Graduate Student Activist Award

 

This award honors a graduate student or group of graduate students in recognition of their engagement with activism and social justice. Examples may include, but are not limited to, demonstrated graduate student contributions to campus activism, activist teaching, community partnerships, and/or scholar-activist work. To be eligible, the nominee(s) must be a member of ASJD and graduate student(s) at the time of nomination.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for any award, nominees must be current members of the Activism and Social Justice Division (ASJD). Both self-nominations and nominations of others are encouraged. Awards recipients are ineligible for re-applying for the same award they have received for a three-year period after receiving the award. Re-nominations from previous years are strongly encouraged. ASJD officers are not eligible for awards while in service to the Division.

 

Submission Requirements

Submissions of no more than 25 pages should include:

 

• A letter of nomination (self or other) that outlines contributions to activism and social justice;
• An abbreviated CV(s); and
• 3-5 full or partial artifacts documenting engagement with activism and social justice including but not limited to: a scholarly paper, report, or presentation; memoranda of understanding with community partners; teaching materials that focus on activism and social justice; and/or letters from community partners or mentors.

 

Recognition

Winners will receive a plaque and be recognized at the ASJD business meeting.

 

Questions

For more information, please contact:

 

Amy Aldridge
ASJD Awards Committee Coordinator
amy.aldridge@mtsu.edu

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Activism and Social Justice Pedagogy Award

 

This award honors an ASJD member who has demonstrated significant pedagogical contributions and/or demonstrated excellence in teaching in the realm of activism and social justice.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for any award, nominees must be current members of the Activism and Social Justice Division (ASJD). Both self-nominations and nominations of others are encouraged. Awards recipients are ineligible for re-applying for the same award they have received for a three-year period after receiving the award. Re-nominations from previous years are strongly encouraged. ASJD officers are not eligible for awards while in service to the Division.

 

Submission Requirements

Submissions of no more than 25 pages should include:

 

• A letter of nomination (self or other) that outlines the nominee’s teaching philosophy and pedagogical contributions focused on activism and social justice;
• An abbreviated CV; and
• 3-5 full or partial artifacts documenting pedagogical contributions including but not limited to: innovative assignments, activities, or pedagogical approaches; letters of support from peer teaching evaluators or students/mentees; and/or scholarship about teaching and learning focused on activism and social justice.

 

Recognition
Winners will receive a plaque and be recognized at the ASJD business meeting.

 

Questions
For more information, please contact:

 

Amy Aldridge
ASJD Awards Committee Coordinator
amy.aldridge@mtsu.edu

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Activism and Social Justice Community Engagement Award

 

This award honors and ASJD member who has engaged in collective action or community engagement with an issue of social justice. The purpose of this award is to recognize activism and social justice work that transcends the academy, going above and beyond research and teaching to impact communities.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for any award, nominees must be current members of the Activism and Social Justice Division (ASJD). Both self-nominations and nominations of others are encouraged. Awards recipients are ineligible for re-applying for the same award they have received for a three-year period after receiving the award. Re-nominations from previous years are strongly encouraged. ASJD officers are not eligible for awards while in service to the Division.

 

Submission Requirements

Submissions of no more than 25 pages should include:

 

• A letter of nomination (self or other) that outlines the significance of the nominee’s activism and social justice work focused on community engagement;
• An abbreviated CV; and
• 3-5 full or partial artifacts documenting the nominee’s activism and social justice work, including but not limited to: partnering with community organizations to create policy changes; organizing or participating in collective action events; working with communities, organizations, groups, movements, or individuals in need; and/or any additional information that will help contextualize the nominee’s engagement, such as letters of support from community partners.

 

Recognition
Winners will receive a plaque and be recognized at the ASJD business meeting.

 

Questions?
For more information, please contact:

 

Amy Aldridge
ASJD Awards Committee Coordinator
amy.aldridge@mtsu.edu

The African American Communication and Culture Division (AACCD) of NCA seeks nominations from division and caucus members for the 2024 annual research awards. Awards will be granted to the author(s) of theory and/or research on specific issues concerning African Americans, Black ethnicity, or people of the African Diaspora representing a variety of communication contexts, processes, practices, theory development, or innovative research approaches. There will be one award for an outstanding refereed article; one for outstanding book chapter; and one award for outstanding dissertation. Please note: The outstanding book award and dissertation award will alternate each year following this year’s convention. This year we are accepting submissions for the Outstanding Book award from July 1, 2023 to May 31st, 2025. The board will accept book award nominations for the 2025 NCA conference.

All other award nominations will only be accepted for works that (1) are published between July 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025 and (2) have at least one author who is a NCA member. Award recipients will be announced during the division business meeting at the NCA convention in Denver, Colorado and award winners should agree to attend the conference to receive their award in person. For details of each award, please read the calls listed below.

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Call for 2025 Outstanding Scholarly Article Award Nominations

Deadline: May 15th, 2025

 

The African American Communication and Culture Division and Black Caucus seek nominations for its 2025 Outstanding Article Award to be given to the author(s) of a peer-reviewed journal article. Articles published between July 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025 are eligible for consideration. Self-nominations for the article award are strongly encouraged. All letters of nomination should clearly express how the article makes, or promises to make, a significant contribution to African American communication scholarship. All nominations must be postmarked no later than May 31st, 2025 in order to be considered for the award. Please note that nominations will not be considered without receipt of the accompanying publication.

Dr. Darrian Carroll
Chair, Awards Committee
Email: darrianr.carroll@gmail.com

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Call for 2025 Outstanding Book Chapter Award Nominations

Deadline: May 15th, 2025

 

The African American Communication and Culture Division and Black Caucus seek nominations for its 2025 Outstanding Book Chapter Award to be given to the author(s) of a chapter or essay appearing in an edited book. Book chapters published between July 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025 are eligible for consideration. Self-nominations for the article award are strongly encouraged. All letters of nomination should clearly explain how the book chapter makes, or promises to make, a significant contribution to African American communication scholarship. All nominations must be postmarked no later than May 31st, 2025 in order to be considered for the award. Please note that nominations will not be considered without receipt of the accompanying book chapter.

 

Dr. Darrian Carroll
​​​​​​​Chair, Awards Committee
Email: darrianr.carroll@gmail.com

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Call for 2025 Outstanding Book Award Nominations

Deadline: May 15th, 2025

 

The African American Communication and Culture Division and Black Caucus seek nominations for its 205 Outstanding Book Award. All are welcome to nominate deserving scholarship. Eligible books must have been published between July 1, 2023 and May 31, 2025. The nomination packet must include a cover letter written by the nominating individual along with the following: 1) a 500-word (maximum) abstract of the book; 2) an article-length report of the book (32 double-spaced pages maximum—includes title page, tables, figures, appendices, and references) OR a selection from the book the applicant thinks is most representative of the study (32 double-spaced pages maximum). All nominations must be postmarked no later than May 31st, 2025 in order to be considered for the award. Please note that nominations will not be considered without receipt of the accompanying documents.

 

Dr. Darrian Carroll
Chair, Awards Committee
Email: darrianr.carroll@gmail.com

Rex Crawley Outstanding Service Award

 

The African American Communication and Culture Division (AACCD) and the Black Caucus (BC) seek nominations for the 2025 Rex Crawley Outstanding Service Award. The award recognizes the contributions made by an active member of the National Communication Association (NCA) who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to service. We define service as social advocacy, community service, and mentorship. This award is ideal for a junior or mid-career faculty member going up for tenure and/or promotion. Please nominate a mentor, colleague, or friend.

 

Submission Information

All nominees will need to submit 2-3 letters of support in addition to a current curriculum vitae. Letters of nomination should speak directly to how the nominee’s service enhances the work and life of Black-identified academics and/or those in the national and/or international community.

 

A committee of past chairs from the AACCD and BC will review all nomination materials and select an award recipient. The award recipient for the Rex Crawley Outstanding Service Award will be honored at the 2025 NCA Convention.

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Lifetime Service Award

 

The African American Communication and Culture Division (AACCD) and the Black Caucus (BC) seek nominations for our 2025 Lifetime Service Award. The award recognizes the contributions made by an active member of the National Communication Association (NCA) who has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to service. We define service as social advocacy, community service, and mentorship. Please nominate a mentor, colleague, or friend.

 

The nomination process is as follows: Fill out the form online. After reviewing the nomination, we will contact the nominee. All nominees must submit 2-4 letters of support in addition to a current curriculum vitae. Letters of nomination should address how the nominee’s lifetime of service enables those in academia, a particular community, or in society.

 

A committee of past chairs from the AACCD and the BC will review all nomination materials and select an award recipient. The award recipient of the Lifetime Service Award will be honored at the 2025 NCA Convention.

 

Mindy Weathers, mweathers@wcu.edu

 

The Applied Communication Division of NCA seeks nominations for its annual research awards.

 

These awards acknowledge significant contributions in applied communication theory,
research, and/or practice. Up to four (4) awards will be given.

 

1. The Bill Eadie Distinguished Award for a Scholarly Article is given to the author(s) of an outstanding article published in a communication journal.
2. The Sue DeWine Distinguished Award for a Scholarly Book is given to author(s)/editor(s) of an outstanding scholarly book. Textbooks are not eligible.
3. When warranted, the committee may choose to recognize edited books for a third award.
4. Special journal issues on applied communication may be nominated for a fourth award.

 

Articles, books, and special issues published with a 2024 or 2025 copyright date are eligible.

 

To apply, submit a letter of nomination, including a brief rationale and an explanation of the work’s significance. Please include a PDF of all articles nominated. Any published reviews of scholarly books should also be included.

 

Self-nominations are encouraged.

 

The selected winners of these awards will receive an award certificate and will be recognized at the Applied Communication Division business meeting during the 2025 NCA Convention.

 

Nominations and materials must be RECEIVED by THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.

 

Only electronic submissions of nomination letters, articles, and book submissions will be accepted. Please email Applied Communication Interest Group Vice-Chair Elect, Dr. Mindy Weathers at mweathers@wcu.edu with any questions.

The Argumentation and Forensics Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) invites nominations for several awards presented by the division at its annual business meeting at the NCA National Convention.

 

Book of the Year Award

 

This shall be awarded to a published, academic book that substantially advances the discipline’s conceptualization of argumentation and/or forensics in the year prior. Its content must explicitly focus on argumentation and/or forensics studies.

 

Submission Information

Nominations or self-nominations are welcome and must be from a member of the NCA Argumentation and Forensics Division to be eligible for award consideration.
Nomination materials should include:

 

• A letter of nomination that provides a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated book/article/thesis/dissertation /educator to excellence in argumentation research and/or pedagogy.
• A PDF version of the peer-reviewed published article/book. If a dissertation/thesis an electronic copy that indicates completion/acceptance by the school/university.
• Author(s) names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses.

 

Please compile your nomination materials into a single PDF file.

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Article of the Year Award

 

This shall be awarded to the refereed and published research article that most substantially shaped the discipline’s conceptualization of argumentation the year prior. The article may appear in any peer-reviewed, academic journal, but its content must explicitly focus on argumentation and/or forensics studies.

 

Submission Information

Nominations or self-nominations are welcome and must be from a member of the NCA Argumentation and Forensics Division to be eligible for award consideration.
Nomination materials should include:

 

• A letter of nomination that provides a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated book/article/thesis/dissertation /educator to excellence in argumentation research and/or pedagogy.
• A PDF version of the peer-reviewed published article/book. If a dissertation/thesis an electronic copy that indicates completion/acceptance by the school/university.
• Author(s) names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses.

 

Please compile your nomination materials into a single PDF file.

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Top Thesis/Dissertation Award

 

This shall be awarded to the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation submission that most significantly advances, furthers, and/or challenges the discipline’s understanding of argumentation and/or forensics. The thesis or dissertation must have been completed and accepted in the previous year.

 

Submission Information

Nominations or self-nominations are welcome and must be from a member of the NCA Argumentation and Forensics Division to be eligible for award consideration.
Nomination materials should include:

 

• A letter of nomination that provides a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated book/article/thesis/dissertation /educator to excellence in argumentation research and/or pedagogy.
• A PDF version of the peer-reviewed published article/book. If a dissertation/thesis an electronic copy that indicates completion/acceptance by the school/university.
• Author(s) names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses.

 

Please compile your nomination materials into a single PDF file.

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Educator of the Year Award

 

This shall be awarded to an individual who as exhibited a strong and consistent commitment to excellence in argumentation and/or forensics education through any combination of teaching, coaching, mentoring, supervising, and innovating in and beyond the classroom.

 

Submission Information

Nominations or self-nominations are welcome and must be from a member of the NCA Argumentation and Forensics Division to be eligible for award consideration.
Nomination materials should include:

 

• A letter of nomination that provides a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated book/article/thesis/dissertation /educator to excellence in argumentation research and/or pedagogy.
• A PDF version of the peer-reviewed published article/book. If a dissertation/thesis an electronic copy that indicates completion/acceptance by the school/university.
• Author(s) names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses.

 

Please compile your nomination materials into a single PDF file.

 

Questions

Questions about the awards or submission processes should be directed to:

 

Kristen StoutHart, M.A.
Chair of the NCA Argumentation and Forensics Division
Missouri State University
Kristenstout@missouristate.edu

Outstanding Article Award

 

The Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and the Asian/Pacific American Caucus (APAC/SD) is pleased to announce the Outstanding Article Award for 2025. This award recognizes exceptional scholarly articles that advance the understanding of Asian/Pacific American Communication through theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions.

 

Nominations may include interdisciplinary work published in peer-reviewed journals or edited books. To be eligible for this year’s award, articles should have an official publication date in 2024. Self-nominations are strongly encouraged, but all nominations are welcome. Nominees should also be a member of the division or caucus at the time of the nomination submission. The nomination package should consist of the following materials in one PDF file:

 

1. A one-page letter of nomination outlining the significance of the article for APAC/SD and confirming the nominee’s current division and/or caucus membership.
2. An electronic copy of the article.

 

All nominations should reflect significant scholarly or pedagogical contributions to the APAC/SD, and/or of Asian and Asian/Pacific communities conceptualized as broadly as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the Middle East/West Asia, the Pacific Islands, Oceania, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Indigenous communities across these spaces.

 

Selected awardee(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque and will be recognized at the 2025 NCA Convention APAC/SD business meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Dr. Colby Miyose
Vice Chair Elect, Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division/Caucus
colby.miyose@hawaii.edu

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Outstanding Book Award

 

The Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and the Asian/Pacific American Caucus (APAC/SD) is pleased to announce the Outstanding Book Award for 2025. This award recognizes exceptional scholarly books that advance the understanding of Asian/Pacific American Communication through theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions.

 

Nominations may be single-authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited. To be eligible for this year's award, books should have an official publication date of 2024. Self-nominations are strongly encouraged, but all nominations are welcome. Nominees should also be a member of the division or caucus at the time of the nomination submission. The nomination package should consist of the following materials in one PDF file:

 

1. A one-page letter of nomination outlining the significance of the book for APAC/SD and confirming the nominee's current division and/or caucus membership.
2. A table of contents of the book.
3. An electronic copy of the representative chapter(s) of the book. Up to two chapters of the book that best represent the topic, scholarly approach, and the writing style of the book can be submitted.

 

All nominations should reflect significant scholarly or pedagogical contributions to the APAC/SD, and/or of Asian and Asian/Pacific communities conceptualized as broadly as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the Middle East/West Asia, the Pacific Islands, Oceania, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Indigenous communities across these spaces.

 

Selected awardee(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque and will be recognized at the 2025 NCA Convention APAC/SD business meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Dr. Colby Miyose
Vice Chair Elect, Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division/Caucus
colby.miyose@hawaii.edu

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Outstanding Dissertation Award

 

The Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and the Asian/Pacific American Caucus (APAC/SD) is pleased to announce the Outstanding Dissertation Award for 2025. This award recognizes exceptional dissertations that advance the understanding of Asian/Pacific American Communication through theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions.

 

To be eligible for this year’s award, dissertations should have been completed in 2024. Self-nominations are strongly encouraged, but all nominations are welcome. Nominees should also be a member of the division or caucus at the time of the nomination submission. The nomination package should consist of the following materials in one PDF file:

 

1. A one-page letter of nomination outlining the significance of the dissertation for APAC/SD and confirming the nominee’s current division and/or caucus membership.
2. An electronic copy of the dissertation.

 

All nominations should reflect significant scholarly or pedagogical contributions to the APAC/SD, and/or of Asian and Asian/Pacific communities conceptualized as broadly as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the Middle East/West Asia, the Pacific Islands, Oceania, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Indigenous communities across these spaces.

 

Selected awardee(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque and will be recognized at the 2025 NCA Convention APAC/SD business meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Dr. Colby Miyose
Vice Chair Elect, Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division/Caucus
colby.miyose@hawaii.edu

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Outstanding Creative Project/Performance Award

 

The Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and the Asian/Pacific American Caucus (APAC/SD) is pleased to announce the Outstanding Creative Project/Performance Award for 2025. This award recognizes exceptional creative works that advance the understanding of Asian/Pacific American Communication through theoretical, methodological, pedagogical, and practical contributions.

 

Nominations may include live, installation-based, or technologically mediated creative and/or performance work. To be eligible for this year’s award, works should have an exhibition date between 2022 and 2024 and should not have received the NCA APAC/SD Outstanding Creative Project/Performance Award in previous years. Self-nominations are strongly encouraged, but all nominations are welcome. Nominees should also be a member of the division or caucus at the time of the nomination submission. The nomination package should consist of the following materials:

 

1. A one-page letter of nomination outlining the significance of the piece for APAC/SD and confirming the nominee’s current division and/or caucus membership.
2. A description of the creative work presented in the documentation (around 500 words).
3. Documentations of the creative project/performance. These can be in the forms of videos* (not exceeding 10 minutes running time), photos (not exceeding 10 photos), and/or a weblink (if applicable). Please consider sharing/emailing links to Dr. Colby Miyose (colby.miyose@hawaii.edu) if video files are too large to upload.

 

All nominations should reflect significant scholarly or pedagogical contributions to the APAC/SD, and/or of Asian and Asian/Pacific communities conceptualized as broadly as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the Middle East/West Asia, the Pacific Islands, Oceania, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Indigenous communities across these spaces.

 

Selected awardee(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque and will be recognized at the 2025 NCA Convention APAC/SD business meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Dr. Colby Miyose
Vice Chair Elect, Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division/Caucus
colby.miyose@hawaii.edu

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Faculty Mentorship Award

 

The Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and the Asian/Pacific American Caucus (APAC/SD) is pleased to announce the Faculty Mentorship Award. This award recognizes the outstanding mentorship of students (undergraduate and/or graduate), postdoctoral fellows, and colleagues by a member of APAC/SD. Self-nominations are encouraged, but all nominations are welcome. Nominees should also be a member of the division or caucus at the time of the nomination submission. The nomination package should consist of the following materials in one PDF file:

 

1. A nomination letter summarizing the nominee's qualifications as an exemplary mentor and confirming nominee’s current division and/or caucus membership.
2. Two supporting letters on the effectiveness of the nominee as a mentor.
3. A current copy of the nominee's CV.

 

All nominations should reflect significant scholarly or pedagogical contributions to the APAC/SD, and/or of Asian and Asian/Pacific communities conceptualized as broadly as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the Middle East/West Asia, the Pacific Islands, Oceania, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Indigenous communities across these spaces.

 

Selected awardee(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque and will be recognized at the 2025 NCA Convention APAC/SD business meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Dr. Colby Miyose
Vice Chair Elect, Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division/Caucus
colby.miyose@hawaii.edu

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Distinguished Scholar Award

 

The Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division and the Asian/Pacific American Caucus (APAC/SD) is pleased to invite nominations for the Distinguished Scholar Award established in 2021. The Distinguished Scholar Award is awarded every three years, and honors a leading scholar in APAC/SD, who has made exceptional contributions to APA scholarship and who has advanced the interests and people of the division and/or caucus. Nominees should be a member of the division or caucus at the time of the nomination submission. The nomination package should consist of the following materials in one PDF file:

 

1. A nomination letter summarizing the nominee's qualifications as an exemplary scholar and confirming nominee’s current division and/or caucus membership.
2. Three supporting letters on the nominee’s impact as a scholar in relation to APAC/SD.
3. A current copy of the nominee's CV.

 

All nominations should reflect significant scholarly or pedagogical contributions to the APAC/SD, and/or of Asian and Asian/Pacific communities conceptualized as broadly as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, the Middle East/West Asia, the Pacific Islands, Oceania, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Indigenous communities across these spaces.

 

Selected awardee(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque and will be recognized at the 2025 NCA Convention APAC/SD business meeting.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

Dr. Colby Miyose
Vice Chair Elect, Asian/Pacific American Communication Studies Division/Caucus
colby.miyose@hawaii.edu

Don Yoder Distinguished Faculty Award

 

Description and History

Established in 2013, this prestigious award is bestowed upon a current or former instructor or director of a basic course who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the basic course in any of its myriad formats. It honors those who have made significant contributions to the strengthening of a basic course program through diligent research, innovative training, or rigorous assessment, and showcases evidence of sustained teaching excellence that transcends the national landscape. This recognition is not conferred annually but is awarded as merited by the presence of a worthy nominee.

 

Eligibility Criteria

• The faculty member must possess at least fifteen years of experience engaging with the basic course.
• At least five of those years should involve administering the basic course. In circumstances where a formal Basic Course Director/Coordinator is absent, individuals demonstrating a clear leadership role within their institution's basic course may be considered.
• The requisite 15/5-year experience must exclude any years spent in graduate teaching or research assistantships associated with the basic communication course.

 

Submission Requirements

• Both nominations and self-nominations are encouraged and must originate from members of the BCD.
• All nomination materials, including a letter of nomination (not to exceed two pages), two supporting letters from colleagues, and additional supplemental materials that underscore the nominee's qualifications, must be consolidated into a single PDF file.
• The recipient of this award must be a current or former member of the BCD, active during their career if now retired.

 

Award Details

The award is presented at the NCA convention and includes a plaque. It will be announced during the annual Business Meeting for the Basic Course Division.

 

Review Committee

The award review committee will consist of the officers of the Division and will be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair.

