work.
One award will be conferred in each of the following categories:
- Student Services
- Community Engagement
- Office & Administrative
- Technical and Facilities