 

Contact Information

Nicholas T. Tatum, Immediate Past Chair, Awards Committee Chair, NCA Basic Course Division, nick.t.tatum@gmail.com

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Program of Excellence Award

 

Description and History

Inaugurated in 2007, the Program of Excellence Award seeks to acknowledge the unparalleled excellence of basic communication course programs that serve as paragons for others across the United States. This distinction is not necessarily awarded annually but is reserved for those instances where a program distinctly stands out.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible programs may focus on any introductory communication course format, such as public speaking, hybrid, or interpersonal courses, including others that approach the basic course uniquely.

 

Submission Requirements

• Nomination packets must adhere to specific formatting guidelines: one-inch margins, 12-point type, single-spaced, and left-justified text. Should exceptions to these guidelines be necessary, authorization must be sought from the chair of the review committee.
• Application Guidelines:
  • Description of the Nominated Program of Excellence (2-page maximum): Provide an overall description of your program and indicate if it is predominately GTA supported or not.
  • Rationale (3-page maximum): Detail why your program is distinctive, why it should be recognized as a Program of Excellence, and how it supports the NCA’s mission.
  • Departments, Programs, and Personnel (2-page maximum): Describe the personnel, campus areas of collaboration, and the roles they play. List all personnel involved.
  • Goals of the Nominated Program (4-page maximum): Describe the mission of the program and how it meets specific goals and objectives for your academic unit and university.
  • Outcomes of the Nominated Program (6-page maximum): Explain how your course or program is assessed annually and provide specific examples of programmatic development based on assessment results.
  • Endorsements (10-page maximum): The department chair and, if desired, other academic officers for participating programs must indicate their support of the proposed program. These can be in the form of letters, not exceeding 2 pages per letter.
• All nomination materials should be compiled into a singular PDF document.

 

Award Details

Annually awarded to one exceptional program in each category at the NCA convention; includes a plaque. The award will be announced during the annual Business Meeting for the Basic Course Division.

 

Review Committee

The award review committee will consist of the officers of the Division and will be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair.

 

Contact Information

Nicholas T. Tatum, Immediate Past Chair, Awards Committee Chair, NCA Basic Course Division, nick.t.tatum@gmail.com

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Bill Seiler Distinguished Textbook Award

 

Description and History

Initially established as the Textbook of Distinction Award in 2013 and subsequently renamed in 2024 to honor Bill Seiler's significant contributions to the field of basic course instruction, this award recognizes distinguished textbooks used in basic course instruction, including public speaking, interpersonal, hybrid, or custom content areas. This tribute celebrates Seiler's long-standing impact on the curriculum and pedagogy of the basic course.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Textbooks eligible for this award must have been actively used in teaching for at least two academic years and, if not custom, must be utilized by at least three different institutions.

 

Submission Requirements:

• Members of the BCD are invited to nominate or self-nominate.
• Nomination packets should contain a letter of nomination, detailed evidence of the textbook’s unique approach and impact, and a copy of the textbook. All documents must be consolidated into a single PDF file.

 

Award Details

The award, including a plaque, is presented at the NCA convention and will be announced during the annual Business Meeting for the Basic Course Division.

 

Review Committee

The award review committee will consist of the officers of the Division and will be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair.

 

Contact Information

Nicholas T. Tatum, Immediate Past Chair, Awards Committee Chair, NCA Basic Course Division, nick.t.tatum@gmail.com

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Distinguished Article Award

 

Description and History

Established in 2013, this award recognizes an outstanding scholarly article that has made a significant contribution to the administrative, delivery, or curricular aspects of the basic course. This award highlights scholarly work that enhances the theoretical, practical, or research foundations of the basic course.

 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, the article must have been published in a peer-reviewed scholarly outlet at least three years prior to consideration and should primarily focus on the basic communication course.

 

Submission Requirements

• Nominations or self-nominations must come from BCD members.
• Nomination packets, including a letter of nomination (not to exceed two pages), a PDF of the peer-reviewed article, and details of the author(s)' institutional affiliations, should be compiled into a single PDF file.

 

Award Details

The award is presented at the NCA convention and includes a plaque. It will be announced during the annual Business Meeting for the Basic Course Division.

 

Review Committee

The award review committee will consist of the officers of the Division and will be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair.

 

Contact Information

Nicholas T. Tatum, Immediate Past Chair, Awards Committee Chair, NCA Basic Course Division, nick.t.tatum@gmail.com

The Communication and Aging Division (CAD) of the National Communication Association invites nominations for several divisional awards:

 

• Communication and Aging Dissertation Award
• Communication and Aging Thesis Award
• Communication and Aging Outstanding Book Award
• Communication and Aging Journal Article Award
• Giles-Nussbaum Distinguished Scholar Award

 

Details for each award are provided below.

 

 

Communication and Aging Dissertation Award

 

Nominations are now being accepted for the National Communication Association’s Communication and Aging Division Dissertation Award. To be eligible, nominees must have completed and successfully defended a doctoral dissertation with a core concentration on communication and aging during 2023, 2024, or 2025.

 

The award is for a dissertation addressing issues relating to communication and the aging process across the lifespan. These will include (but not be restricted to) issues of communication and successful aging, intergenerational communication, lifespan developmental changes in communication, changes in family structure and process with increasing age, media portrayals of aging, older adults in organizational contexts and the like. Research designs may employ quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches. Any work that relates communication to the process of lifespan development is welcomed.

 

Nomination for the award may come only from the dissertation advisor or a committee member. All dissertations nominated will be automatically considered for a three-year window after their completion. To be nominated, the candidate must prepare a summary of the dissertation in APA style that does not exceed 30 pages of text (tables and references are additional). Submissions that exceed this page limit or that are not formatted in APA style will not be considered for the award. The electronically submitted nomination packet should include the dissertation summary and a nomination letter from the advisor or a committee member.

 

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Kelly Tenzek at kellyten@buffalo.edu

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Communication and Aging Thesis Award

 

Nominations are now being accepted for the National Communication Association’s Communication and Aging Division Master’s Thesis Award. To be eligible, nominees must have completed and successfully defended a master’s thesis with a core concentration in communication and aging during 2023, 2024, or 2025.

 

The award is for a thesis addressing issues relating to communication and the aging process across the lifespan. These will include (but not be restricted to) issues of communication and successful aging, intergenerational communication, lifespan developmental changes in communication, changes in family structure and process with increasing age, media portrayals of aging, older adults in organizational contexts and the like. Research designs may employ quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches. Any work that relates communication to the process of lifespan development is welcomed.

 

Nomination for the award may come only from the thesis advisor or a thesis committee member. All theses nominated will be automatically considered for a two-year window after their completion. During this two-year window, a nominated thesis may NOT be submitted simultaneously to another Division (e.g., if submitted to CAD in 2022, a thesis would not be able to be submitted to another Division until after the 2025 results are announced).

 

To be nominated, the candidate must prepare a summary of the thesis in APA style that does not exceed 25 pages of double-spaced text (abstract, tables, and references are not included in the preceding length requirement). Submissions that exceed this page limit, or that are not documented in APA style, will not be considered for the award. The electronically submitted nomination packet should include a file of the summary and a nomination letter from the thesis advisor or thesis committee member.

 

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Kelly Tenzek at kellyten@buffalo.edu

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Communication and Aging Outstanding Book Award and Outstanding Journal Article Award

 

These awards acknowledge research that has made a significant contribution to scholarship relevant to communication and aging. This may include research focusing on communication contexts (e.g., intergenerational relationships within and outside of the family, physician-elderly patient communication, communication within organizations such as nursing homes, representation of older persons in the media), impression formation processes (e.g., age stereotypes and communication), sociolinguistic studies of discourse and aging (e.g., patronizing talk, identity across the lifespan), communication and public policy on aging, pedagogy on communication and aging, and much more.

 

Nomination packets should include:

 

• A nomination letter of no more than three typed pages providing a rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to communication and aging scholarship;
• A PDF of the nominated work (for books, request three copies from author and/or publisher);
• Any published reviews of the work;
• Nomination letters, copies of journal articles, and other supporting material SHOULD be electronically submitted.

 

The authors or editors of nominated books and articles are not required to be members of the Communication and Aging Division.

 

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Kelly Tenzek at kellyten@buffalo.edu

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Outstanding Book Award

 

The Outstanding Book Award seeks to recognize scholarly texts that have contributed significantly to the field of communication and aging. Suitable texts are those that have made a significant initial and lasting impact on communication and aging scholarship. To be eligible for the award, a book must be either an authored or edited scholarly volume focusing on communication and aging. Undergraduate textbooks are not eligible to compete for the award.

 

Nomination packets should include:

 

• A nomination letter of no more than three typed pages providing a rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to communication and aging scholarship;
• A PDF of the nominated work (for books, request three copies from author and/or publisher);
• Any published reviews of the work;
• Nomination letters, copies of journal articles, and other supporting material SHOULD be electronically submitted.

 

The authors or editors of nominated books and articles are not required to be members of the Communication and Aging Division.

 

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Kelly Tenzek at kellyten@buffalo.edu

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Outstanding Journal Article Award

 

The Outstanding Journal Article Award seeks to recognize an outstanding article that has made a significant contribution to the field of communication and aging. Book chapters, book reviews, non-peer reviewed scholarly articles, and articles published in non-academic outlets are not eligible to compete for the award.

 

Nomination packets should include:

 

• A nomination letter of no more than three typed pages providing a rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to communication and aging scholarship;
• A PDF of the nominated work (for books, request three copies from author and/or publisher);
• Any published reviews of the work;
• Nomination letters, copies of journal articles, and other supporting material SHOULD be electronically submitted.

 

The authors or editors of nominated books and articles are not required to be members of the Communication and Aging Division.

 

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Kelly Tenzek at kellyten@buffalo.edu

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Giles-Nussbaum Distinguished Scholar Award

 

The Communication and Aging Division seeks nominations for the Giles-Nussbaum Distinguished Scholar Award, which recognizes “outstanding contributions as a teacher, researcher, leader, and mentor” to the study of communication and aging. Other- and self-nominations are welcome. Nominees must be members of NCA. Nominee information, a description of the scholar’s contributions, and the nominee’s current CV (PDF preferred) with aging-related work highlighted must be submitted via the NCA's online submission portal.

 

Eligibility Criteria

This award recognizes excellence in the field of communication and aging. Although nominees do not necessarily have to demonstrate success in all areas, to be eligible, a scholar will have contributed to the field in at least two (2) of the following four areas: teaching, research, leadership, and mentorship. This award can be given at any point in a scholar’s career (i.e., there are no restrictions relative to rank or professional status).

 

To be eligible, a scholar’s work must demonstrate a lifespan perspective, and this perspective should be apparent in a substantial portion of their work (e.g., across multiple studies and an integral component of a program of research; in the way in which an individual approaches material in a classroom as a teacher). While involvement in CAD may help to demonstrate a nominee’s commitment to advancing the field of communication and aging, lack of involvement in CAD should not disqualify a person from being a recipient in general. The award may be given only once to an individual.

 

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Kelly Tenzek at kellyten@buffalo.edu

 

Distinguished Publication Award

 

Dear Communication and Law members,

 

The Communication and Law Division of the National Communication Association is now accepting nominations for the Distinguished Publication Award for this year’s national convention. We are looking for publications that advance research in communication and law and adhere to the theme for this year’s national convention: Communicate to Elevate.

 

The Criteria for Award Selection are:

 

1. Original research contribution to the field of Communication and Law.
2. Sophisticated analyses of a legal issue or idea relevant to Communication.
3. Valuable contribution to the broader discipline of Communication.
4. Clarity and conciseness of writing with appropriate source citation.
5. Clear and logical organization with rigorous analysis and synthesis, problematic and thematic.

 

Eligibility

 

1. Published as a peer-reviewed journal article, scholarly book, or scholarly book chapter from January 1, 2024 – Present.
2. At least one author must be a member of the Communication and Law division.

 

Submission Requirements:

 

1. Submit PDF of the manuscript to the NCA submission portal by the deadline. You may nominate someone, though self-nominations are welcome as well.
2. We welcome all subject areas that fall under communication and law, all methodologies, and all theoretical grounding.
3. Letter of nomination (max 500) describing the significance of the manuscript.

 

Recognition:
The award winner(s) will receive a plaque, and a $150 cash prize. Our division will present the award at the Communication and Law Division’s Business Meeting at the 2025 National Communication Association Conference.

 

Questions:
Please contact Edwin S. Lee at eslee3@crimson.ua.edu for more information.

Outstanding Article or Chapter Award

 

The Outstanding Article or Chapter Award recognizes scholarship that has significantly advanced communication perspectives on or about the military. To be eligible for the award, the nominated work must focus on communication and military/veteran-related issues, have been published in a peer-review journal or as part of a collection of scholarly essays no more than five years prior to the date of the award, and at least one author must be a member of the division. The selection committee will evaluate nominations for the award based on overall quality using criteria such as theoretical contribution, methodological rigor, and contribution to practice/engagement/social justice.

 

Submission Materials

 

Please submit a single pdf nomination packet that includes: 1) A nomination letter of support providing a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated manuscript meeting the above criterion; and 2) an electronic copy of the article or chapter under consideration. We encourage self-nominations.

 

Award Details

 

The winner will receive a plaque at our Division Meeting.

 

Distinguished Article Award

Awarded Every Year 

 

The Distinguished Article Award recognizes an outstanding journal article published within the last five years that advances the study of social cognition and communication through exceptional theoretical innovation, methodological rigor, or both. By honoring work with significant scholarly impact, the award underscores the CSC Division’s commitment to advancing both the conceptual and empirical foundations of communication research.

 

Nominations can have any research objective (e.g., empirical reports, methodological advancements, meta-analyses, theoretical syntheses) but must elucidate social cognitive processes in a communicative modality (face-to-face, mediated, etc.) or context (interpersonal, intergroup, health, etc.). Potential topics include but are not limited to message production and processing, decision making, risk perception and communication, affective processes, attitude formation and change, listening, impression formation and person perception, activation and effects of knowledge structures, individual differences, and persuasion and social influence.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible, the recipient must be a current member of the NCA Communication and Social Cognition Division. Current Division Executive Committee and IDEA Committee members are not eligible for this award while in service to the Division. Nominations should feature an article published within the last five years, with the stipulation that articles must be in an actual issue of a journal (i.e., not “in press” or in early online publication). If the article is published in an online-only journal, this stipulation would not apply.

 

Materials required for nomination include:

 

• A nomination letter
• A copy of the article in PDF format

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Distinguished Book Award

Awarded Every Other Year Starting 2026

 

The Distinguished Book Award recognizes an outstanding book published within the last five years that advances the study of social cognition and communication through exceptional theoretical innovation, methodological rigor, or both. By honoring work with significant scholarly impact, the award underscores the CSC Division’s commitment to advancing both the conceptual and empirical foundations of communication research.

 

Nominations can have any research objective (e.g., empirical reports, methodological advancements, meta-analyses, theoretical syntheses) but must elucidate social cognitive processes in a communicative modality (face-to-face, mediated, etc.) or context (interpersonal, intergroup, health, etc.). Potential topics include but are not limited to message production and processing, decision making, risk perception and communication, affective processes, attitude formation and change, listening, impression formation and person perception, activation and effects of knowledge structures, individual differences, and persuasion and social influence.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible, the recipient must be a current member of the NCA Communication and Social Cognition Division. Current Division Executive Committee and IDEA Committee members are not eligible for this award while in service to the Division. Nominations should feature a book published within the last five years.

 

Materials required for nomination include:

 

• A nomination letter
• A copy of the book in PDF format

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Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award

 

Awarded Every Year

 

The Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award recognizes a division member who has clearly demonstrated excellence in promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA), in the area of communication and social cognition through their research, teaching, and service. These contributions should focus on activism and social justice work at any level and may include (but are not limited to) the following:

 

• Research (e.g., publications, conference papers).
• Teaching and mentorship (e.g., teaching IDEA related courses, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students with diverse background)
• Service (e.g., promoting equity and inclusion within the Communication and Social Cognition Division; IDEA related service in the department, university, and/or the communication discipline).
• Outreach and community service (e.g., schools, colleges, health clinics, hospitals, nonprofits, community groups, communities, health practices, and/or public policies).

 

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible, the recipient must be a current member of the NCA Communication and Social Cognition Division. Current Division Executive Committee and IDEA Committee members are not eligible for this award while in service to the Division.

 

Nomination Criteria:

The IDEA Committee will assess the nominees' contributions in promoting equity and inclusion in terms of their ability to demonstrate:

 

• The promotion of diversity and equitable inclusion in communication and social cognition (whether that be teaching, research, service, or outreach).
• Practices addressing marginalization by giving attention to inequities in power and participation based on one or more points of human difference.
• Impact may include, for example:
  • Service to the discipline may include mentorship and leadership activities that enhance inclusivity and reduce barriers to equitable participation.
  • Research contributions may/should build understanding of previously underrepresented groups, revise existing theories and practices based on diverse voices, develop theories and practices that promote equity in communication and social cognition.
  • Teaching contributions should/may develop new or innovative methods for teaching issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, in communication and social cognition, demonstrate excellence in addressing marginalization in health communication courses; this may include pedagogical publications that share such insights.
  • Outreach contributions should/may promote equitable practices of communication and social cognition, whether that be related to schools, community groups, communities, significant health practices, and/or public policies.

 

Nomination Procedures:

Nomination packets should include:

 

1. A nomination letter (2 pages max) written by the nominee or a nominator that explains the significance of the nominee’s contributions to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access
2. The nominee's current CV
3. You may include additional supporting documents or letters of support (from any source) that illustrate the significance of the nominee’s contributions.

 

Note that self-nominations are encouraged.

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Rising Star Award

 

Awarded Every Other Year Starting 2025

 

Purpose:

This award recognizes an early-career scholar (PhD earned within the last 7 years) whose research in communication and social cognition demonstrates exceptional promise and impact on the field. The recipient’s work should reflect theoretical rigor, methodological creativity, and/or scholarly leadership that advances understanding of social cognitive processes in communicative contexts.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

 

• PhD awarded no more than 7 years prior to the date of the conference.
• Current member of the NCA Communication and Social Cognition Division.
  • Note that current Executive Committee members of the division are ineligible.

 

Nomination Criteria:

The selection committee will prioritize nominees who:

 

• Demonstrate originality in addressing questions related to message production, processing, or social cognitive mechanisms (e.g., attitude formation, persuasion, decision-making).
• Showcase scholarly influence through publications, conference presentations, or interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Exhibit potential for sustained contributions to the field (e.g., emerging leadership roles, grant funding, public engagement).

 

Nomination Procedures:

Nomination packets must include:

 

1. A nomination letter (2 pages max) highlighting the nominee’s impact, innovation, and trajectory.
2. The nominee’s current CV.
3. Optional: Up to 2 supporting letters or evidence of impact (e.g., citation metrics, media coverage, mentee testimonials).

 

Note that self-nominations are encouraged.

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Excellence in Mentorship and Advising Award

 

Awarded Every Other Year Starting 2026

 

Purpose:
This award honors a scholar who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to mentoring graduate students and early-career researchers in communication and social cognition. The recipient will have fostered inclusive, equitable, and transformative mentorship practices that empower mentees’ scholarly, professional, and personal growth.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

 

• Current member of the NCA Communication and Social Cognition Division.
  • Current Executive Committee members of the division are ineligible.

 

Nomination Criteria:
The selection committee will prioritize nominees who:

 

• Provide sustained, impactful mentorship (e.g., guiding research projects, career development, or navigating systemic barriers).
• Demonstrate measurable outcomes of mentorship (e.g., mentee publications, awards, job placements, or leadership roles).

 

Nomination Procedures:
Nomination packets must include:

 

1. A nomination letter (2 pages max) detailing the nominee’s mentorship philosophy, practices, and impact.
2. The nominee’s current CV.
3. At least 2 letters of support from mentees or colleagues (additional letters optional).
4. Optional: Supporting materials (e.g., syllabi with mentorship components, program evaluations, mentee success stories).

 

Note that self-nominations are encouraged.

The National Communication Association’s Communication & Sport Division invites applications for its two annual awards, the Lawrence Wenner Emerging Scholar Award and the Outstanding Book Award. The application deadline for each award is May 15th, 2025. Winners will be notified by September. Below are the guidelines to apply for both awards. Prior applicants are encouraged to apply. However, the Lawrence Wenner Emerging Scholar Award can only be received one time.

 

Please direct questions for either award to Brian Richardson at richardson@unt.edu.

 

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The Lawrence Wenner Emerging Scholar Award

 

This award is given annually to a scholar who is no more than five years past receiving their terminal degree. The recipient of this award should have exhibited superior scholarly activity in the field of communication and sport. The award is open to all epistemological viewpoints and all communicative sub-disciplines relating to sport scholarship. The recipient should be a regular member and attendee of the conference of the National Communication Association. Self-nominations are welcome. Nomination materials should be submitted no later than May 15th, 2025 to through the NCA award portal: https://www.natcom.org/nca-interest-group-awards-call-for-2025-nominations/

 

Materials should include:

 

• Nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV)
• A sample of scholarly writing
• At least one and no more than three letter(s) of support
• Up to three other pieces of evidence of scholarly excellence

 

Winners will be notified of the Awards Committee’s selection by September. The award will be presented at the division’s business meeting at the NCA conference in November.

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Outstanding Book Award

This award is given annually to the scholar(s) who authors or co-author a superior scholarly book in the field of communication and sport. Books eligible for the award should have a publication date from either of the two calendar years directly preceding the nomination year: thus, in this case, 2023 or 2024. Edited volumes are not eligible. The recipient should be a regular member and attendee of the conference of the National Communication Association. Self-nominations are welcome. Nomination materials should be submitted no later than May 15th, 2025 to through the NCA award portal: https://www.natcom.org/nca-interest-group-awards-call-for-2025-nominations/

 

Materials should include:

 

• Nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV)
• An electronic version of the book or 4 hard copies of the book mailed to the Chair (address will be provided upon submission)
• At least one and no more than three letters of support

 

Candidates will be notified of the Awards Committee’s selection by September. The award will be presented at the division’s business meeting at the NCA conference in November.

 

Champion Award

 

The Award. The award is meant to honor individuals/organizations/groups/institutions that have advocated and championed the mission of the division, “to promote and further awareness, teaching, research, and scholarship of Communication Anxiety and Apprehension throughout the human experience across communication situations to promote understanding, empowerment, and advocacy.”

 

This can include but is not limited to, original research, both individual and collaborative, publication of original research, publication of books, chapters, essays, forum pieces, panel presentations, GIFTS and other innovative teaching ideas and practices, service that supports Communication Anxiety and Apprehension initiatives and programs, advocacy, and a commitment to teaching, research, scholarship and/or advocacy of Communication Anxiety and Apprehension experiences with respect and care.

 

Criteria. The committee shall be chaired by the immediate Past Chair or Chair of the Division. The Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for accepting nominations and coordinating the evaluation of portfolio materials for the Champion Awards, Criteria for the award include consistent work related to communication anxiety and apprehension teaching, research, scholarship, and/or advocacy.

 

Submission Requirements. Nominations packets must include: 1) a nomination letter that provides support for the work of the nominee as a Champion for Communication Anxiety and Apprehension, 2) a list of their related achievements and accomplishments, and 3) a statement by the nominee regarding their commitment to this work and why they consider themselves a Champion for Communication Anxiety and Apprehension.  Additional letters of support are optional. This must be uploaded as one file, in PDF format.

 

Recognition. The winner will be honored with a plaque at the business meeting during the National Communication Association’s annual meeting.

 

Dr. Dakota C. Horn

Chair, Communication Anxiety and Apprehension Division

dhorn@bradley.edu

Submission Deadline: May 15, 2025

 

The Communication Ethics Division invites nominations for awards to be presented at the 2025 Division Business Meeting at the 111th annual convention of NCA in Denver, Colorado. We will recognize excellence in communication ethics scholarship in two ways: publications and teaching.

 

Nominations for publications with a strong communication ethics focus, published between August 2024 and May 2025, will be reviewed for one of three recognized categories:

 

• Authored Book of the Year
• Edited Book of the Year
• Journal Article of the Year

 

Nominations for achievement in pedagogy specifically related to teaching communication ethics will be reviewed for the Top Communication Ethics Teaching Award.

 

To submit a nomination for any of the above awards, including self-nominations, please submit a cover letter outlining the merits and impact of the nominated work or teacher by May 15, 2025 through the NCA Submission Portal (https://ncaawardsandgrants.secure-platform.com/a/page/Welcome). Please note that per NCA requirements, nominees must be active NCA members to be considered. Award recipients will be notified in August by the National Office and announced publicly in September. Plaques will be issued at the convention in November.

 

Please review the additional category-specific information for award consideration:

 

Publications

 

If the submission (book or journal) is available digitally, then it can be submitted as a PDF, along with the other nomination materials, through the NCA submission portal. Nominees should ensure that copies are accessible without a paywall. If the materials are only available as a hard copy, then please have three copies sent by May 15, 2025 to:

 

Andrew Tinker

334 McWherter Hall

Pellissippi State Community College – Hardin Valley Campus

10915 Hardin Valley Rd.

Knoxville, TN 37933-0990

 

Teaching

 

Please include evidence of teaching effectiveness based on student evaluation scores and comments, as well as peer review(s), and a candidate statement of teaching philosophy.

 

Nomination materials will be accepted until May 15, 2025. For more information, contact the immediate past chair of the Communication Ethics Division, Andrew Tinker, at atinker1@pstcc.edu.

 

Andrew Tinker

Pellissippi State Community College

 

The NCA Critical and Cultural Communication Studies Division is pleased to share its 2025 call for award nominations. The division offers six awards on an annual basis:

 

• Scholar-Activist Award
• Distinguished Scholar Award
• New Investigator Award
• Book of the Year Award
• Outstanding Article Award
• Outstanding Dissertation Award

 

Self, peer, and advisor nominations are all welcome. Please note that there can be only one nomination per person across each of the six CCSD award categories (Distinguished Scholar, Scholar-Activist, New Investigator, Book of the Year, Outstanding Dissertation, and Outstanding Article).

 

Please also note that interest group award processes have been revised in accordance with NCA policy in an effort to increase consistency and transparency, and the awards timeline has shifted to align interest group awards with NCA awards.

 

Nomination materials should be submitted to the NCA awards portal, which will be open from mid-February until May 15. NCA will notify winners in August. Winners receive a plaque, which will be presented at the CCSD business meeting at NCA in November.

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Scholar-Activist Award

 

Honors a scholar who is acting toward solving a social injustice that concerns CCSD members. Examples may include founding a nonprofit organization that addresses poverty, climate change, homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexual violence, treatment of prisoners, and dis/ability issues. Similarly, this award may honor a scholar who has made significant contributions toward ending larger systems of exploitation including, but not limited to, xenophobia, patriarchy, systemic racism, capitalism, and heteronormativity. In short, this award honors a scholar who significantly contributes to their communities above and beyond their research, teaching, and/or service with activist interventions. Nominations for the Scholar-Activist Award must be submitted to the committee as a single PDF file that includes:

 

• A nomination letter for a current member of CCSD that describes the scholar’s activism and the ways that it informs their work and other scholars’ work.
• Nominee’s current C.V. (Student nominations will be considered – please note highest degree earned).
• Letter(s) of support (no more than two) addressing nominee’s activism, connection between activism and scholarship, and/or connection between activism and teaching.

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Distinguished Scholar Award

 

Honors a leading CCSD scholar who has made a significant impact in critical and cultural communication scholarship and advanced the interests and people of the division. Nominations for the Distinguished Scholar Award must be submitted to the committee as a single PDF file that includes:

 

• A nomination letter for a member with continued membership in CCSD.
• Nominee’s current CV.
• Three letters of support addressing nominee’s scholarly impact, leadership, and mentorship.

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New Investigator Award

 

Honors an emerging scholar who has taken a leadership role in CCSD by setting a new research agenda for critical and cultural studies, through mentorship, and through advocacy on behalf of CCSD’s interests. Nominations for the New Investigator Award should be submitted to the committee as a single PDF file that includes:

 

• A nomination letter for a member who received their PhD between 2019-2024.
• The nominee’s current CV.
• Letter(s) of support (no more than two) that addresses scholarly impact, mentorship, and advocacy.

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Book of the Year Award

 

Honors an intellectually generative book written by a member of CCSD. The book’s publication date should be between January 2024 and December 2024. Nominations for the Book of the Year Award should include:

 

• A nomination letter for the book written by a member of CCSD focused on the book’s contribution to the field.
• An electronic copy of the book or if, not available, three copies of the complete book. You may ask your publisher to send copies directly as part of their promo. Please contact (claire.s.king@vanderbilt.edu) for further instructions (re: mailing address).
  • Author(s) may work directly with their press to mail copies but must ensure that the copies will be received by the awards deadline.

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Outstanding Article Award

 

Honors a significant research contribution to critical/cultural communication studies by a member of the division. Nominations may reflect the interdisciplinarity of publication venues for division members. The article’s publication date should be between January 2024 and December 2024. Nominations for the Outstanding Article Award should be submitted to the committee as a single PDF file that includes:

 

• A nomination letter for an article written by a member of CCSD focused on the article’s contribution to the field.
• PDF copy of the article.

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Outstanding Dissertation Award

 

Honors a dissertation defended between January 2024 and December 2024 that makes research contributions to critical/cultural communication studies. Nominations for the Outstanding Dissertation Award should be submitted to the selection committee as a single PDF file that includes:

 

• A nomination letter that addresses the dissertation’s originality/creativity, innovation, and potential for significant contribution to the field.
• PDF copy of the dissertation.

Top Paper Award

 

Description: This award recognizes the top scoring paper submitted to the division at the current year’s conference. This award recognizes a scholar’s significant contribution to end-of-life, death, and/or bereavement literature. This award prioritizes papers that have a significant social impact on communities at need or communities at risk. Award winners will be given a commemorative plaque and a $100 award prize.

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Distinguished Scholar Award

 

The Death and Dying Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the Distinguished Scholar Award. This award honors outstanding scholars who have made significant contributions and advancements to end-of-life, death, and/or bereavement literature. Recipients are distinguished by their sustained record of scholarly excellence, innovation, and impact. The Distinguished Scholar Award celebrates the remarkable achievements of scholars whose work has left a lasting mark on their discipline and beyond.

 

Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on:

 

1. Scholarly Publication Record

 

This criterion evaluates the nominee's body of published work in the field of death and dying communication. It considers:

 

• Quantity: A consistent record of publishing peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, or books about death and dying communication authored by the nominee.
• Quality: The rigor, originality, and impact of the publications on advancing theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of death and dying communication.
• Relevance: The alignment of the publications with key topics in death, dying, bereavement, and end-of-life communication.
• Recognition: Evidence of citations, awards, or acknowledgment by peers for significant contributions through scholarship in death and dying communication.

 

2. Service Contribution to Death and Dying Communication

 

This criterion assesses the nominee's service activities that promote and support the field of death and dying communication. It includes:

 

• Professional Service: Roles such as leadership in academic associations, conference organization, journal editorial boards, or grant reviews specific to the field of death and dying communication.
• Advocacy and Support: Efforts to advance the field, including fostering collaboration among scholars, supporting underrepresented voices, or advocating for the importance of death and dying communication research.
• Community Engagement: Active involvement in extending the reach of academic work related to death and dying communication into broader community contexts, such as through workshops, public events, or policy advising.

 

3. Mentorship Contribution to Death and Dying Communication

 

This criterion evaluates the nominee's role as a mentor in cultivating the next generation of scholars and practitioners in the field. It considers:

 

• Direct Mentorship: Serving as a mentor for students, early-career researchers, or practitioners by providing guidance on research, professional development, and career growth.
• Impact: The influence of the nominee’s mentorship, as reflected in mentee achievements, feedback, or testimonials.
• Inclusive Support: Efforts to mentor individuals from diverse backgrounds and promote equity within the field.

 

4. Public Contribution to Death and Dying Communication

 

This criterion assesses the nominee's efforts to engage with and impact broader publics beyond academia in the area of death and dying communication. It includes:

 

• Public Education: Activities such as writing for general audiences, creating multimedia resources, or giving public talks to inform and educate about death, dying, and bereavement communication.
• Community Impact: Direct contributions to community organizations, healthcare settings, or advocacy groups that address issues related to death and dying.
• Policy Influence: Contributions to public policy or practice guidelines, such as advising governments, organizations, or public health entities on communication strategies related to death and dying.
• Media Engagement: Efforts to raise awareness and foster public dialogue through appearances or contributions to media, including interviews, op-eds, podcasts, or social media initiatives.

 

Eligibility

 

• Currently or formerly held an academic appointment.
• Should have NCA membership.
• Can be self-nominated.

 

Submission Requirements

Please compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

1. A single, detailed letter of nomination addressing the four criteria,
2. the scholar’s vita; and
3. A list of the applicant’s representative work in death and dying communication.

 

Recognition

The winner(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque, a $100 cash prize, and recognition at the Death and Dying Division business meeting during the National Communication Association’s Annual Convention.

 

Submission Process

Nominations should be submitted electronically through the NCA online submission portal by the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

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Outstanding Article Award

 

The Death and Dying Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the Outstanding Article Award. This award recognizes an outstanding peer-reviewed scholarly article that has significantly impacted the field of death and dying communication. This award celebrates innovative research that demonstrates theoretical and methodological rigor and clarity of findings. The winning article is selected for its originality, relevance, and potential to inspire future scholarship, highlighting the importance of high-quality research in advancing knowledge.

 

Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on:

 

• Originality: The degree to which the article introduces novel ideas or innovative approaches.
• Theoretical Contribution: The extent to which the article advances existing theories or develops new theories related to end-of-life, death, grief, or bereavement communication.
• Methodological Rigor: The quality, robustness, and appropriateness of the research design and methods.
• Clarity and Quality of Writing: The overall readability, clarity, and presentation of the article.

 

Eligibility

 

• The article must have been published in a peer-reviewed journal within the last two calendar years.
• The article’s primary focus must be on topics related to end-of-life, death, grief, or bereavement communication.
• Only one first-author submission per award cycle.
• At least one author must be a member of the NCA Death and Dying Division.

 

Submission Requirements

Please compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

1. A copy of the article (PDF format).
2. A brief statement of nomination (maximum 1000 words) detailing how the submission meets the award criteria and the significance of the nominated article. Self-nominations are permitted.

 

Recognition

The winner(s) will receive an award certificate or plaque, a $100 cash prize, and recognition at the Death and Dying Division business meeting during the National Communication Association’s Annual Convention.

 

Submission Process

Nominations should be submitted electronically through the NCA online submission portal by the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

The Environmental Communication Division (ECD) of the National Communication Association (NCA) invites nominations for our 2024 Awards, all due by May 15, 2025. 

 

The ECD judges five awards: 

 

1. Tarla Rai Peterson Book Award in Environmental Communication (Plaque)
2. Stephen P. Depoe Book Chapter Award in Environmental Communication (Plaque)
3. Christine L. Oravec Journal Article Award in Environmental Communication (Plaque)
4. Catalina de Onís Dissertation Award in Environmental Communication (Plaque & Check)
5. J. Robert Cox Award in Environmental Communication & Civic Engagement (Plaque)

 

For the research-based awards (#1-4), the committee will assess nominations based on the following criteria: 

 

• Publication or dissertation occurred or was successfully defended and filed during the prior two years. 

• An electronic copy of the nomination (book, book chapter, article, or dissertation). 

• Nomination letter (Word or PDF format), which should not exceed 2 pages to explain how the nomination meets the criteria for that award, including: 

• Confirmation that the author(s) is a current member of the ECD 

• The nomination addresses significant scholarly questions about the relationship between communication (or a subfield) and the environment with the potential to influence future research in its contributions to the field 

• The nomination demonstrates exceptional methodological, theoretical, and/or analytical appropriate to its mode of inquiry 

• Note: you may include multiple signatures, but we do not expect multiple letters 

 

The Cox Award is a means of recognizing the substantial environmental civic engagement achievements of members of the ECD. Such achievements could include working with various publics on environmental concerns such as leading non-profits, developing communication materials, engaging in creative artistic performances, and related activities. Criteria used for the Cox Award include: exceptional public service to environmental issues through organizational leadership, service, and/or activism, including engagement over several years at a regional, national, and/or international scale. In a Word or PDF file, nominations should clarify how the person nominated has a record of exceptional “civic engagement” and how the candidate's work meets that definition. Additionally, the nomination should include the nominee’s CV. 

 

Both self- and peer-nominations are encouraged for all the award categories.  

 

The list of previous award winners is available on the NCA website page for ECD.  

 

Please direct any questions to Danielle Endres, danielle.endres@utah.edu, ECD Immediate Past President & Award Committee Chair.   

 

The Ethnography Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) invites nominations for the 2025 Ethnography Division Awards. All nominees must be members of the Ethnography Division both at the time of nomination and when receiving the award. In line with division bylaws and in conjunction with the approval by the membership of career-oriented awards, nominations will be accepted for the following categories:

 

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

• Best Book (copyright dates 2022-2024)
• Best Journal Article (journal volumes published between 2022-2024)
• Best Book Chapter (copyright dates 2022-2024)
• Best Special Journal Issue (journal volumes published between 2022-2024)
• Best Aural or Visual Ethnography (copyright dates 2022-2024)

 

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CAREER AWARDS

• Legacy Scholar (lifetime achievement award with most recent degree awarded before 2005)

 

Submission Information

All nominations for the Scholarship Awards should include a cover letter or letter of support specifying the award being sought and highlighting the qualifications and/or merit of the nominated work. Self-nominations are welcome.

Top Paper Award for Experiential Learning in Communication  

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL 

 

The Experiential Learning in Communication Division (ELCD) of NCA invites submissions for the Top Paper in Experiential Learning in Communication Award, which recognizes outstanding scholarship in experiential learning. This award is selected from competitive papers submitted to the ELCD for the annual NCA convention.  

 

 Eligibility & Submission Process  

 

• Papers must be submitted to NCA Convention Central under the category "Individual Papers" for the Experiential Learning in Communication Division. 

• To be considered for the award, authors must: 

• Select "Individual Paper" as the submission type in NCA Convention Central. 

• Ensure the submission follows NCA's anonymous peer review process and has not been presented at another conference. 

 

 Evaluation Criteria 

 

 A panel of reviewers will select the Top Paper recipient(s). Submissions will be evaluated based on the following: 

 

• Contribution to the Field – Significance and originality of the research. 

• Theoretical and Conceptual Rigor – Strength and sophistication of theoretical engagement. 

• Methodological Soundness – Clarity and justification of research methods. 

• Organization – Effectiveness of writing and structure. 

• Relevance and Impact – Broader significance to experiential learning and communication. 

• Engagement with the NCA conference theme. 

 

 Recognition 

 

The recipient(s) will be recognized at the ELCD Top Paper Panel and during the ELCD convention business meeting.  

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Experiential Learning in Communication Division, Wendy Raney, wendy.raney@wsu.edu.  

 

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Top Student Paper Award for Experiential Learning in Communication

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL 

 

The Experiential Learning in Communication Division (ELCD) of NCA invites submissions for the Top Student Paper in Experiential Learning in Communication Award, which recognizes outstanding student scholarship in experiential learning. This award is selected from competitive papers submitted to the ELCD for the annual NCA convention.  

 

 Eligibility & Submission Process  

 

• Papers must be submitted to NCA Convention Central under the category "Individual Papers" for the Experiential Learning in Communication Division. 

• To be considered for the award, authors must: 

• Select "Individual Paper" as the submission type in NCA Convention Central. 

• Include the words "STUDENT PAPER" on the first page of the manuscript. 

• Ensure the submission follows NCA's anonymous peer review process and has not been presented at another conference.  

 

Evaluation Criteria 

 

 A panel of reviewers will select the Top Student Paper recipient(s). Submissions will be evaluated based on the following: 

 

• Contribution to the Field – Significance and originality of the research. 

• Theoretical and Conceptual Rigor – Strength and sophistication of theoretical engagement. 

• Methodological Soundness – Clarity and justification of research methods. 

• Organization – Effectiveness of writing and structure. 

• Relevance and Impact – Broader significance to experiential learning and communication. 

• Engagement with the NCA conference theme. 

 

Recognition 

 

The recipient(s) will be recognized at the ELCD Top Paper Panel and during the ELCD convention business meeting.  

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Experiential Learning in Communication Division, Wendy Raney, wendy.raney@wsu.edu.  

 

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Top SPARK Award for Experiential Learning in Communication  

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL 

 

The Experiential Learning in Communication Division (ELCD) of NCA invites submissions for the Top SPARK Award, which recognizes innovative experiential learning practices. This award is selected from competitive SPARK submissions to the ELCD for the annual NCA convention.  

 

 Eligibility & Submission Process  

 

• Papers must be submitted to NCA Convention Central under the category "Individual Papers" for the Experiential Learning in Communication Division. 

• To be considered for the award, authors must: 

• Select "Individual Paper" as the submission type in NCA Convention Central. 

• Include “SPARK” as the first word of the submission title. 

• Ensure the submission follows NCA's anonymous peer review process and has not been presented at another conference. 

 

 Evaluation Criteria 

 

 A panel of reviewers will select the SPARK Award recipient(s). Submissions will be evaluated based on the following: 

 

• Contribution to the Field – Significance and originality of the submission. 

• Methodological Soundness – Clarity and justification of pedagogical decisions. 

• Organization – Effectiveness of writing and structure. 

• Relevance and Impact – Broader significance to experiential learning and communication. 

• Applicability – Relevance of SPARK submission to conference attendees. 

 

Recognition 

 

The recipient(s) will be recognized at the ELCD SPARK Panel and during the ELCD convention business meeting.  

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Experiential Learning in Communication Division, Wendy Raney, wendy.raney@wsu.edu.  

 

Kathleen M. Galvin Family Communication Distinguished Teaching and Mentoring Award

 

Committee Chair: Lindsey Thomas

 

The award is named for Kathleen M. Galvin (1943-2021) who was a founding member and leader of the field of family communication and the FCD Division at NCA. She was a ground-breaking, innovative, and caring teacher and scholar, was a mentor dedicated to undergraduate and graduate students at Northwestern University. Dr. Galvin served as a valued informal mentor to many students and young scholars across the field of family communication. Dr. Galvin developed and taught some of the earliest family communication courses and in 1982 co-authored the inaugural family communication textbook. In addition, Dr. Galvin was a disciplinary leader in instructional communication, serving on important early teaching task forces, as Director of NCA’s Educational Policies Board, and on the NCA Executive Committee.

 

Application Process and Materials

Award applicants will be (a) a member of the NCA Family Communication Division at the time of nomination, (b) 20 years past earning the terminal degree, and (c) teaching family communication at any college or university level institution.

 

Submission Materials

• A letter of nomination (self-nominations are welcomed) that outlines the nominee’s career-length contributions to both family communication teaching and mentoring;
• One or two letters of support from people familiar with the nominee’s family communication teaching and mentoring contributions (two pages maximum each),
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV);
• A teaching self-reflection document authored by the award candidate that supplements the CV. This document will highlight the candidate’s teaching philosophy and a summary of teaching and mentoring contributions. The document will include a description of how the candidate has worked to increase students’ understanding of the role of communication in creating, enacting, and changing families and the diversity of family experiences. (5 pages double-spaced maximum)

 

Selection Criteria

The selection committee will judge a candidate’s nomination packet based on the alignment of the candidate’s teaching philosophy and sustained instructional practices that advance the goals of the award. The committee will consider evidence of an accomplished family communication teacher and mentor whose work the (a) provides breadth and depth of instructional contributions to the family communication field; (b) represents significant breadth and depth of teaching and mentoring contributions to students that maximizes the central role of communication in family development, enactment, and change; and (b) develops groundbreaking, innovative teaching practices that promote student understanding of the diversity of family experience and challenges.

 

Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Kathleen M. Galvin was an early and central voice in stressing the diversity of family experiences and the central role of communication in navigating differences. Since the early days of her groundbreaking co-authored Family Communication: Cohesion and Change volume (1982), Galvin and colleagues defined families as occurring within and beyond biological and legal connections. Dr. Galvin pioneered work on what she labeled “discourse dependent families,” representing families formed outside of cultural majority norms with a greater reliance on interaction to legitimize their family form internally and externally and develop their own functional roles and expectations.

 

A teaching and mentoring award named after Kathleen Galvin signals the value the FCD places on diverse concepts and theories, underrepresented populations, and the resistance of ideologies that impede equity and inclusion, centering these ideals on what makes a family and the central role of communication in establishing and maintaining the breadth of family identities, expectations, and roles. With these commitments in mind, the award committee will consider the extent to which the scholar’s work addresses issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

The nominee must be a member of the Family Communication Division of NCA at the time of the nomination.

 

Please direct any questions to:

Lindsey Thomas

Illinois State University

ljthom3@ilstu.edu

 

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Sandra Petronio Family Communication Dissertation Excellence Award

 

Committee Chair: TBD
Committee Members: TBD

 

The Sandra Petronio Family Communication Dissertation Excellence Award is granted to a scholar who successfully defended a dissertation and/or graduated within the last academic year (from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024).

 

The selection committee will evaluate nominations based on overall quality, paying particular attention to (a) the creativity or originality of the work, (b) the extent that the dissertation advances knowledge of family communication, and (c) the level of methodological and theoretical rigor.
To be eligible, a dissertation must be nominated by a faculty member of the department in which the dissertation was completed. The nomination package must include:

 

• A cover letter written by the dissertation advisor
• Contact information for the nominee
• A dissertation summary (five pages maximum, not including references, tables, etc.)
• The complete dissertation

 

The nominee must be a member of the Family Communication Division of NCA at the time of the nomination.

Please direct any questions to:

Lindsey Thomas (until committee chair is elected)
Illinois State University
ljthom3@ilstu.edu

 

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The Dawn O. Braithwaite Distinguished Book Award

 

Committee Chair: Kaitlin Phillips
Committee Members: TBD

 

Dawn O. Braithwaite Distinguished Book Award: The Dawn O. Braithwaite Distinguished Book Award seeks to recognize outstanding scholarly texts that contribute significantly to the field of family communication. To be eligible for the award, a book must be either an authored or edited scholarly volume focusing on family communication whose publication date is at least five years prior to the date of the award (thus, books whose publication date is 2020 or earlier are eligible to compete for the 2025 award). The principal focus of the text must be on theory and/or research related to communication within families, communication about families, or communication between families and other entities. Undergraduate textbooks are not eligible to compete for the award.

 

Nominations: Nominations by members of FCD (including self-nominations) are welcome. The authors or editors of nominated books and articles are not required to be members of FCD. The FCD encourages nominations of books and articles written by scholars representing people of color or other marginalized groups whose work might have been overlooked or underappreciated in the past.

 

Nomination packets should include:

 

• A nomination letter of no more than two typed pages providing a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to the advancement of family communication theory and/or research
• Copies of the nominated work (electronic preferred but hard copies accepted)
• Any published reviews of the work

 

Please direct all questions to:

Kaitlin Phillips
Baylor University
Kaitlin_phillips@baylor.edu

 

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Distinguished Article Award

 

Committee Chair: Kaitlin Phillips
Committee Members: TBD

 

Distinguished Journal Article Award: The Distinguished Journal Article Award seeks to recognize outstanding scholarly journal articles that contribute significantly to the field of family communication. To be eligible for the award, an article must have been published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal at least five years prior to the date of the award (thus, articles whose publication date is 2020 or earlier are eligible to compete for the 2025 award). The principal focus of the article must be on theory and/or research related to communication within families, communication about families, or communication between families and other entities. Book chapters, book reviews, non-peer reviewed scholarly articles, and articles published in non- academic outlets are not eligible to compete for the award.

 

Nominations: Nominations by members of FCD (including self-nominations) are welcome. The authors or editors of nominated books and articles are not required to be members of FCD. The FCD encourages nominations of books and articles written by scholars representing people of color or other marginalized groups whose work might have been overlooked or underappreciated in the past.

 

Nomination packets should include:

 

• A nomination letter of no more than two typed pages providing a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to the advancement of family communication theory and/or research
• Copies of the nominated work (electronic preferred but hard copies accepted)
• Any published reviews of the work

 

Please direct all questions to:

Kaitlin Phillips
Baylor University
Kaitlin_phillips@baylor.edu

 

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Leslie A. Baxter Early Career Award

 

Committee Chair: Kaitlin Phillips
Committee Members: TBD

 

The Family Communication Division (FCD) seeks nominations for the Leslie A. Baxter Early Career Award. The Baxter Early Career Award seeks to recognize a scholar who has established an important role in shaping family communication research within eight years of having earned a Ph.D. degree. The scholar’s body of work must show promise that it will contribute significantly to the knowledge of family communication. The selection committee will judge a scholar’s contribution and promise based on productivity and the strength of the published work, including its theoretical or conceptual foundation, originality, methodological rigor, and impact. They will also consider the extent to which the scholar addresses issues of diversity, equity, and/or inclusion in their scholarship. The award winner will be honored at the FCD business meeting at the NCA convention.

 

The following materials are required for the nomination:

 

• A letter of nomination (self-nominations are welcomed), no longer than two pages in length, that outlines the nominee’s scholarly contributions to family communication,
• No more than three but no less than one letter of support from people familiar with the nominee’s contributions, (c) the nominee’s curriculum vitae, and
• Links to three representative examples from the nominee’s body of work.

 

The nominee must be a member of the Family Communication Division of NCA at the time of the nomination.

 

Please direct all questions to:

Kaitlin Phillips
Baylor University
Kaitlin_phillips@baylor.edu

Outstanding Article Award

 

The Feminist and Gender Studies Division invites nominations for its Outstanding Article Award. This annual award honors an author or authors of an outstanding scholarly article published in the field of Communication that interrogates questions related to feminism, gender, sexuality, and/or women studies, with a commitment to intersectional analysis.

 

To be eligible for this year's award, articles should have an official publication date that falls between January 2023 and May 2025. Articles published in scholarly journals or edited volumes will be considered.

 

Nominations should include:

 

• A copy of the article
• A 1-2 page letter of nomination outlining the significance of the article for the study of feminism, gender, and/or sexuality in communication

 

Self-nominations are strongly preferred. Awardees will be recognized with a plaque at the NCA FGSD Business Meeting.

 

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Bonnie Ritter Book Award

 

The Bonnie Ritter Book Award in Feminist/Women Studies in Communication is an annual award honoring a recent published scholarly book in the field of communication that interrogate questions related to feminism, women studies, and gender. Bonnie Ritter was the primary organizer for the group of women scholars who formed the National Communication Association Women's Caucus in 1971. The caucus’s success led, more than a decade later, to establishing NCA's Feminist and Women Studies Division. Authors working within all methodological perspectives are encouraged to apply. Submissions must be scholarly books, both monographs and edited collections are accepted. Any book published between January 2023 and May 2025 is eligible. Self-nominations are strongly preferred.

 

For consideration, please submit:

 

• A 1-2 letter of nomination outlining the significance of the book for the study of feminism, gender, and/or sexuality in communication
• A digital copy of the book

 

Awardees will be recognized with a plaque at the NCA FGSD Business Meeting.

 

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Scholar-Activist Award

 

The Feminist and Gender Studies Division of NCA honors a division member who has acted in communities or on their campuses to challenge, resist, or make progress in solving social injustice(s) that concerns scholars of feminism, gender, sexuality and/or women studies. We are especially interested in nominees whose work is intersectional, i.e. activism, scholarship and teaching that addresses how multiple systems of oppression/exploitation interlock.

 

For consideration, please submit:

 

• A copy of the nominee’s vita
• A letter nomination narrating the significance of the scholar’s activism and how it may inform their own or other scholars’ work.

 

Self-nominations are strongly preferred. Nominees from previous years who were not selected previously may resubmit their nomination packets for consideration for up to three years. Just email NCAFGSDWC@gmail.com indicating you would like to roll over the nomination. Awardees will be recognized with a plaque at the NCA FGSD Business Meeting.

The Freedom of Expression Division recognizes excellence in scholarship that interrogates the legal, ethical, political, rhetorical dimensions of freedom of expression by awarding the:

 

Robert M. O’Neill Top Paper Award and Top Student Paper Award.

 

Any submission to the division by a student is eligible for the student paper award, and any faculty paper submission is eligible for the O’Neill Award. The awards are assigned to the faculty and student papers that receive the highest aggregate score from the division’s reviewers.

 

Submission Requirements:

 

• A nomination letter
• A PDF copy of the paper

 

Self-nominations are welcome.

Only submissions through Convention Central will be considered for GSD awards.

 

Overview: All full, individual papers submitted to the division will be considered for either a Top Student Paper Award or an Overall Paper Award. Extended abstracts, gaming sessions, and panel submissions will not be considered for awards.

 

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Top Student Paper

 

To be considered for a top student paper award, the submission must be labelled as a student paper when being submitted. Multiple authored works will be considered if the majority of the work was done by the student(s). All top student papers except the highest scoring top student paper will receive an award certificate and present on a top paper panel. The highest scoring top student paper will receive an award certificate and a monetary reward in the form of a check, as well as present on a top paper panel.

 

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Top Overall Paper

 

To be considered for a top overall paper award, the submission must be an individual paper and NOT labelled as a student paper when submitted. Multiple authored works will be considered if the majority of the work was not conducted by the student(s). All top overall papers will receive an award certificate and present on a top paper panel.

The Group Communication Division of National Communication Association invites nominations for its annual awards.

 

• Dennis Gouran Research Award
• Ernest Bormann Research Award
• Laura Crowell Thesis/Dissertation Award
• Marshall Scott Poole Career Achievement Award. This award has very specific details, so please make sure to read all criteria carefully.
• Joann Keyton Service Award

 

General Eligibility Criteria: 

To be eligible for the first three awards, the article, chapter, or book must have a 2023-2024 copyright date; Those submitting work for award consideration must be members of NCA’s Group Communication Division, or must join the Division prior to receiving an award.

 

Nominations for the first three awards will be evaluated by the Division’s awards committee with regard to the article, chapter, book, thesis, or dissertation advancing group communication theory, methods, pedagogy, and/or other practice (e.g., facilitation). The criteria for the career achievement award are provided in detail at the end of the document. In any given year, the awards committee shall review nominations for the award, and may forgo recognition based on the merits of the cases or the lack of nominees.

 

The awards will be presented at the business meeting of the Group Communication Division at the 2025 NCA convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

Award-specific Eligibility Criteria: 

 

Dennis Gouran Research Award: Given to the author(s) of an outstanding article or chapter that focuses explicitly on group communication. The article or chapter can be published in a communication journal or edited book, an interdisciplinary journal or edited book, or a journal or edited book in another discipline. Self-nominations are encouraged.

• A brief (150 words or less) summary that provides a rationale and explanation of the significance of the article or chapter to group communication theory, research, pedagogy, and/or other practice; and
• A copy of the nominated article or chapter; and any published reviews of the nominated article or chapter.

 

Ernest Bormann Research Award: Given to the author(s)/editor(s) of an outstanding scholarly book or monograph that focuses explicitly on group communication (textbooks are not eligible for this award). Self-nominations are encouraged.

 

• A brief (150 words or less) summary that provides a rationale and explanation of the significance of the book or monograph to group communication theory, research, and/or practice;
• Three copies of the nominated book or monograph; and
• Any published reviews of the nominated book or monograph.

 

Laura Crowell Thesis/Dissertation Award: Given to the author of an outstanding thesis or dissertation that focuses explicitly on group communication. Nominations for this award should be submitted by a graduate advisor or committee member.

 

• A brief (150 words or less) summary that provides a rationale and explanation of the significance of the thesis/dissertation to group communication theory, research, and/or practice; and
• A 25–35-page abstract of the thesis or dissertation or a 25–35-page representative chapter of that work. Theses or dissertations must have been defended from 2023-2024.

 

Marshall Scott Poole Career Achievement Award: Given to a scholar who has made outstanding, sustained contributions over the course of their career to the study of group communication. Because the award may be presented to individuals who are no longer active scholars (or awarded posthumously) but whose work has made exemplary contributions, the recipient need not be a current member of the Division, but there should be evidence of long-standing involvement with NCA and/or the Division.

 

Nominations for the Marshall Scott Poole Career Achievement Award should include:

 

• At least two letters of nomination from current or past NCA Group Communication Division members that address the judging criteria listed below;
• The nominee’s most recent vitae; and
• Three article-length examples of scholarship that exemplify the quality of the nominee’s work.

 

Nominations for the Career Achievement Award will be judged on the following criteria:

 

• Theoretical/Conceptual, Methodological, and/or Practical Impact: Describe the nominee’s corpus of work, explaining how the work has advanced the study of group communication. This statement must include evidence of the impact of the work on the field.
• Awards & Other Recognition: List awards, grants, and other forms of recognition that the nominee has received for professional accomplishments that are relevant to this award.
• Service: Cite offices, committees, and other examples of the nominee’s service to the Group Communication Division, NCA, and other professional associations; community groups; and organizations. When discussing service outside the Division, explain how the nominee’s involvement has advanced the interests and visibility of group communication scholarship.
• During the year following the presentation of the Career Achievement Award, the Division’s program planner will organize a session at the NCA conference celebrating the work of the recipient. Those nominating the recipient, along with the recipient (when possible), will be asked to deliver presentations describing the recipient’s work.

 

Joann Keyton Service Award: Given to the member of the Group Communication Division that has demonstrated exemplary service to the division, NCA and the discipline. Self-nominations are encouraged.

 

• A brief, 150 words or less, summary that provides a rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominees contribution to the NCA Group Communication Division.
• Abbreviated 5-10 page CV that details teaching, research and service activities in relation to the study of group communication and the GCD of NCA
• At least two letters of nomination from current or past NCA Group Communication Division members that demonstrate service to the division.

 

Submission Information:

If an e-copy of the book or monograph for the Ernest Bormann Research Award is not available, please email Matt Koschmann (koschmann@colorado.edu) to receive mailing addresses.

 Members are invited to submit nominations for the following awards:

 

• Distinguished Article/Chapter Award
• Distinguished Book Award
• Dale E. Brashers Distinguished Mentor Award
• Early Career Scholar Award
• Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award
• Outstanding Health Communication Scholar Award

 

All awardees will be recognized at the Health Communication Division’s business meeting during the NCA convention.

 

For questions regarding submissions, please email Immediate Past Chair Dr. Jill Yamasaki, University of Houston, at jyamasaki@uh.edu.

 

Distinguished Article/Chapter Award

 

The Distinguished Article/Chapter Award recognizes research that has made, or offers the promise of making, a significant contribution to scholarship in health communication theory, research, and/or practice. Articles/chapters become eligible for this award 5 years after the original publication date. Only articles/chapters published on or before 2020 are eligible.

 

Please submit a single PDF nomination packet that includes: (a) No more than 3 nomination or support letters giving a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to the advancement of health communication theory, research, and/or practice; (b) An electronic copy of the article; and (c) Published reviews of the nominated work (if available). Self-nominations are welcome.

 

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Distinguished Book Award

 

The Distinguished Book Award recognizes research that has made, or offers the promise of making, a significant contribution to scholarship in health communication theory, research, and/or practice. Textbooks are not eligible for the book award. Books become eligible for this award 5 years after the original publication date. Only books published on or before 2020 are eligible.

 

Please submit a single PDF nomination packet that includes: (a) No more than 3 nomination or support letters giving a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to the advancement of health communication theory, research, and/or practice; (b) An electronic copy of the book; and (c) Published reviews of the nominated work (if available). Self-nominations are welcome.

 

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Dale E. Brashers Distinguished Mentor Award

 

The Dale E. Brashers Distinguished Mentor Award recognizes significant contributions to the field of health communication through advocacy for the discipline and mentorship of its members. These contributions can take many forms, such as mentorship at the scholarly (e.g., role-modeling through exceptional scholarship, division leadership, etc.), institutional (e.g., development of health communication within a college or university), departmental (e.g., development of health communication within an academic department), and, perhaps most importantly, individual (e.g., teaching and mentorship of scholars who contribute to the broader discipline) levels.

 

Please submit a single PDF nomination packet that includes: (a) A rationale and explanation of the significance of nominee contributions to the field of health communication, institutions, departments, and/or individuals through the provision of exceptional mentorship; (b) The scholar’s vita; and (c) Optional letters of support for the nomination (maximum of three). Self-nominations are welcome.

 

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Early Career Award

 

The Early Career Award recognizes a communication scholar who has made a substantial positive impact on health communication research, yet who is currently early in her/his career. Nominees should have a productive record of high-quality publications and show evidence of sustaining their upward scholarly trajectory. In addition, nominees’ research should be of theoretical significance to health communication, offer practical contributions, and demonstrate methodological strength.

 

There are three nomination criteria. The nominee must: a) have a PhD in Communication; b) have received her/his PhD within the last seven years (i.e., to receive the 2025 Early Career Award, the nominee should have earned a PhD between 2018–present); and c) be a member of NCA’s Health Communication Division the year that she/he is being nominated.

 

Please submit a single PDF nomination packet that includes: (a) A single, detailed letter of nomination addressing the aforementioned criteria; (b) The scholar’s vita; and (c) Five representative peer-reviewed publications. Self-nominations are welcome.

 

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Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award

 

The Outstanding Contributions to Promoting Equity and Inclusion Award recognizes a division member who has clearly demonstrated excellence in promoting equity and inclusion in health communication. These contributions can take many forms, such as: (a) service to the discipline (e.g., promoting equity and inclusion within the Health Communication Division); (b) research (e.g., publications, conference papers, grants); (c) teaching and mentorship; (d) departmental/institutional service (e.g., promoting equity and inclusion within an academic department, college, or university); (e) outreach and impact such as public scholarship and having an impact on organizations/institutions (e.g., schools, colleges, health clinics, hospitals, non-profits), community groups, communities, health practices, and/or public policies; (f) activism and social justice work at any level.

 

To be eligible, the recipient must be a current member of the NCA Health Communication Division. Current Health Communication Division Executive Committee and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DE&I) Committee members are not eligible for this award while in service to the Division.

 

The DE&I Committee will assess the nominees’ contributions in promoting equity and inclusion in terms of their ability to demonstrate: (a) The promotion of equitable inclusion in health communication (whether that be teaching, scholarship, practices, and/or the discipline); (b) Practices addressing marginalization by giving attention to inequities in power and participation based on one or more points of human difference; (c) Impact may include, for example: (1) Service to the discipline may include mentorship and leadership activities that enhance inclusivity and reduce barriers to equitable participation; (2) Research contributions may/should build understanding of previously underrepresented groups, revise existing theories and practices based on diverse voices, develop theories and practices that promote equity in health communication; (3) Teaching contributions should/may develop new or innovative methods for teaching issues of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in health communication, demonstrate excellence in addressing marginalization in health communication courses; this may include pedagogical publications that share such insights; (4) Outreach contributions should/may promote equitable practices of health communication, whether that be related to schools, community groups, communities, significant health practices, and/or public policies.

 

Please submit a single PDF nomination packet that includes: (a) a nomination letter (3 pages max) written by the nominee or a nominator that explains the significance of the nominee’s contributions to equity and inclusion; (b) the nominee's current CV; and (c) up to two supporting documents and up to three additional letters of support (from any source). Self-nominations are encouraged.

 

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Outstanding Health Communication Scholar Award

 

The Outstanding Health Communication Scholar Award recognizes a significant and original contribution, in the form of a monograph, book, and/or program of research, to the study and application of the field of health communication.

 

There are five nomination criteria. The scholar’s work must have: (a) a significant and long-lasting effect on the field of health communication; (b) strong heuristic value; (c) influence over others’ work; (d) originality regarding theory, research, and/or practice; and (e) contributed to the development of health communication as a distinct field of study.

 

Although nominations are open to anyone who has made a significant contribution to the health communication field, preference is given to members of ICA’s and NCA’s Health Communication Divisions.

 

Please submit a single PDF nomination packet that includes: (a) A single, detailed letter of nomination addressing the aforementioned criteria; (b) The scholar’s vita; and (c) The single most influential or representative piece of work from the scholar. Self-nominations are welcome.

The Human Communication & Technology Division promotes research, theory, pedagogy, and other applications regarding the implications of technologically mediated communication for relationships, communities, classrooms, organizations, and other social contexts. Our members employ diverse methodological approaches and are concerned with a wide range of topics, including (but not limited to): computer-mediated communication, social media, online dating, (micro)blogging, virtual communities, gaming, mobile technologies, text messaging, virtual collaboration, information literacy, as well as international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary perspectives related to human communication and technology. The tie that binds research presented within the HCTD is an explicit focus on, and core placement of, questions pertinent to technologically mediated communication. The HCTD also welcomes submissions that speak to the 2025 convention theme, “Communicate to Elevate.”

 

The HCTD is now accepting nominations for the following awards:

 

• Top Paper (Convention Submissions Only)
• Top Student Paper (Convention Submissions Only)
• Outstanding Thesis Award
• Outstanding Dissertation Award
• Outstanding Book Award

 

Top Paper and Top Student Paper

 

SUBMISSIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

Individual paper submissions will be competitively evaluated. Papers must (a) be prepared for blind review, removing any identifying information, (b) be no more than 8,000 words in length (excluding references, tables, and figures), and (c) be prepared using 7th Edition APA style. Instructions on how to prepare a blind copy are provided in the Convention Resource Library. Papers that include data from participants are encouraged to include a concrete reflection on the demographic diversity of the sample (or lack thereof) in a theoretically rich way within the discussion of the paper, including ways in which sample demographics shape the boundaries of the conclusions being reached. The Top Paper and the Top Student Paper will be presented at respective Top Paper and Top Student Paper panels and will be recognized at the HCTD’s business meeting. The Top Student Paper author(s) will also receive a cash award.

 

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Outstanding Thesis Award

 

The purpose of the HCTD Outstanding Thesis Award is to recognize exemplary thesis work in the field of human communication and technology. Individuals who have successfully defended their thesis in the previous academic year (Fall 2024 through Summer 2025) are eligible for the award.

 

The selection committee will evaluate nominations based on overall quality, paying particular attention to:

 

• The creativity or originality of the work.
• The level of methodological and theoretical rigor.
• Contributions that advance understanding of the intersection of communication and technological processes.

 

Theses from a variety of methodological approaches and standpoints on communication and technology are encouraged.

 

The winner of the HCTD Outstanding Thesis Award will receive a plaque at the HCTD business meeting at the NCA Convention. Winners and their advisors will be invited to the business meeting to be recognized. The award carries a cash prize.

 

Applicants are required to submit the following via email:

 

• An abstract and summary (i.e., a condensed version) of their thesis, which should not exceed 6,000 words (excluding references).
• A cover letter describing their application, the scope of the thesis, and how the thesis is anticipated to advance the field.
• A nomination letter from the student’s advisor or committee member.

 

Please contact Dr. Katy Coduto at kdcoduto@bu.edu if you have any questions regarding the award or the selection process.

 

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Outstanding Dissertation Award

 

The purpose of the HCTD Outstanding Dissertation Award is to recognize exemplary dissertation work in the field of human communication and technology. Individuals who have successfully defended their dissertation in the previous academic year (Fall 2024 through Summer 2025) are eligible for the award.

 

The selection committee will evaluate nominations based on overall quality, paying particular attention to:

 

• The creativity or originality of the work.
• The level of methodological and theoretical rigor.
• Contributions that advance understanding of the intersection of communication and technological processes.

 

Dissertations from a variety of methodological approaches and standpoints on communication and technology are encouraged.

 

The winner of the HCTD Outstanding Dissertation Award will receive a plaque at the HCTD business meeting at the 2025 NCA Convention in Denver. Winners and their advisors will be invited to the business meeting to be recognized. The award carries a cash prize.

 

Applicants are required to submit the following via email:

 

• An abstract and summary (i.e., a condensed version) of their dissertation, which should not exceed 10,000 words (excluding references).
• A cover letter describing their application, the scope of the dissertation, and how the dissertation is anticipated to advance the field.
• A nomination letter from the student’s advisor or committee member.

 

Please contact Dr. Katy Coduto at kdcoduto@bu.edu if you have any questions regarding the award or the selection process.

 

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Outstanding Book Award

 

The HCTD Outstanding Book Award recognizes a monograph or edited volume that has had or has the potential to have a major impact on the study of human communication and technology.

 

To be eligible for the award, the book must have been published no more than five years prior to the date of the award (November 2025). At least one author of the book must be a current HCTD member. The committee will evaluate books based on the nomination letter, external evidence of the book’s contribution, and the content of the submitted text.

 

The deadline for nominations is May 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM P.T. All submissions should be made through the NCA Awards Submission Page: https://ncaawardsandgrants.secure-platform.com/a/page/Welcome

 

Nominations 

 

Nominations by members of the HCTD are welcome. Self-nominations are encouraged. Nomination packets should include:

 

• A nomination letter of no more than two double-spaced typed pages providing a brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the nominated piece to the advancement of the study of human communication and technology.
• A digital copy of the nominated work for the committee to review or access instructions
• Any published review of the work.

 

Please contact Dr. Samuel Hardman Taylor at samuelht@uic.edu if you have any questions regarding the award or the selection process.

The International and Intercultural Communication Division (IICD) invites nominations and self- nominations for its 2025:

 

1. Distinguished Scholarship Awards;
2. Distinguished Scholar Award; and
3. Early Career Award

 

Self, peer, and/or advisor nominations are welcome and will be reviewed by the IICD Awards Committee, consisting of Dr. Anjana Mudambi (Awards Committee Chair) and the previous two past chairs of the division. Please note that we will not accept more than one submission of the same (co-)author, whether they are nominated or self-nominated, regardless of category.

 

Awards will be presented at the International and Intercultural Communication Division’s (IICD) Business Meeting at the 2025 NCA Convention. All nominees must be IICD members by the NCA awards submission deadline and maintain their IICD membership through that year’s NCA convention. Recipients of the awards are expected to be present for the award presentations.

 

Please send any questions to:

 

Dr. Anjana Mudambi, IICD Vice Chair-Elect, IICD Awards Committee Chair, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, mudambi@uwm.edu

 

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Distinguished Scholarship Awards

 

Up to five awards will be given in the following categories for works copyrighted in 2024:

 

• Best Book (single-authored or co-authored)
• Best Book (edited or co-edited)
• Best Article or Book Chapter
• Best Dissertation and/or Master’s Thesis

 

A nomination packet must include the following:

 

1. A nomination letter outlining justification for the award. In addition, this letter should confirm that the nominee is currently an IICD member.
2. The work itself

 

If a book submission (authored or edited), submit an electronic copy of the book or, if not available, three copies of the complete book. You may ask your publisher to send copies directly as part of their promo but must ensure that the copies will be received by the awards deadline. Please contact (mudambi@uwm.edu) for further instructions (re: mailing address).

 

If an article/book chapter submission, submit a PDF copy.

 

If a dissertation/Master’s thesis submission, submit a PDF copy.

 

Please submit all materials to the NCA awards portal.

 

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Distinguished Scholar Award

 

This award celebrates the research of an established scholar who has made significant scholarly contributions to the field of international and intercultural communication. This award annually recognizes an IICD member for their lifetime career achievement in the field of international and intercultural communication.

 

A nomination packet must include the following:

 

• A 1-2 single-spaced page nomination letter that includes the nominee’s scholarly contributions to the field of international and intercultural communication and makes a persuasive case for the award, and confirms the nominee is currently an IICD member;
• Two additional letters of support; and
• The nominee’s most current CV.

 

Please submit all materials to the NCA awards portal.

 

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Early Career Award

 

This award is given annually to an IICD member who is at the early-career stage (no more than six years past receipt of the doctoral degree) and who has already made significant scholarly impact to the field of international and intercultural communication. The award committee evaluates the contributions and promise of an IICD early-career scholar on the strength of their work and their future scholarly leadership in the field of international and intercultural communication.

 

A nomination packet must include the following:

 

• A 1-2 single-spaced page nomination letter that includes the nominee’s scholarly contributions to the field of international and intercultural communication and makes a persuasive case for the award, and confirms the nominee is currently an IICD member;
• Two additional letters of support; and
• The nominee’s most current CV.

 

Please submit all materials to the NCA awards portal.

 

Please consider submitting nominations for the Interpersonal Communication Division awards. Winning scholars and scholarship will be celebrated during our business meeting at the Annual Convention. We welcome nominations from scholars across the Interpersonal Communication Division. We especially encourage nominations for research that serves marginalized identities and underrepresented populations, is authored by scholars whose work is underrepresented in interpersonal communication studies, work that makes connections beyond our division, engaged and applied scholarship, and research that draws from qualitative and/or artistic methods.

 

You may view the rubrics used by the award committees at the following link:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XkSXqvg24ZNr1KA3L5yWFUlQEdRacqJg/view

 

Send questions via email to:

Dr. Sandra L. Faulkner

Immediate Past Chair, Interpersonal Communication Division

sandraf@bgsu.edu

 

Outstanding Thesis Award

 

This award honors the most outstanding MA thesis in interpersonal communication completed in the prior two-year period. To be eligible for the award given in 2025, the nominee must have successfully defended and deposited their thesis between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024. At the time of the award, the author of the thesis must be a member of the Interpersonal Communication Division of NCA. The selection committee will judge the thesis based upon the quality of the scholarship, including its conceptual or theoretical foundation, methodological rigor, originality and creativity, substantive contribution, and potential impact in the field. The award will be presented at the Interpersonal Communication Division’s annual business meeting at the NCA convention. The award winner will receive a plaque and a cash award.

 

The following materials are required for nomination: (a) a nomination letter, which may come from the advisor of the thesis, a member of the student’s committee, or a professional colleague, and must contain full contact information for the nominator including name, phone number, mailing address, and email address; (b) full contact information for the nominee and proof of completion of the thesis along with the defense date; (c) a one-page abstract of the thesis; and (d) a representative chapter, selected sections of the thesis, OR a paper distilling it, up to 30 (double-spaced) pages maximum, excluding references, tables, and figures. A nomination for this division award does not preclude the project from being nominated for awards in other divisions. Please submit via the NCA awards portal.

 

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Outstanding Dissertation Award

 

This award honors the most outstanding doctoral dissertation in interpersonal communication completed in the prior two-year period. To be eligible for the award given in 2025, the nominee must have successfully defended and deposited their dissertation between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024. At the time of the award, the author of the dissertation must be a member of the Interpersonal Communication Division of NCA.

 

The selection committee will judge the dissertation based upon the quality of the scholarship, including its conceptual or theoretical foundation, methodological rigor, originality and creativity, substantive contribution, and potential impact in the field. The award will be presented at the Interpersonal Communication Division’s annual business meeting at the NCA convention. The award winner will receive a plaque and a cash award.

 

The following materials are required for nomination: (a) a nomination letter, which may come from the advisor of the dissertation, a member of the student’s committee, or a professional colleague, and must contain full contact information for the nominator, including name, phone number, mailing address, and email address; (b) full contact information for the nominee and proof of completion of the dissertation along with the defense date; (c) a one-page abstract of the dissertation; and (d) a representative chapter, selected sections of the dissertation, OR a paper distilling it, up to 30 (double-spaced) pages maximum, excluding references, tables, and figures. A nomination for this division award does not preclude the project from being nominated for awards in other divisions or for the NCA dissertation award. Please submit the required materials to the NCA awards portal.

 

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Early Career Award

 

This award honors a scholar who is still in the early part of their career yet who has already played an important role in shaping interpersonal communication research. To be eligible for this award, the scholar must be no more than eight years past receipt of the Ph.D. (that is, to be eligible for the award given in 2025, the scholar must have received the Ph.D. after January 1, 2017). The scholar’s body of work must contribute significantly to knowledge of interpersonal communication and show promise for continued contributions. This person must be a member of the Interpersonal Communication Division of NCA at the time of the award.

 

The selection committee will judge a scholar’s contribution and promise based on productivity and the strength of the published work, including its theoretical or conceptual foundation, originality, methodological rigor, and impact. The award will be presented at the Interpersonal Communication Division’s annual business meeting at the NCA convention. The award winner will receive a plaque and a cash award. The following materials are required for the nomination: (a) only one nomination letter is required (self-nominations are strongly encouraged). Nominating letters must indicate how the scholar has contributed to interpersonal communication, including the qualities that are identified in the previous paragraph. The nomination letter must be no longer than two pages; (b) nominations must include the nominee’s vita; (c) nominations must include pdf copies of three representative examples from the nominee’s body of work. The awards committee may select up to two winners, and in the case of more than two exemplary nominees the committee has the opportunity to designate Honorable Mentions. Please submit all nomination materials via the NCA awards portal.

 

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Franklin H. Knower Award

 

This award honors an outstanding article or book chapter, authored or co-authored by a member of the Interpersonal Communication Division, that has made a significant contribution to the field of interpersonal communication. It need not be published in an NCA journal (e.g., publications in other communication, psychology, or close relationships journals are eligible) and must have been published no earlier than 2020.

 

We accept only self-nominations from the author(s). Articles or chapters may be nominated by submitting a pdf copy of the article/chapter and a nomination letter that includes the complete citation information as well as a rationale for the nomination. The award will be presented at the Interpersonal Communication Division’s annual business meeting at the NCA convention where the award winner(s) will receive a plaque. In addition, the article and chapter will be highlighted on the biennial Miller/Knower Award Panel at the NCA convention either in the year it wins the award or in the following year. The committee may select one article and one book chapter for this award.

 

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Gerald R. Miller Award

 

This award honors an outstanding book that has made a significant contribution to the field of interpersonal communication. The work nominated must have been written and/or edited by a member of the Interpersonal Communication Division and published no earlier than 2020. Authored and edited volumes are eligible for consideration, with an award being offered for each category.

 

We accept only self-nominations from the author(s). The awards will be presented at the Interpersonal Communication Division’s annual business meeting at the NCA convention, where the award winners will receive a plaque. In addition, the books will be highlighted on the biennial Miller/Knower Award Panel at the NCA convention either in the year it wins the award or in the following year.

 

Books may be nominated by submitting a letter that includes complete bibliographic citation information and the ISBN number as well as a rationale for the nomination. A pdf copy of the book must also be submitted. If a pdf version is not available, please contact the immediate past chair of the division to work out a way to submit the book.

 

Dissertation of the Year Award

 

The Language and Social Interaction Division of the National Communication Association will recognize an outstanding doctoral dissertation in the field of Language and Social Interaction. Nominations should reflect the division’s focus on situated language usage and social interaction. Analyses of institutional and everyday interaction, interaction in face-to-face and mediated contexts, and interaction within and across diverse linguistic and cultural groups are welcome. Previous awards have gone to studies in discourse and conversation analysis, speech act theory, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, ethnomethodology, and the ethnography of communication. To be eligible for the award, a dissertation must have been officially completed (i.e., filed and defended) during 2024.

 

Nominations should be made by the dissertation advisor or a member of the Language and Social Interaction Division of NCA. Please submit nominations with the following materials:

 

• A nomination letter outlining the justification for the award (may be submitted under separate cover).
• A 500-word (maximum) abstract of the dissertation.
• A PDF Copy of the full dissertation

 

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Outstanding Publication Award for LSI Scholarship Older than 5 Years (a.k.a., “The Old Chestnut Award”)

 

This award is presented to the author(s) of an article, chapter, or monograph in the area of language and social interaction published in a recognized scholarly journal, collection of scholarly papers, or series of scholarly monographs. Any member of the LSI Division may nominate a published work; the senior author must be a member of the LSI Division during the year in which the award is made. Selection criteria shall include scholarly merit, contribution to knowledge in language and social interaction, and impact on the discipline. Studies of an analytical, critical, empirical, philosophical, or theoretical nature are eligible for consideration. Only published works will be considered.

 

To submit a nomination for this award, please include

 

• A one-page letter explaining the significance of the work and the impact it has had on LSI scholarship
• A PDF copy of the work along with the complete citation (IF AVAILABLE).

The Latina/o Communication Studies Division and La Raza Caucus invite open and self-nominations for the following awards:

 

1. Córdova-Puchot Scholar of the Year Award
2. Outstanding Book Award
3. Outstanding Journal Article Award
4. Outstanding Book Chapter Award
5. Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship Award

 

Submission Deadline

 

The submission deadline for all awards is March 15, by 11:59pm Pacific. As with last year, this year all nominations for Interest Group and Caucus awards will be submitted through the NCA awards portal, in accordance with the policy passed by the NCA Executive Committee in 2024.

 

Nominees must be members of NCA and members of the Latina/o Communication Studies Division and La Raza Caucus at the time of nomination and award. The recipients of each award will be honored at the Latina/o Communication Studies Division Business meeting of the annual convention.

 

To submit nominations, please use the following link: https://www.natcom.org/nca-interest-group-awards-call-for-2025-nominations/

 

For any questions about the nomination process, please contact: nomination@natcom.org

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Córdova-Puchot Scholar of the Year Award

 

The Córdova-Puchot Scholar of the Year award recognizes a scholar who has achieved a high level of excellence across the four areas of teaching, research, service, and advocacy. Nominators should consider how nominees are making a space for critical research and activism that aligns with the mission of the Division and Caucus.

 

Application Requirements

 

• A nomination letter.
• An updated curriculum vitae.
• Three letters of recommendation: one letter from a colleague and two letters from current students or students from past classes/institutions.

 

Award Nomination Criteria

 

The nominee demonstrates

 

• Scholarly productivity and holds a reputation as a strong scholar.
• Engagement of issues of communication as they pertain to Latina/o communities.
• Evidence of effective teaching and mentoring of undergraduate and/or graduate students (e.g., through letters).
• Commitment to formal (preferable) or informal service to LCSD or LRC and/or to the broader Latina/o scholarly community.
• Participation in Latina/o communities outside the university setting.
• Advocacy efforts for the support of  Latina/o communities, inside and/or outside of academia, beyond service roles.
• Capacity of a balanced excellence across all four areas: teaching, research, service, advocacy.

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Book of the Year Award

 

Application Requirements

 

• A nomination letter.
• A digital copy of the publication.

 

Award Nomination Criteria

 

Book must

 

• have a publication date from within the past three years (May 2022- May 2025).
• be a single authored or co-authored monograph or edited volume
• significantly advance Latina/o/x Communication Studies research and inquiry (i.e., an area that has been understudied and/or explores new questions).
• break new ground in Latina/o/x Communication Studies theories, methods, and/or praxis (i.e., creating new areas for research that have not yet been explored and/or creating future lines of inquiry).
• substantively engage with matters of Latina/o/x identity and Latinidad (i.e., Avoids claims that universalize and homogenize understandings of Latinidad).
• offer practical and theoretical insight into the lived experiences of Latina/o/x people and/or communities.
• be written in clear, accessible, and evocative style in relation to its intended audience.

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Outstanding Journal Article Award

 

Application Requirements

 

• A nomination letter.
• A digital copy of the publication.

 

Award Nomination Criteria

 

Journal article must

 

• have been published within the past twelve months (May 2024- July 2025).
• if a print article, have a print date of publication between May 2024 and May 2025(i.e., not the date the article appears online).
• if an electronic article, have a date of release online between May 2024-May 2025.
• significantly advance Latina/o/x Communication Studies research and inquiry (i.e., an area that has been understudied and/or explores new questions).
• break new ground in Latina/o/x Communication Studies theories, methods, and/or praxis (i.e., creating new areas for research that have not yet been explored and/or creating future lines of inquiry).
• substantively engage with matters of Latina/o/x identity and Latinidad (i.e., Avoids claims that universalize and homogenize understandings of Latinidad).
• offer practical and theoretical insight into the lived experiences of Latina/o/x people and/or communities.
• be written in clear, accessible, and evocative style in relation to its intended audience.

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Book Chapter Award

 

Application Requirements

 

• A nomination letter.
• A digital copy of the publication.

 

Award Nomination Criteria

 

Book chapter must

 

• have been published within the past twelve months (May 2024-May 2025).
• if a print book chapter, have a print date of publication between May 2024-May 2025 (i.e., not the date the article appears online).
• if an e-book chapter, have a date of release online between May 2024-May 2025.
• significantly advance Latina/o/x Communication Studies research and inquiry (i.e., an area that has been understudied and/or explores new questions).
• break new ground in Latina/o/x Communication Studies theories, methods, and/or praxis (i.e., creating new areas for research that have not yet been explored and/or creating future lines of inquiry).
• substantively engage with matters of Latina/o/x identity and Latinidad (i.e., Avoids claims that universalize and homogenize understandings of Latinidad).
• offer practical and theoretical insight into the lived experiences of Latina/o/x people and/or communities.
• be written style is clear, accessible, and evocative in relation to its intended audience.

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Excellence in Teaching and Mentorship Award

 

Application Requirements

 

• A nomination letter
• A teaching philosophy statement
• Three letters of recommendation: one letter from a colleague and two letters from current students or students from past classes/institutions.

 

Award Nomination Criteria

 

The nominee demonstrates

 

• Mastery of classroom instruction that incorporates new ideas, research, and development, ideally in relation to Latinidad.
• Commitment to equity among students so as to promote cultural awareness as well as to encourage social justice sensibilities.
• Currency in inclusive pedagogy that employs methods, theories, and/or topics from the Communication discipline and/or from the Latina/o Communication Studies Division and La Raza Caucus.
• Evidence of impact upon mentees that develops healthy academic relationships, that stimulates intellectual curiosity, and that establishes disciplinary skillsets so as to foster new teachers, scholars, and practitioners.

Stan D. Tickton Service Award

 

The Mass Communication Division (MCD) of the National Communication Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the Stan D. Tickton Service Award. This award honors exceptional service contributions that advance the mission of NCA, the MCD, and the broader communication discipline. The award recognizes individuals who exemplify excellence in service across various areas, including organizational leadership, professional development, community engagement, and institutional contributions.

 

Award Purpose

The MCD Service Award celebrates individuals whose service efforts demonstrate a lasting and meaningful impact on NCA, MCD, their profession, and/or their community. This recognition reflects the division’s commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration, leadership, and professional growth.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Nominees must meet the following requirements:

 

• Be active members of both NCA and the Mass Communication Division.
• Demonstrate sustained and exemplary service in multiple areas, which may include:
  • NCA and its divisions
  • The communication discipline and profession
  • Community or public service
  • Departmental or university service
  • Self-nominations and nominations by others are both encouraged.

 

Submission Requirements

To submit a nomination, please compile the following materials into a single PDF file:

 

• Nomination Form: Complete the official service award nomination form.
• References: Provide a list of three references, including their names and contact information (reference letters are optional).
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): Include the nominee’s CV, highlighting service-related achievements.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

 

• Originality and significance of service contributions.
• Scope and depth of impact on NCA, MCD, and other communities.
• Evidence of sustained commitment to advancing the goals of the division, the discipline, and beyond.

 

Reviewers will use a standardized rubric to ensure consistency and fairness in the evaluation process.

 

Recognition

The recipient of the Stan D. Tickton Service Award will be recognized at the Mass Communication Division Business Meeting during the NCA Annual Convention. The winner will receive a plaque to commemorate this honor.

 

Contact Information
For questions about the MCD Service Award, please contact:
Dr. Muniba Saleem
Vice Chair-Elect, Mass Communication Division
msaleem@ucsb.edu

 

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Mass Communication Division Teaching Award

 

The Mass Communication Division (MCD) of the National Communication Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the MCD Teaching Award. This award recognizes exceptional teaching contributions that advance the field of mass communication. It honors educators who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to excellence in teaching, innovation, and student engagement.

 

Award Purpose

The MCD Teaching Award celebrates individuals whose teaching efforts have had a meaningful and lasting impact on students, their institution, and the field of communication.

 

Eligibility Criteria

Nominees must meet the following requirements:

 

• Be active members of both NCA and the MCD.
• Have at least 10 years of post-graduate teaching experience.
• Provide evidence of outstanding teaching, which may include:
  • Teaching evaluations and testimonials.
  • Recognition for teaching excellence through awards, merit evaluations, or student acknowledgment.
  • Evidence of innovative teaching practices or impactful mentorship.

 

Self-nominations and nominations by others are encouraged.

 

Submission Requirements

To submit a nomination, compile the following materials into a single PDF file:

 

• Nomination Form: Complete the official teaching award nomination form.
• References: Provide a list of three references, including names and contact information (reference letters are optional).
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): Include the nominee’s CV, highlighting teaching accomplishments.
• Supporting Evidence: Provide documentation that demonstrates the nominee’s teaching excellence, such as:
  • A summary of teaching evaluations.
  • A teaching philosophy statement.
  • Evidence of teaching awards or other recognition.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

 

• Quality and impact of teaching contributions.
• Evidence of teaching excellence through evaluations, testimonials, or formal recognition.
• Commitment to innovation and student engagement.

 

Reviewers will use a standardized rubric to ensure consistency and fairness in the evaluation process.

 

Recognition

The recipient of the MCD Teaching Award will be honored at the Mass Communication Division Business Meeting during the NCA Annual Convention. The winner will receive a plaque to commemorate this achievement.

 

Contact Information
For questions about the MCD Teaching Award, please contact:
Dr. Muniba Saleem
Vice Chair-Elect, Mass Communication Division
msaleem@ucsb.edu

 

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Mass Communication Division Research Award

 

The Mass Communication Division (MCD) of the National Communication Association (NCA) invites nominations for the MCD Research Award, which recognizes outstanding research contributions to the field of mass communication. This award honors exemplary scholarship that enhances our understanding of the structure, content, functions, interpretation, and effects of the complex media environment.

 

Award Purpose

The MCD Research Award celebrates innovative and impactful research that advances the field of mass communication. The division welcomes nominations of works that reflect diverse methodologies, perspectives, and topics relevant to mediated and mass communication.

 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, submissions must meet the following criteria:

 

• The research must have been published between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2024.
• Eligible works include scholarly essays, articles, or book chapters (in print or online) where the lead author is an active NCA Mass Communication Division member.
• Works currently under review or unpublished are not eligible.
• Self-nominations are encouraged.

 

Submission Requirements

Nomination packets should include the following materials consolidated into a single PDF file:

 

• Nomination Letter: Explain the intellectual and academic merit of the research and how it contributes to mass communication scholarship.
• Abstract: Provide a maximum 500-word abstract summarizing the research artifact.
• Publication Copy: Include a full copy of the published essay, article, or book chapter.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

 

• Intellectual quality and methodological rigor of the research.
• Originality and innovation in addressing key issues in mass communication.
• Contribution to advancing mass communication scholarship.

 

Reviewers will use a standardized rubric to ensure fairness and consistency in the evaluation process.

 

Recognition

The award recipient(s) will be honored at the Mass Communication Division Business Meeting during the NCA Annual Convention. The winner will receive a plaque to commemorate their achievement.

 

Contact Information
For questions about the MCD Research Award, please contact:
Dr. Muniba Saleem
Vice Chair-Elect, Mass Communication Division
msaleem@ucsb.edu

TOP PAPER AWARD

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

Since this is the second year the Nonverbal Communication Division is accepting Individual Papers, we intend to award a Top Paper Award and Top Student Paper Award from the submissions received. However, we reserve the right to consider Individual Papers accepted for presentation in other divisions for its Top Paper Awards as well. If you have a paper on nonverbal communication you should consider submitting it to the Nonverbal Division; however, if you submit a paper on nonverbal communication that is accepted in another division, please do the following to help ensure that it can be considered for an award from the Nonverbal Communication Division.

 

Include the word “nonverbal” or related appropriate terms, such as “facial expressions” or “gestures”, in the title of the paper.

 

Contact the Program Planner of the Nonverbal Communication Division (Samantha Shebib, sshebib@uab.edu) with your name and the title of your paper, after you receive notification of the paper’s acceptance in another division.

 

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TOP STUDENT PAPER AWARD

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

Since this is the second year the Nonverbal Communication Division is accepting Individual Papers, we intend to award a Top Paper Award and Top Student Paper Award from the submissions received. However, we reserve the right to consider Individual Papers accepted for presentation in other divisions for its Top Paper Awards as well. If you have a paper on nonverbal communication you should consider submitting it to the Nonverbal Division; however, if you submit a paper on nonverbal communication that is accepted in another division, please do the following to help ensure that it can be considered for an award from the Nonverbal Communication Division.

 

Include the word “nonverbal” or related appropriate terms, such as “facial expressions” or “gestures”, in the title of the paper.

 

Contact the Program Planner of the Nonverbal Communication Division (Samantha Shebib, sshebib@uab.edu) with your name and the title of your paper, after you receive notification of the paper’s acceptance in another division.

 

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Excellence in Nonverbal Pedagogy Award

 

The Nonverbal Communication Division of NCA is seeking submissions for the Excellence in Nonverbal Pedagogy Award to be awarded at the 2025 NCA Convention.  The Excellence in Nonverbal Pedagogy Award is given to any instructor (including all faculty types and graduate student instructors) who submits a college/university-level pedagogical activity or teaching strategy that is selected by the committee as the best submission for that year.

 

Submissions for the Excellence in Nonverbal Pedagogy Award must be one page or less, single-spaced, with no attachments or appendices. This 1-page summary gives an overview of a pedagogical activity or teaching strategy that highlights the instruction of nonverbal communication at the college/university level. The nomination should include (a) a very brief rationale and explanation of the significance of the activity or approach, as well as (b) an explanation of how to implement and debrief the pedagogical experience. The winning pedagogical activity will be archived online and made publicly-available to division members, forming a database of nonverbal classroom activities for the division. Self-nominations are encouraged. Multiple submissions are accepted.

 

The award winner will be notified ahead of the Convention and will receive a plaque at the Nonverbal Communication Division business meeting.

 

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Emerging Scholar Award

 

The Nonverbal Communication Division of NCA is seeking nominations for the Emerging Scholar Award to be awarded at the 2025 NCA Convention.  The Emerging Scholar Award recognizes a new scholar who studies nonverbal communication and whose work shows promise in contributing to our understanding of nonverbal communication. An emerging scholar is defined as either (1) a graduate student currently pursuing a Ph.D. or (2) a scholar who received a Ph.D. no more than 3 years prior to the year in which the award is bestowed.  The emerging scholar’s work must (a) contribute to the field of Nonverbal Communication, (b) show potential to advance our understanding of nonverbal communication in interesting ways, and (c) reveal a commitment to contributing to the discipline through engagement and professional service. Although nominations are open to anyone who shows potential as an emerging scholar in the Nonverbal Communication field, preference is given to members of NCA’s Nonverbal Communication Division. Nomination packets include (a) a single, detailed letter of nomination by a faculty mentor or faculty colleague addressing the aforementioned criteria, (b) the scholar’s vita, and (c) a statement by the scholar of their research and teaching interests in the area of nonverbal communication.

 

The award winner will be notified ahead of the Convention and will receive a plaque at the Nonverbal Communication Division business meeting.

The Organizational Communication Division of NCA invites nominations from Division members for several awards addressing outstanding scholarship, teaching, and service. All nominations will be due by May 15, 2025.

 

The Organizational Communication Division will celebrate up to four research awards for outstanding scholarly monograph, edited volume, textbook, and journal article or book chapter. The service engagement award will honor one member who has demonstrated outstanding teaching and external engagement that has resulted in significant community transformation. Finally, we will grant annual awards for outstanding teachers (at the following four levels of instruction: graduate student instructor, fixed-term faculty, tenure track faculty and tenured faculty), and an award for outstanding mentorship.

 

All award recipients will be announced during the Division business meeting at the 2025 NCA convention in Denver, Colorado. Ideally, award winners should plan to attend the conference in-person to receive their award. If attendance is not possible, please notify the Awards Chair in advance.

 

Please first review (1) the General Eligibility Criteria for Awards and (2) General Instructions for Nomination/Self-Nomination, and then (3) the Specific Selection Criteria and Nomination Procedure of the award for which you would like to submit a nomination. Thank you for your time and your willingness to nominate a colleague or yourself for these Division Awards!

 

General Eligibility Criteria for Awards:

 

The Award Nominee must be an NCA member (i.e., a current member or a member during the eligibility period). If multiple nominees are involved for the award (e.g., multiple authors on a journal article or book), then at least one of the nominees must be a member of NCA.

 

Self-nominations are greatly encouraged for each of the awards.

 

No individual can be nominated for more than TWO submissions for each of the research awards (viz., monograph, edited volume, textbook, journal article/book chapter).

 

For the Outstanding Article or Book Chapter Award, the nominated articles must have been published between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025. To qualify, we will refer to the print date of publication for print journals (i.e., not the date the article appears online) and the date of release online for electronic-only journals.

 

For the Book Awards (viz., monograph, edited volume, textbook), the nominated books must have been published between 2023 and 2025. Books nominated previously, but which did not win earlier, must be re-nominated to be considered for this year’s award.

 

General Instructions for Nomination or Self-Nomination:

 

All nominations and self-nominations should contain a brief nominating statement, where needed, and any required supporting material.

 

Please note that nominating statements for only the teaching, service engagement, and mentorship awards will accompany the awards materials to the reviewers. Nominating statements for the research awards (viz. monograph, edited volume, textbook, journal article/book chapter) will not accompany the research materials to the reviewers and will thus not influence the actual awards selection.

 

Please review the specific instructions for nominating each award below.

 

All questions may be directed to the Division’s Awards Chair, Eric Karikari, at ekarikari@towson.edu.

 

All nominations will be submitted through NCA’s award submission system (https://www.natcom.org/calendar/call-interest-group-award-nominations).

 

The awards system is open now through May 15, 2025.

 

All nominations must be submitted by 11:59 PM PDT on May 15, 2025.

 

Selection Criteria and Nomination Procedure for each Award:

 

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Outstanding Journal Article or Book Chapter Award

 

The Outstanding Journal Article or Book Chapter will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

 

• Groundbreaking: how does it make new and notable advancements both conceptually and theoretically (e.g., how does it demonstrate original and transformative ideas to make a difference in how we think about, research, teach or otherwise “do” organizational communication?)
• Scholarly Rigor: how does it demonstrate scholarly rigor and exemplify the best work in the field? (e.g., if empirical, are the methods, and analysis sound and sophisticated; if theoretical, is the assessment thorough and meticulous?)
• Contribution: how does it make a social and/or practical contribution to the application and/or study of organizational communication?
• Clarity: how is it inclusive of, clear and accessible to diverse audiences?

 

To nominate, please submit (1) a nominating statement and (2) a PDF of the article, to the NCA award system by May 15, 2025.

 

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Outstanding Scholarly Monograph Award

 

The Outstanding Scholarly Monograph will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

 

• Groundbreaking: how does it make new and notable advancements both conceptually and theoretically (e.g., how does it demonstrate original and transformative ideas to make a difference in how we think about, research, teach or otherwise “do” organizational communication?)
• Scholarly Rigor: how does it demonstrate scholarly rigor and exemplify the best work in the field? (e.g., if empirical, are the arguments, methods, and analysis sound and sophisticated; if theoretical, is the assessment thorough and meticulous?)
• Contribution: how does it make a social and/or practical contribution to the application and/or study of organizational communication?
• Clarity: how is it inclusive of, clear and accessible to diverse audiences?

 

Please note that if fewer than three books are nominated in a given year, the award may be held over until the following year.

 

To nominate, please (1) submit a nominating statement to the NCA award system by May 15, 2025, and (2) ask the book publisher to mail physical/hard copies of the book to the Awards Chair and each of the awards selection subcommittee members.

 

Please email the Awards Chair for a list of subcommittee member names and mailing addresses. The physical/hard copies of the books must be received by the members by June 15, 2025. If hard copies are not available, an electronic copy is equally acceptable.

 

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Outstanding Edited Volume Award

 

The Outstanding Edited Volume will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

 

• Groundbreaking: how does it make new and notable advancements both conceptually and theoretically (e.g., how does it demonstrate original and transformative ideas to make a difference in how we think about, research, teach or otherwise “do” organizational communication?)
• Scholarly Rigor: how do the chapters demonstrate scholarly rigor and exemplify the best work in the field? (e.g., if empirical, are the arguments, methods, and analysis sound and sophisticated; if theoretical, is the assessment thorough and meticulous?)
• Contribution: how does it make a social and/or practical contribution to the application and/or study of organizational communication?
• Cohesion and Clarity: how do the chapters connect together to tell a cohesive story about the issue(s) under study? Also, how is the volume inclusive of, clear and accessible to diverse audiences?

 

Please note that the Outstanding Edited Volume Award honors both the editors and the contributing authors to the volume. If fewer than three books are nominated in a given year, the award may be held over until the following year.

 

To nominate, please (1) submit a nominating statement to the NCA award system by May 15, 2025, and (2) ask the book publisher to mail physical/hard copies of the book to the Awards Chair and each of the awards selection subcommittee members.

 

Please email the Awards Chair for a list of subcommittee member names and mailing addresses. The physical/hard copies of the books must be received by the members by June 15, 2025. If hard copies are not available, an electronic copy is equally acceptable.

 

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Outstanding Textbook Award

 

There are specific eligibility criteria to be considered for the Outstanding Textbook Award. These include:

 

• The book’s primary audience should be students, instead of researchers and practitioners, with the bulk of sales coming from undergraduate college courses;
• The book should contain conventional distinguishing features of textbooks, such as discussion questions, classroom activities, learning objectives, keywords and definitions, or case studies;
• The book’s purpose is not to present groundbreaking work that contains new research/information, but to provide overviews and syntheses of previously published theory, research, and strategies for use of such theory/research.

 

Additionally, the book may be designed around special topics or issues, such as organizational communication and ethics in the classroom. Textbook nominations may include first editions or revisions, provided the work has not received the division's book award previously. Once you are satisfied that the nominated book meets the above eligibility criteria, please note the following award selection criteria and the nomination procedure.

 

Selection criteria for the Outstanding Textbook Award are:

 

• Synthesis: how does it provide syntheses of organizational communication theory and research in ways that facilitate students' understandings and analyses of work and other organizational experiences? For example, does it make a difference in how we use organizational communication theory and research to work through everyday organizational issues?
• Originality: how does it demonstrate (1) original frameworks for theory and research presentation, and (2) exemplify the best work of the field?
• Practicality: how does it make a social and/or practical contribution to the application of organizational communication?
• Scholarly Rigor: how does it evidence scholarly rigor? For example, is the assessment and analysis of research and theory thorough and meticulous? e. Accessibility: how does it strive to be clear and accessible to a diverse body of students?
• Utility: how is it amenable (i.e., useful, helpful, efficacious) to/in actual classroom implementation?
• Supplements (if available): how do its supplementary features facilitate the learning process (e.g., formatting, explicit and highlighted definitions of key terms, learning objectives, discussion questions, classroom activities, case studies and spotlights on scholars, workbooks, or websites). Please note that the selection subcommittee will consider the relevance of supplementary features even when they are not directly constructed by the author.
• Diversity: how does it include and address the diversity of people, organizations and organizing practices around the world? This could include attention to, for example, visual and linguistic representation, and citing/using diverse epistemologies.

 

Please note that if fewer than three books are nominated in a given year, the award may be held over until the following year.

 

To nominate, please (1) submit a nominating statement to the NCA award system by May 15, 2025, and (2) ask the book publisher to mail physical/hard copies of the book to the Awards Chair and each of the awards selection subcommittee members.

 

Please email the Awards Chair for a list of subcommittee member names and mailing addresses. The physical/hard copies of the books must be received by the members by June 15, 2025. If hard copies are not available, an electronic copy is equally acceptable.

 

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Outstanding Service Engagement Award

 

The Outstanding Service Engagement Awardee will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

 

• Transformative Impact: how does the nominee exemplify outstanding teaching and external engagement that has resulted in significant community transformation?
• Engagement: how does the nominee demonstrate a commitment to one of the Division’s most valued missions, “to prepare students to participate in their communities and workplaces in a more informed way"?
• Scholarship: how does the nominee demonstrate their extended scholarship beyond the normal demands of the classroom or institutional service to participate in community renewal; and/or economic, political; or social empowerment of minoritized populations?
• Collaboration: how does the nominee demonstrate collaboration with students in ways that foster civic engagement and academic learning?

 

Please note that nominees who are not awarded in any given year will have their nominations carried over into the subsequent year, for an additional two years. In any given year, the selection committee may determine to award more than one nominee.

 

To nominate, please submit the following materials to the NCA awards system by May 15, 2025: with (1) a statement of nomination that addresses the four selection criteria noted above; and (2) No more than 5 supporting documents, such as letters of support and other evidence of community transformation.

 

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Outstanding Teaching Awards

 

An award for Outstanding Teaching will be distributed to individuals in each of the following four categories: one graduate teaching assistant (instructor of record), one fixed-term teacher, one tenure-track teacher, and one tenured teacher.

 

Both the outstanding teaching and mentor award winners will be invited to participate in a teaching and mentoring panel featuring their exemplary contributions at the 2025 National Communication Association Annual Convention in Denver, Colorado from November 20-23, 2025. The panel may be scheduled as early as Thursday, November 20, 2025. We encourage nominators to check with teaching and mentoring nominees to ensure they can attend the panel on the scheduled date and time.

 

There are specific eligibility criteria to be considered for nominees to the Outstanding Teaching Award:

 

• Nominees must have a part-time or full-time teaching assignment at an institute of higher education at the time of nomination.
• This award carries a specific focus on undergraduate courses of organizational communication; however, graduate teaching efforts may also be submitted for consideration.
• The award was created to honor superlative teaching in classes and topic areas related to organizational communication, so that nominations pertaining to classes addressing allied subject matter (e.g., organizational behavior, business communication, professional public speaking) will also be eligible.
• The nomination should come from someone well acquainted with the nominee’s qualifications for the Teaching Award (e.g., prior/current student, colleague who has observed the nominee teach). Self-nominations are also encouraged.

 

Selection criteria for the Outstanding Teachers are based on their ability to:

 

• Address the needs of a variety of students.
• Show evidence of impact on students.
• Incorporate depth and/or breadth of the field of organizational communication in their teaching.
• Demonstrate the incorporation of diverse course design elements.
• Demonstrate leadership in organizational communication pedagogy.
• Engage in a variety of content delivery and/or teaching methods/techniques.

 

Nominees may demonstrate these criteria in a number of ways, including (but not limited to): success teaching a wide variety of students (e.g., adult learners, underrepresented students); cultivating a diverse, inclusive and equitable classroom environment; experience with high-impact educational practices (e.g., learning communities, writing intensive classes, common scholarly experiences, experiential/community-engaged learning); applied focus along with critical inquiry; diffusion of organizational communication pedagogy through, for instance, publications about teaching, leading workshops, and mentoring novice teachers; evidence of incorporating diverse curricular content (e.g., multimedia content, variety of subject matter) or teaching delivery formats (e.g., in-person, online, hybrid, flipped courses); creative course design; and any additional materials that demonstrate their holistic excellence in teaching organizational communication.

 

To nominate, please submit the following materials to the NCA awards system by May 15, 2025: (1) a letter of nomination, not exceeding 850 words, which should address the eligibility and selection criteria listed above; (2) one Course Syllabus (nominees may provide a brief explanation of the course for which they are submitting a syllabus); (3) one Assignment Description along with a rubric or other evaluation mechanism (if available), (4) a current CV from the nominee.

 

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Outstanding Mentorship Award

 

Both the outstanding teaching and mentor award winners will be invited to participate in a teaching and mentoring panel featuring their exemplary contributions at the 2025 National Communication Association Annual Convention in Denver, Colorado from November 20-23, 2025. The panel may be scheduled as early as Thursday, November 20, 2025. We encourage nominators to check with teaching and mentoring nominees to ensure they can attend the panel on the scheduled date and time.

 

There are specific eligibility criteria for nominees to the Outstanding Mentorship Award:

 

• Nominees may demonstrate excellence as a mentor in either formal or informal capacities, for either undergraduate and/or graduate students.
• Nominations are encouraged among all academic ranks (which includes all levels of the professoriate, fixed-term faculty, lecturers, graduate students, and instructors).
• The nomination should come from someone well acquainted with the nominee’s qualifications for the Mentorship Award (e.g., prior/current mentee, colleague who has observed the nominee’s mentorship). Self-nominations are also encouraged.

 

Strong nominations will speak to the qualitative and meaningful impact or influence in the lives of current/former mentees. Selection criteria for the Outstanding Mentor are based on their ability to:

 

• Demonstrate student centeredness in goal setting and attainment.
• Engage in advocacy for student development, equity, access, and inclusion (e.g., curriculum, accommodations, programmatic opportunities).
• Cultivate a culture of inclusiveness with colleagues and students.
• Offer opportunities for students to engage in research, teaching and/or field projects (e.g., faculty research/teaching, community-based projects, student-led research)
• Help students identify, access, and utilize resources and connections throughout the mentoring relationship (e.g., nominating students for awards, facilitating career development, expanding student networking, leading students in service or experiential learning, students have excelled in their academics, won awards due to research, co-authored publications, achieved occupational success)

 

Please note that nominees who are not awarded in any given year will have their nominations carried over into the subsequent year, for an additional two years. In any given year, the selection committee may determine to award more than one nominee.

 

To nominate, please submit the following materials to the NCA awards system by May 15, 2025: (1) Statement of mentorship philosophy and evidence of practice, not exceeding 600 words, which should address the eligibility and selection criteria listed above; (2) one letter of support from a previous mentee who can speak to the criteria.

 

Thank you for celebrating the work of our Organizational Communication Division members. Again, please remember that all nominations will be routed through NCA’s awards system (https://www.natcom.org/calendar/call-interest-group-award nominations). Please direct all questions to the Awards Chair, Eric Karikari, at ekarikari@towson.edu. We look forward to seeing you this year in Denver!!

 

The Peace and Conflict Communication Division (PCCD) recognizes exceptional scholarship through two award categories.

 

The John W. “Sam” Keltner Inspiration Award

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

The John W. “Sam” Keltner Inspiration Award honors the legacy of John W. "Sam" Keltner, founder of the Peace and Conflict Communication Division in 1987. This award was established in 2005 in memoriam to celebrate his enduring contributions to the field and his vision of fostering communication scholarship dedicated to peace and conflict resolution. More about Keltner’s life and work can be found at John W. "Sam" Keltner: A Biography.

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

• All papers submitted to the Peace and Conflict Communication Division will be automatically considered for these awards.
• Preference will be given to submitters who are members of the Peace and Conflict Communication Division (PCCD) and the National Communication Association (NCA) at the time of submission.

 

Submission Requirements

 

• Papers must be submitted through the NCA’s online submission system and designated to the Peace and Conflict Communication Division.
• Papers should conform to NCA’s standard submission guidelines, including formatting and length requirements.
• Submissions must indicate whether the paper is authored by a student or a faculty member. For co-authored papers, at least one author must meet the eligibility criteria.
• No separate applications or processes are required to be submitted for consideration for any of PCCD awards.

 

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Top Student Paper Awards

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

The Top Student Paper Awards recognize outstanding scholarship by students, both undergraduate and graduate. These awards aim to encourage and support emerging scholars in peace and conflict communication.

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

• All papers submitted to the Peace and Conflict Communication Division will be automatically considered for these awards.
• Preference will be given to submitters who are members of the Peace and Conflict Communication Division (PCCD) and the National Communication Association (NCA) at the time of submission.

 

Submission Requirements

 

• Papers must be submitted through the NCA’s online submission system and designated to the Peace and Conflict Communication Division.
• Papers should conform to NCA’s standard submission guidelines, including formatting and length requirements.
• Submissions must indicate whether the paper is authored by a student or a faculty member. For co-authored papers, at least one author must meet the eligibility criteria.
• No separate applications or processes are required to be submitted for consideration for any of PCCD awards.

 

Award Details

 

• Top Student Paper Awards:
  • First Place: $250
  • Second Place: $150
  • Third Place: $100
• John W. “Sam” Keltner Inspiration Award (Top Paper): $250

 

Recipients of these awards will be recognized during the annual PCCD business meeting at the National Communication Association Convention.

 

For questions or additional information, please contact:

 

Erica Knotts
PCCD Chair
knottse@sou.edu

 

We look forward to celebrating your contributions to peace and conflict communication scholarship!

Marie J. Robinson Scholarship Award

 

The Performance Studies Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the Marie J. Robinson Scholarship award. This award seeks to fund the education of a graduate student who has begun to demonstrate their potential to impact the Performance Studies discipline and NCA through written/performed scholarship.

 

Criteria

 

Selection will be based on the applicant's endeavors in Performance Studies, as demonstrated in a variety of venues, including:

 

• Course work
• NCA convention participation
• University and department performances
• Professional performance production
• Publications
• Disciplinary service
• Community-based performance work

 

Eligibility

 

• Applicants must be enrolled in post-graduate education (M.A, M.S., Ph.D., MFA) at an accredited institution, and hold graduate student status at the time of application.
• Applicants’ primary scholarly focus should be on the theory and/or practice of performance studies scholarship.
• Applicants should be members of the NCA Performance Studies Division at time of application.

 

Submission Requirements

 

Compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

• A brief letter of nomination from a faculty advisor.
• Additional letters of faculty and/or supporting materials deemed appropriate by the applicant are welcome.
• A 500-word statement of Performance Accomplishments and Goals, written by the applicant.
• The applicant’s curriculum vitae.

 

Recognition

 

The selected winner(s) of this award will receive an award plaque and a $3800.00 cash prize (split equally among multiple winners), and will be recognized at the Performance Studies Division business meeting during NCA’s annual convention.

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Performance Studies Division, Dr. Andrea Baldwin, baldwin@uhcl.edu.

 

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Doctoral Dissertation Award

 

The Performance Studies Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the Performance Studies Division Doctoral Dissertation Award. This award is meant to acknowledge and reward an outstanding doctoral dissertation in performance studies. In doing so, this award is also meant to incentivize performance studies scholarship and encourage early-career performance studies scholars.

 

The spirit of this award asks all applicants and reviewers to honor and appreciate the diversity of voices, people, and traditions that co-exist in our division. The division–and by extension this award–is committed to diversity, equity, and justice. This award should reflect that commitment.

 

Criteria

 

• In choosing this award, the NCA Performance Studies Division Awards Committee will fully consider the widest possible variety of methods and subject matter.
• Applicants will be evaluated on the follow criteria:
  • Significance and Contribution
  • Methodological Rigor
  • Writing and Argumentation
  • Engagement with the Field
  • Practice-based Considerations (utilized as needed)

 

Eligibility

 

• Eligible dissertations must have been successfully defended in the two years preceding the award.
  • For example, candidates whose degrees were awarded between summer 2021 and spring 2023 would be eligible for the 2023 award.
• Nominees should be members of the NCA Performance Studies Division at time of application.

 

Requirements

 

The nomination packet should include the following materials, complied into a single pdf:

 

• A 500-word (maximum) abstract of the dissertation.
• A 35-page (maximum) sample of the dissertation that the applicant thinks is most representative of the dissertation. The sample should be double-spaced. The page count includes all tables, images, appendices. References are not included in the page count.
• A letter from the dissertation chair and/or other committee member affirming the successful defense of the document and offering a rationale for why the dissertation is worthy of this award.
• Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

 

Recognition

 

The selected winner of this award will receive an award plaque and a monetary award of $50.00, and will be recognized at the Performance Studies Division business meeting during NCA’s annual convention.

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Performance Studies Division, Dr. Andrea Baldwin, baldwin@uhcl.edu.

 

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Distinguished Service Award

 

The Performance Studies Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) Performance invites your nominations for the Distinguished Service Award. This award is the most prestigious award given by the Performance Studies Division to one of its members. This award seeks to honor colleagues who have demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to the Performance Studies Division and

 

Criteria

 

Selection will be based on the applicant's endeavors in Performance Studies, as demonstrated in a variety of venues, including:

 

• NCA convention participation and membership
• NCA membership must be for at least five years
• Demonstrations of Service in Performance Studies at the National and Regional Level
• Demonstrations of Service at the University level
• Community-based performance work
• Demonstrations of Mentorship and discipline wide support
• Excellence in Teaching
• Productions at University/College wide level and beyond.
• Publications

 

Eligibility

 

• Applicants’ primary scholarly focus should be on the theory and/or practice of performance studies scholarship.
• Applicants should be members of the NCA Performance Studies Division at time of application.

 

Submission Requirements

 

Compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

• A brief letter of nomination from a faculty advisor.
• Additional letters of faculty and/or supporting materials deemed appropriate by the applicant are welcome.
• A 500-word statement of Performance Accomplishments and Goals, written by the applicant.
• The applicant’s curriculum vitae.

 

Recognition

 

The selected winner(s) of this award will receive an award plaque and will be recognized at the Performance Studies Division business meeting during NCA’s annual convention.

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Performance Studies Division, Dr. Andrea Baldwin, baldwin@uhcl.edu.

 

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Top Debut Paper in Performance Studies Award

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

The Performance Studies Division (PSD) of NCA invites submissions for the Top Debut paper in Performance Studies Award, which recognizes outstanding scholarship from scholars presenting at NCA for the first time. This award is selected from debut competitive papers submitted to the Performance Studies Division for the annual NCA convention. The recipient(s) will be recognized at the PSD Business Meeting during the convention.

 

Eligibility & Submission Process

 

• Papers must be submitted to NCA Convention Central under the category "Individual Papers (Debut Paper)" for the Performance Studies Division.
• To be considered for the award, authors must:
  • Select "Individual Paper" as the submission type in NCA Convention Central.
  • Include the words "STUDENT PAPER" on the first page of the manuscript.
  • Ensure the submission follows NCA's anonymous peer review process and has not been presented at another conference.
  • The author must not have previously presented a paper at NCA.

 

Evaluation Criteria

 

A panel of reviewers will select the Top Debut Paper recipient(s). Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

 

• Contribution to the Field – Significance and originality of the research.
• Theoretical and Conceptual Rigor – Strength and sophistication of theoretical engagement.
• Methodological Soundness – Clarity and justification of research methods.
• Clarity and Organization – Effectiveness of writing and structure.
• Relevance and Impact – Broader significance to performance studies and communication.
• Engagement with the NCA Conference Theme.

 

Recognition

 

The recipient(s) of the Top Debut Paper in Performance Studies Award will receive formal recognition at the Performance Studies Division Business Meeting during the NCA Annual Convention.

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Performance Studies Division, Dr. Andrea Baldwin, baldwin@uhcl.edu.

 

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Top Paper in Performance Studies Award

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

The Performance Studies Division (PSD) of NCA invites submissions for the Top Paper in Performance Studies Award, which recognizes outstanding scholarship that contributes significantly to the field of performance studies. This award is selected from competitive papers submitted to the Performance Studies Division for the annual NCA convention. The recipient(s) will be recognized at the PSD Business Meeting during the convention.

 

Eligibility & Submission Process

 

• Papers must be submitted to NCA Convention Central under the category "Individual Papers (Competitive Paper)" for the Performance Studies Division.
• To be considered for the award, authors must:
  • Select "Competitive Paper" as the submission type in NCA Convention Central.
  • Include the words "COMPETITIVE PAPER" on the first page of the manuscript.
  • Ensure the submission follows NCA's anonymous peer review process and has not been presented at another conference.
• Performance scripts may be considered if they are accompanied by a scholarly discussion of the conceptual, theoretical, and/or methodological issues addressed by the performance.

 

Evaluation Criteria

 

A panel of reviewers will select the Top Paper recipient(s). Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

 

• Contribution to the Field – Significance and originality of the research.
• Theoretical and Conceptual Rigor – Strength and sophistication of theoretical engagement.
• Methodological Soundness – Clarity and justification of research methods.
• Clarity and Organization – Effectiveness of writing and structure.
• Relevance and Impact – Broader significance to performance studies and communication.
• Engagement with the NCA Conference Theme.

 

Recognition

 

The recipient(s) of the Top Paper in Performance Studies Award will receive formal recognition at the Performance Studies Division Business Meeting during the NCA Annual Convention.

 

For more information, please contact: Chair of the Performance Studies Division, Dr. Andrea Baldwin, baldwin@uhcl.edu.

Publication Award categories are: (1) Distinguished Book with an award of $50, (2) Distinguished Edited Book or Guest Edited Journal Special Issue with an award of $50, (3) Distinguished Book Chapter with an award of $50, (4) Distinguished Journal Article with an award of $50 and (5) Distinguished Dissertation with an award of $50. Only one award per category will be made each year; if no nomination is found adequate, no award will be made that year. One item by an Author may be nominated in any award category each year, but the Author may receive an award for only one award category each year.

 

Nomination Eligibility: (1) Nominees must be members of the National Communication Association, but need not be members of the Philosophy of Communication Division; (2) Nomination of publications by committee members is no permitted during their term of service.

 

A Nomination Dossier shall consist of (1) a letter of nomination (self nomination is permitted); (2) copy of the publication, and (3) any review documents available, e.g., published book reviews. All nomination material must be submitted in PDF file form. In any case where an e-book is not available, three print copies must be submitted. Nominations and/or books sent directly from the publisher’s marketing department will not be accepted.

 

Top Student Paper Award 

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

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Top Paper Award

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

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Outstanding Service to the Division

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

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Roderick P. Hart Outstanding Book Award

 

Roderick P. Hart Outstanding Book Award Committee: Jennifer Stromer-Galley (Chair), Carol K. Winkler, and AJ Bauer

 

One award may be given to the author(s) of an outstanding scholarly book. Neither textbooks nor edited collections are eligible. Books published within a two-year period preceding the annual award will be eligible for consideration (i.e., 2023-2024 publications are eligible for the 2025 annual award).

 

Self-nominations for the book award are encouraged.

 

The following materials must be submitted:

 

• A nomination letter that clearly explicates how the book makes, or promises to make, a significant contribution to political communication scholarship. In addition, nomination letters should specify which single chapter is best representative of the nominated book. Copies of book reviews may be included with the nomination letter.
• A digital copy of the book

 

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Michael Pfau Outstanding Article Award

 

Michael Pfau Outstanding Article Award Committee: Matthew Barnidge (Chair), Nicholas Anspach, and Karrin V. Anderson

 

One award may be given to the author(s) of an outstanding scholarly essay. Articles published within a two-year period preceding the annual award will be eligible for consideration (i.e., 2023-2024 publications are eligible for the 2025 award). Self-nominations for the article award are encouraged.

 

The following materials must be submitted:

 

• A nomination letter that clearly explicates how the article makes, or promises to make, a significant contribution to political communication scholarship.
• A digital copy of the article

 

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Lynda Lee Kaid Outstanding Dissertation Award

 

Lynda Lee Kaid Outstanding Dissertation Award Committee: Mary Stuckey (Chair), Diana Zulli, Nana Kwame Osei Fordjour, and Ekaterina Romanova

 

One award may be given to the author of an outstanding doctoral dissertation. Eligible dissertations must have been successfully defended in the two years preceding the award (i.e., candidates whose degrees were awarded between summer 2023 and spring 2024 are eligible for the 2025 award).

 

The dissertation nomination packet should include the following materials:

 

• A 500-word (maximum) abstract of the dissertation
• An article-length report of the dissertation study (32 double-spaced pages maximum, including title page, tables, figures, appendices, and references) OR a selection from the dissertation that the applicant thinks is most representative of the study (32 double-spaced pages maximum)
• A letter of support from the nominee’s dissertation advisor or other member of the dissertation committee certifying the successful defense of the dissertation and a rationale for why the dissertation is deserving of the award

The Public Address New Horizons Award

The Public Address Division’s New Horizons Award honors a current member of the division whose work has marked a new horizon for Public Address as given in their research, service, and/or community outreach. By “new horizon” this award specifically seeks advanced-career stage applicants whose work has effected a more equitable, just community of scholars and scholar-activists, whose commitment to transforming public address is demonstrated by their amplifying of multiply raced and gendered scholars and scholar-activists, and who have facilitated the inclusion of non-western and disabled scholars and scholarship. Although this award is reserved for faculty, applicants of all ranks and job classes are invited to apply: This award equally valorizes the work of those who fall under the heading of non-tenured, adjunct, contract, tenure-stream, junior faculty, and senior faculty.

 

We recognize that the study of public address has often privileged the study of hegemonic figures, groups, methods, and rhetorics. Therefore, we encourage scholars whose position, scholarship, and/or topic areas expand beyond these historical limitations to submit their work for consideration.

 

This award is the counterpart to the PAD Emerging Scholar Award, and is unique in its emphasis on mid- and late-stage career scholars.

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

Eligible nominees for this award must be:

 

• A mid- or late- career scholar.
• A current member of the Public Address Division at the time of receipt.

 

Evaluative Criteria

 

Submissions will be evaluated on:

 

• The nominee’s clear and impressive record of scholarly research.
• The nominee’s record of contributing significantly to future directions of Public Address through their scholarship, teaching, and/or community-engaged work.
• The nominee’s record of challenging disciplinary hegemonies and/or their expansion of the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and areas of scholarship that have historically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope.

 

Submission Requirements

 

Compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

• A letter of nomination. Self-nominations are encouraged.
• A current Curriculum Vitae.
• One recent writing sample that represents the current trajectory of the candidate’s scholarly work.
• (Optional) Letters of support for the candidate’s nomination for the award. No more than two letters, please. These will be considered by the award committee but will not be used as a deciding factor in the committee’s selection of the awardee. Letters of nomination should address:
  • The nominee’s clear and impressive record of scholarly research,
  • The nominee’s potential to contribute significantly to future directions of Public Address through their scholarship, teaching, and/or community-engaged work.
  • The nominee’s record of challenging of disciplinary hegemonies and/or expansion of the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and areas of scholarship that have historically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope.

 

Award Details

 

The winner of this award will receive a plaque.

 

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The Public Address Emerging Scholar Award

 

The Public Address Division’s Emerging Scholar Award honors an early career member of the division who has developed an innovative and robust research project that challenges public address’ disciplinary hegemonies and/or expands the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and scholarship that have typically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope. Recognizing that public address has often privileged the study of hegemonic figures, groups, methods, and rhetorics, this award highlights scholars whose position, scholarship, and/or topic areas expand beyond these historical limitations. This award is the counterpart to the PAD New Horizons Award and is unique in its emphasis on early career scholars and scholarship.

 

Eligibility Criteria 

 

Eligible nominees for this award must be:

 

• An early career scholar within 8 years of having earned the Ph.D. degree (no earlier than 6 years prior to the convention where the award will be presented).
• A current member of the Public Address Division at the time of receipt.

 

Evaluative Criteria 

 

Submissions will be evaluated on:

 

• The nominee’s clear and impressive record of scholarly research.
• The nominee’s potential to contribute significantly to future directions of Public Address through their scholarship, teaching, and/or community-engaged work.
• The nominee’s record of challenging disciplinary hegemonies and/or their expansion of the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and areas of scholarship that have historically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope.

 

Submission Requirements

 

Compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

• A letter of nomination. Self-nominations are encouraged.
• A current Curriculum Vitae.
• One recent writing sample that represents the current trajectory of the candidate’s scholarly work.
• (Optional) Letters of support for the candidate’s nomination for the award. No more than two letters, please. These will be considered by the award committee but will not be used as a deciding factor in the committee’s selection of the awardee.

 

Award Details

 

The winner of this award will receive plaque.

 

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The Marie Hochmuth Nichols Award

 

The Public Address Division’s Marie Hochmuth Nichols Award honors individuals who have made significant scholarly contributions to the study of public address. The Public Address Division of NCA solicits nominations for the Marie Hochmuth Nichols Award, honoring outstanding published monograph-length scholarship in public address.

 

Marie Hochmuth Nichols was the 55th President of the Speech Association of America (now the National Communication Association) in 1969, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Speech from 1962 to 1965, and recipient of the Speech Communication Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 1976. Her scholarship concentrated on rhetorical theory, as she introduced the field to Kenneth Burke and I. A. Richards, and the criticism of public address. A list of previous Nichols Award recipients may be viewed at the PAD website (https://www.natcom.org/public-address-division-0).

 

We recognize that the study of public address has often privileged the study of hegemonic figures, groups, and rhetorics. Therefore, we encourage scholars whose position and/or scholarship expands beyond these historical limitations to submit their work for consideration.

 

Eligibility Criteria:

 

Eligible nominees for this award must be:

 

• A current member of NCA’s Public Address Division
• An author or co-author of a peer-reviewed scholarly book published in 2024, originally written in English or translated into English from other languages

 

Evaluative Criteria 

 

Submissions will be evaluated on:

 

The importance of the work in extending or altering our understanding of public address and/or rhetorical practice;

 

• Originality;
• Quality of research;
• Intellectual creativity;
• Quality of writing

 

Submission Requirements 

 

Compile the following into an electronic submission:

 

• An electronic copy of the work being nominated should be submitted. If a paper copy of the book must be submitted, please submit three copies to the committee chair listed below; unfortunately, these cannot be returned.

  Thomas R. Dunn, Committee Chair
  1783 Campus Delivery
  Colorado State University
  Fort Collins, CO 80525

• Nomination letters are no longer part of the nomination process. However, nominees are welcome to provide a brief letter introducing themselves and the work as well as their wish to be considered for this award.

 

Award Details

 

The winner of this award will receive a plaque.

 

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The Benson-Campbell Dissertation Proposal Research Award

 

The Public Address Division’s Benson-Campbell Dissertation Proposal Research Award honors the scholarly contributions of Thomas Benson and Karlyn Kohrs Campbell by recognizing outstanding promise in doctoral research in rhetoric and public address. Recognizing that public address has often privileged the study of hegemonic figures, groups, methods, and rhetorics, this award welcomes scholars whose position, scholarship, and/or topic areas expand beyond these historical limitations.

 

Eligibility Criteria

 

The award committee considers dissertation proposals/prospectuses rather than completed dissertations. Proposals should have an anticipated dissertation completion date of no later than August 2026. Submission materials should indicate when the dissertation will be completed. Given that many Ph.D. granting programs do not require a proposal/prospectus defense, applicants are not required to attest to a scheduled proposal defense.

 

Evaluative Criteria

 

Using the following criteria, proposals will be evaluated based on how the proposed project challenges disciplinary hegemonies and/or expands the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and scholarship that have historically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope:

 

• The originality of the proposal
• Significance of the potential findings
• Contribution to (and beyond) the theory, history, or criticism of public address
• Appropriateness and/or innovation of the research design and method

 

Submission Requirements

 

Compile the following into a single PDF file:

 

• A 7-10 page summary of the dissertation proposal prospectus.
• A statement by the nominee about the progress of the dissertation to date, as well as the anticipated dissertation defense date.
• A letter of support from the nominee's dissertation advisor or a committee member confirming that the nominee has completed their dissertation proposal/prospectus meeting and/or has successfully defended the proposal/prospectus. The dissertation advisor’s letter should also provide a rationale for why the nominee should receive the award. These letters may be submitted to bensoncampbellaward@gmail.com under separate cover.

 

Award Details 

 

A plaque and a $500 award (or two $250 awards) will be presented at the Public Address Division business meeting during the 2025 NCA convention.

Top Student Paper Award

 

NOMINATIONS ONLY ACCEPTED THROUGH CONVENTION CENTRAL

 

Complete student submissions (including an Individual Paper OR an Innovations in Practice Extended Abstract) will be considered for a Top Student Paper award. This honor includes a monetary award of $100 and the designation as a Top Student Paper in the division’s 2024 convention program.

 

Submission requirements:

 

Please indicate on the title page and in the relevant check box on NCA Convention Central if the paper is student authored. (Please note that this designation means that all authors are students.) Student submissions are eligible to be considered for Top Student Paper awards.

 

 

For additional information, please contact either:

 

Justin Reedy, PD3 chair, jreedy@ou.edu

Don Waisanen, PD3 vice-chair and 2025 program planner, Don.Waisanen@baruch.cuny.edu

Hello NCA PRD members,

 

NCA PRD invites you to nominate books and articles for the NCA Public Relations Division’s annual PRIDE awards.

 

Nominations are welcome for outstanding journal article, outstanding book or monograph, and outstanding contribution to public relations education. Any member of the NCA Public Relations Division may submit nominations or self-nominations. All submissions should have a clear focus on public relations.

 

Please submit all nominations by midnight, May 15, 2025. Please note: this year’s deadline is much earlier due to changes in NCA's requirements.

 

The awards will be presented at the annual convention of the National Communication Association NCA conference in Denver, Colorado, during the PRD Business Meeting.

 

Previous award winners’ articles and books have proven to be some of the most important works in the field. The PRIDE awards date back to at least 1989 and are designed to recognize achievement in public relations research and education.

 

Award decisions are made by a panel of five judges that include the immediate past chair of the division (Laura Lemon), who also chairs the committee, and four other members nominated and elected by the division (this year’s committee: Luke Capizzo, Michael Palenchar, Gayle Pohle, and Nur Uysal).

 

The committee automatically reviews all articles from the previous year published in Public Relations Review, Journal of Public Relations Research, and Public Relations Journal but accepts nominations and considers public relations articles published in other journals. The committee’s primary focus is on works from NCA Public Relations Division members.

 

The PRIDE Awards cover articles or books that were published during the time period from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. Only published articles may be considered; articles that are still “in press,” etc., should not be submitted for consideration until they are actually published.

 

To nominate or self-nominate an article, please upload a copy of the article being nominated (for journals other than those mentioned above) to NCA’s platform. Please include a short note in support of the article and explain why it should be considered.

 

To nominate or self-nominate a book, please submit your nomination to NCA’s platform. Provide a short note in support of the book and explain why it should be considered. In addition, please contact the author(s) and ask him/her/them to contact their publisher and arrange to have copies sent to the PRIDE committee members or send them yourself. Paper copies are preferred. Books are not returned. Please contact Laura Lemon (lemon@apr.ua.edu) to obtain the mailing addresses of the committee members.

 

To nominate or self-nominate outstanding contributions to public relations education, please submit the nomination via NCA’s platform. This category of the PRIDE award may be used to recognize an influential text or to recognize lifetime achievement in public relations education. For texts, please provide a description of the text and its contributions to public relations education and arrange for copies of the text to be sent to the PRIDE committee. For individuals, please provide a description of why the individual is worthy of the PRIDE lifetime achievement award.

 

We look forward to your participation and reading the great scholarship our PRD members produce!

 

The 2025 Pride Committee Members,

 

Laura Lemon - The University of Alabama

Luke Capizzo - Michigan State University

Michael Palenchar - University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Gayle Pohle - University of Northern Iowa

Nur Uysal - DePaul University

The Rhetorical and Communication Theory Division of NCA invites nominations for the New Investigator Award, the Faculty Mentorship Award, and the Rhetorical and Communication Theory Fellowship.

 

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New Investigator Award

 

The New Investigator Award honors a current member of the division who has established an innovative and robust research project within eight years of having earned the Ph.D. degree (no earlier than May 2017). New Investigator nominees should have a clear and impressive record of scholarly research, and they should exhibit the potential to contribute significantly to the field in the areas of rhetorical and/or communication theory. Self-nominations are welcome.

 

A complete nomination file for the New Investigator Award should include: (1) a letter of nomination that outlines the nominee’s credentials; and (2) the nominee’s curriculum vitae. In addition, letters of support are welcome but optional.

 

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Daniel C. Brouwer Faculty Mentorship Award

 

The Daniel C. Brouwer Faculty Mentorship Award is intended to publicly recognize the considerable time and energy that particular teachers and scholars may devote to helping others succeed in our profession. Their typically unrecognized informal efforts are vital to maintaining the strength and vitality of the faculty community that comprises the RCT Division. The award recipient must be a member of the RCT Division.

 

Nominations for the Faculty Mentorship Award must include: (1) A formal nomination letter summarizing the nominee's qualifications as an exemplary professional mentor; (2) Two supporting letters from former students and/or colleagues in the field who are able to comment on the effectiveness of the nominee as a professional mentor; (3) A current copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae.

 

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Rhetorical and Communication Theory (RCT) Fellowship

 

The Rhetorical and Communication Theory (RCT) Fellowship is intended to highlight innovative, exemplary, and/or socially significant work in rhetorical and communication theory. It may be awarded to an individual or a group and highlight a project related to research, teaching/mentorship, and/or service of the nominee. Nominees should demonstrate lasting impact on the discipline and a community outside the discipline (campus, community organization, etc.). Nominees should also explain how they engage underrepresented communities in the implementation and impact of their projects.

 

The fellowship recipient will be selected via a two-part selection process. First, the nominee will submit a brief justification for their nomination (1-3 paragraphs). Second, the RCT Awards Committee will follow up with those who are eligible for additional details (CV, letters of nomination, evidence of impact, further justification) for the top 3 people under consideration for the award. Selection will be made according to the criteria for the award. This fellowship lasts for one year (NCA 2025 to NCA 2026).

 

There are no age, rank, or tenure requirements for this award. Priority is given to scholars whose work has demonstrable impact on broader communities (including outside academia). Consideration is given to impact in the areas of teaching, service, or research, opening opportunities for more scholars across different kinds of higher education institutions to be recognized for their contributions.

 

The fellow will receive recognition throughout the year, including a speaking opportunity at NCA (full panel slot) to use however they choose. At the end of their 1-year fellowship, a video feature and promotion, and an email/social media feature will be promoted through RCT.

The current leadership of the NCA Spiritual Communication Division is delighted to announce its annual division Distinguished Scholarship Awards.

 

Nominations are invited for work published, copyrighted, or defended between July 2024 - May 2025.

 

We are particularly interested in nominations for scholarship and action that center spiritual communication that elevates marginalized communities such as 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, refugees and asylum seekers, disabled and/or neurodivergent people, communities from the Global South, and so on. Inquiries should be intentionally intersectional and interrogate systems/structures of oppression while keeping with the theme.

 

We define spirituality and spiritual awareness as concepts in relation to the pathways through which individuals and groups make sense of the uncertainties and mysteries of everyday life, present and perform those pathways through activism, community engagement, and service to groups and broader cultural populations. In particular, we look for arguments and action that seek to unify diverse communities through the recognition of our interconnectedness, or challenge and question arguments and action that incite disharmony across cultural, spiritual, and ideological boundaries. We also encourage contributions from those promoting templates for examining and attempting to live a meaningful life through myriad experiences, practices, beliefs, and traditions.

 

Past winning submissions have included critiques and dialogs related to anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, mindfulness practices, LGBTQIA+ experiences, spiritual and environmental harmony, and the interconnectedness of human experience. We encourage submissions that challenge traditional notions of religion, politics, and ideology as well as those focused on harmonious experiences between mind, body, and spirit.

 

Awards will be given in the following categories:

 

• Outstanding Article (single-authored or co-authored)
• Outstanding Book (single-authored or co-authored)
• Outstanding Book (edited or co-edited)
• Outstanding Book Chapter (single-authored or co-authored)
• Outstanding Community Activism/Engagement/Service Award
• Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation
• Outstanding Master's Thesis
• Outstanding Mentor Award
• Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship

 

Submissions for the Community Activism/Engagement/Service and Outstanding Mentor awards should include:

 

• A nomination letter outlining justification for the award

 

Submissions for scholarship awards should include the following:

 

• A nomination letter outlining justification for the award
• The work itself (for details see immediately below):
  • Nominations for the authored or edited book awards should include three (3) copies of the complete work, or, if available, a PDF of the book.
  • Please feel free to contact your publisher to send book copies directly to the programmer.
• Nominations for all other awards (article, book chapter, dissertation, thesis, undergraduate scholarship) should submit a PDF the work.

 

Depending on the budget, the awardees may receive a monetary prize and/or a certificate.

 

If you have any questions, please contact the division’s program planner.

 

Marianne Vanderbeke

marianv@bgsu.edu

The NCA Training and Development (T&D) Division invites self- and other nominations for the 2025 annual awards. All awards recognize service to the Division and accomplishments in the Training & Development Field beyond the Division in one or more of the following areas: theory, research, teaching, service, and practice.  We welcome candidates who have made diverse impacts across various areas, including pure academics, pure practitioners, and hybrid academic practitioners, with no bias towards a particular category.

 

An individual earning one of the four primary T&D Awards (i.e., Lifetime Achievement, Professional Achievement, Ross Brinkert Rising Star, or Outstanding Service) may only receive one (1) award per year, meaning an individual is not eligible for an additional primary award until three (3) years have passed (e.g., a recipient in year one cannot receive an additional award until year four). Comparatively, Graduate Student Awards are presented annually (i.e., Exceptional Graduate Student Service Award & Top Dissertation Award in Training & Development), and there is no delay in eligibility between receiving a graduate award and a primary award. In other words, an individual may receive a Graduate Student Award and a Primary Award in the same year or subsequent years.

 

Nominations should be submitted to the NCA website by Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PST. Please include a nomination letter of no more than two (2) pages explaining how the nominee deserves the award. In addition, the nominee’s current CV or resume is not required, but strongly encouraged. You can review the T&D Division’s award history and past award recipients here.

 

This year, the division will accept nominations for five (5) awards:

 

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Lifetime Achievement Award

 

Criteria:

 

• Given bi-annually as deemed by the awards committee.
• A member of the division for at least 10 years.
• Awarded for achievements across a T&D career of at least 20 years.
• Most importantly, awarded for achievements widely recognized as at the pinnacle of the communication-based T&D field and leaving a legacy strongly supportive of others in the field.

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Ross Brinkert Rising Star Award

 

Criteria:

 

• A member of the division for at least two (2) years.
• Awarded to an individual in the early stages of their T&D career.
• Awarded for T&D achievements completed in the previous two (2) to five (5) years.

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Outstanding Service Award

 

Criteria:

 

• A member of the division for at least two (2) years.
• Awarded for division service achievements completed in the previous two (2) to five (5) years.

 

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Exceptional Graduate Student Service Award

Criteria:

 

• A graduate student member of the division for at least one (1) year.
• Awarded for training and development related achievements as a graduate student in the previous two (2) years.

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Top Dissertation Award in Training & Development

 

Criteria:

 

• A member of the division for at least one (1) year.
• Awarded for exceptional graduate dissertations expressing excellence in Training and Development related topic areas, research and/or applications completed in the previous five (5) years.

 

NOTE: Current awards committee members are not eligible for these awards. The current awards committee is Dr. Amanda Slone, Dr. Greg Patton, Dr. John Burk, Shelley Larson, and Dr. Leanna Hartsough. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Amanda Slone at amanda.slone@uky.edu.

 

The NCA Master’s Education Section invites submissions for three (3) awards to be presented at the 2025 Convention in Denver.

 

Outstanding Mentor in Master’s Education Award

 

Since 2008, the Master's Education Section of the National Communication Association has awarded the Outstanding Mentor in Master's Education.

 

Nominees must have established strong contributions to Master's education in communication. Master's-level contributions may include (but are not limited to) outstanding teaching, curriculum design, assessment design, capstone advising, program design, research advising, and career advising.

 

An individual may only receive this award once every five years.

 

Past winners include Drs. Andrew Ledbetter, Karrin Vasby Anderson, Stephen Hunt, Ryan Neville-Shepard, Natalie Pennington, Heather Woods, and Scott Varda.

 

Nominees should be members of the NCA Master's Education Section.

 

Please submit the following for each nominee:

 

1. Contact information for nominee
2. Contact information for nominator
3. Letter of nomination highlighting nominee's contributions to Master's education
4. Nominee's CV
5. Two additional letters of support highlighting the nominee's contributions to Master's education.

 

Letters from colleagues and students are encouraged.

 

Nominations for 2025 awards must be received by May 15^th, 2025.

 

Please submit the required nomination documents for the 2025 MES Outstanding Mentor in Master's Education Award via the NCA submission portal.

 

Both nominations and self-nominations are encouraged.

 

Awards will be presented at the 2025 NCA Convention Master’s Education Section business meeting. The winner will need to be an active NCA member at time of award.

 

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Top Master’s Thesis Awards

 

 Established in 2007, the Top Master's Thesis Awards recognize outstanding Master's degree theses completed and defended during the last three academic years (i.e., defense dates no earlier than May 15^th, 2022). The thesis must be successfully defended prior to May 15^th, 2025. Theses defended after this date should be submitted for an award starting next year. Theses are categorized by method with up to one award each for a rhetorical/critical study, a social scientific quantitative study, and a social scientific qualitative study.

 

Theses will be evaluated for quality of research, writing, and their contribution to the field of communication. Theses may cover any communication-oriented topic and need not specifically address Master's education pedagogy or procedures.

 

Either the nominee or the nominator should be a member of the NCA Master's Education Section. The nominator must be a faculty member who was on the thesis committee, and should submit the following:

 

1. A cover letter written by the thesis advisor or committee member. The letter should specify whether the thesis should be considered for the rhetorical, qualitative, or quantitative thesis award (please note that we do not offer a mixed methods award, so please specify the method that best fits the thesis).
2. An electronic copy of the complete thesis (Adobe PDF and/or a Microsoft Word .doc or .docx files only).
3. A report or summary of the thesis written by the student which describes (a) significance/importance of the thesis, (b) the research questions/ hypotheses/ arguments, (c) the methods or approach, (d) the findings/conclusions and/or implications. When writing your summary, please keep in mind that your audience may not have specialized knowledge about your area of research. The goal is to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively so that anyone, regardless of specific research background, can understand your project. The report shall not exceed 5 double-spaced pages, excluding references and appendices.
4. Contact information for both the nominator and the nominee.

 

Nominations for 2025 awards must be received by May 15^th, 2025.

 

Please submit the required nomination documents for the 2025 MES Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award via the NCA submission portal.

 

Awards will be presented at the 2025 NCA Convention Master’s Education Section business meeting. Winners will need to be active NCA members at time of award.

 

Each winner of the three categories will receive a cash award.

 

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Outstanding Master’s Degree Program Award

 

This award recognizes a Master's degree program that demonstrates excellent quality in developing research, teaching, and mentoring students in their personal and professional growth.

 

The program receiving this award must not have received it within the previous five years and must not have a directly affiliated doctoral program.

 

Previous winners include Baylor University, Syracuse University, University of Arkansas, Texas State University, Villanova University, Texas Christian University, Illinois State University, the University of North Texas, and California State University, Sacramento.

 

All pages of the nomination packet shall be numbered and have a header identifying the name of the program/department being nominated.

 

Nomination packets should include the following:

 

1. A cover letter written by the nominator identifying the ways in which the program is innovative and excellent in Master's education.
2. Appropriate documentation and written materials supporting the excellence of the program. Appropriate materials may include (but are not limited to or required):

• a list of recent MA/MS graduates and their current affiliations or occupations
• a list of student awards and publications
• a list of faculty and courses taught
• highlights from a recent program external review
• copies of noteworthy media coverage written, recorded, and/or published outside of the institution
• descriptions of innovative programs, community engagement and projects, and/or external affiliations
• descriptions of degree completion requirements and options (examinations, thesis, non-thesis, internships, etc.)
• up to two letters of support from current or former students

3. Two letters of recommendation from individuals outside of the Master's degree program who have not been affiliated with it within the last five (5) academic years.

 

Nominations for 2025 award must be received by May 15^th, 2025.

 

Submit the required nomination documents for the 2025 MES Outstanding Master’s Degree Program Award via the NCA submission portal.

 

Awards will be presented at the 2025 NCA Convention Master’s Education Section business meeting.

Please consider submitting nominations for the Student Section awards, which will be celebrated at our 2025 meeting in Denver. We encourage self-nominations, peer nominations, and faculty nominations. Current officers of the Student Section may not be nominated for an award. Nominees must be current students at time of nomination. Criteria for each award is outlined below. Awards will be selected by the Award Committee, chaired by the Past Chair of the Student Section, based on the criteria below and supporting documents provided.

 

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Graduate Student Teaching Award

 

The Graduate Student Teaching Award recognizes outstanding graduate instructors at all levels of post-secondary education. This award celebrates the accomplishments of excellent graduate student instruction and recognizes that teaching Communication Studies is a foundational step in one’s graduate career. The Award Committee will select the winner based on proof of teaching innovation, creativity, originality, rigor, and impact. To be considered, nomination materials should include:

 

Eligibility: 

 

• Teaching assistants, recitation/lab/section instructors, and instructors of record, and graduate students at all levels (MA, PhD, EdD, etc.).
• Must have held student or candidate status in the 2024-2025 academic year.

 

Supporting Documents:

 

• Full contact information for nominee, including name, phone number, and email address.
• CV/Resume
• Teaching Philosophy (1000 words max)
• Record/Proof of Teaching Excellence (including but not limited to evaluations, certifications, sample teaching documents, etc.)
• Two nomination letters (one from a student [peer or undergrad] and one from a faculty/staff). Letters must contain full contact information for the nominators including name, phone number, and email address.
• Any other supporting documents that would show evidence of teaching excellence

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Graduate Student Research Award

 

The Graduate Student Research Award recognizes outstanding graduate student research. This award celebrates the accomplishments of excellent graduate student research and recognizes that Communication Studies focused research is a foundational step in one’s graduate career. The Award Committee will select the winner based on innovative or creative research, methodological rigor, authorship, and cohesive research agendas. To be considered, nomination materials should include:

 

Eligibility: 

 

• Graduate students at all levels (MA, PhD, EdD, etc.).
• Must have held student or candidate status in the 2024-2025 academic year.

 

Supporting Documents:

 

• Full contact information for nominee, including name, phone number, and email address.
• CV/Resume
• Research Statement (1000 words max)
• Sample of Research (published preferred, but unpublished/in the process of is accepted)
• Two nomination letters (one from a peer/student and one from a faculty/staff). Letters must contain full contact information for the nominators including name, phone number, and email address.
• Any other supporting documents that would show evidence of research excellence

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Graduate Student Service Award

 

The Graduate Student Service Award recognizes outstanding and dedicated graduate student service to national, regional, state, or local communities within and outside of the discipline. This award celebrates the service of graduate students at all levels of service, and recognizes the work done by students on committees, panels, boards, etc.. This award also celebrates the fortitude, application, and outreach of graduate students, which is foundational to sharing the knowledge from our discipline to the world. The Award Committee will select the winner based on service contributions by the student, populations reached, and innovative or creative applications of knowledge. To be considered, nomination materials should include:

 

Eligibility: 

 

• Graduate students at all levels (MA, PhD, EdD, etc.).
• Must have held student or candidate status in the 2024-2025 academic year.

 

Supporting Documents:

 

• Full contact information for nominee, including name, phone number, and email address.
• CV/Resume
• Statement of Service Work (1000 words max)
• Two nomination letters (one from a peer/student and one from a faculty/staff). Letters must contain full contact information for the nominators including name, phone number, and email address.
• Any other supporting documents that would show evidence of research excellence

 

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Graduate Student Mentorship Award

 

The Graduate Student Research Award recognizes outstanding graduate students mentors for the socialization, mentorship, and comradery provided to other graduate student peers. This award celebrates the compassion, insight, and leadership of graduate students who act as mentors for younger/new graduate students or undergraduate students. The Award Committee will select the winner based on willingness to share knowledge, skills, and expertise, clear interest in mentoring others, ability to provide guidance and constructive feedback, and ability to foster supportive climates/environments for graduate students. To be considered, nomination materials should include:

 

Eligibility: 

 

• Graduate students at all levels (MA, PhD, EdD, etc.).
• Must have held student or candidate status in the 2023-2024 academic year.

 

Supporting Documents:

 

• Full contact information for nominee, including name, phone number, and email address.
• At least three nomination letters (two from a peer/undergraduate student who is a mentee, and one from a faculty/staff who has witnessed mentorship). Letters must contain full contact information for the nominators including name, phone number, and email address.
• Any other supporting documents that would show evidence of mentorship excellence

 

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Graduate Student Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award

 

The National Communication Association defines diversity as a fair and just commitment to equity, access, and inclusion for all persons. The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Award recognizes outstanding graduate student engagement with inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in their research, teaching, and/or service endeavors. This work may reflect the application of communication theories, pedagogy, or direct action to create positive community change. The Award Committee will select the winner based on their demonstrated impact, creativity, and dedication to promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.

 

Eligibility:

 

• Graduate students of all levels (MA, PhD, EdD, etc.).
• Must have held student or candidate status in 2024-2025 academic year.

 

Supporting Documents:

 

• Full contact information for nominee, including name, phone number, and email address.
• CV/Resume
• Diversity Statement (1000 words max)
• Two nomination letters (one from a peer/student and one from a faculty/staff). Letters must contain full contact information for the nominators including name, phone number, and email address.
• Any other supporting documents that demonstrate commitment to diversity efforts.

The Rex Mix Program of Excellence Award 

 

The Undergraduate College and University Section (UCUS) of the National Communication Association is accepting nominations for the Rex Mix Program of Excellence Award. Nomination packets are due by May 15, 2025. The Rex Mix Program of Excellence Award recognizes excellence in small undergraduate programs of communication, with emphasis on curriculum, program quality, course design, and special programs.  

 

HISTORY 

The award honors the memory and work of C. Rex Mix (Ph.D., University of Denver), who was a tireless advocate and enthusiast of small communication programs in the United States. Professor Mix was a communication educator, a college administrator, a Christian minister, and a popular consultant in industry and within his denomination. He was a member of the Speech Communication Association (now the National Communication Association). His service to the discipline included chairing the senior college/university section (now the Undergraduate College and University Section) in 1983-1984. He was active in the International Communication Association, American Association of University Professors, Alpha Psi Omega, and Phi Eta Sigma. 

 

ELIGIBILITY 

 

• Nominations are invited from small undergraduate programs in communication located anywhere within the geographic area served by the National Communication Association. 
• We define a “small undergraduate program” as one with approximately 12 or fewer full-time faculty and 250 or fewer undergraduate communication majors. 
• Communication programs from Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) are eligible to apply. Graduate students and areas of excellence serving a graduate program are not criteria considered for the Rex Mix Award. 
• Prior winners of the Rex Mix Program of Excellence Award will become eligible to reapply after 8 years. 

 

ELECTRONIC NOMINATION PACKET 

 

• A letter summarizing the nomination with specific mention to supporting artifacts. 
• An overview of the institution and program. Include a brief narrative description of the institution and a description of the department or program unit. 
• A description of the particular aspect(s) of excellence for which the department/program is being nominated, with specific mention to supporting artifacts where appropriate. Example areas of excellence: curriculum, program quality, course design, or special programs. 
• A summary case for qualities of excellence that are exemplified in the program. 
• Appropriate supporting artifacts (e.g., video/presentations, department awards, student program awards such as newspaper or radio station, program documents). A maximum of ten (10) artifacts may be submitted. 

 

SUBMISSION 

 

• Electronic nomination packets due May 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT. 
• Compile all the elements of the electronic nomination packet listed above into a single PDF file. 
• Submit the electronic nomination packet through the NCA online submission portal. 
• All nominees will be notified via email of the committee’s decision by the NCA National Office in August 2025. 

 

EVALUATION CRITERIA 

A panel of scholars representing broad disciplinary expertise and concern for developing strong programs in small undergraduate college or university programs will review nominations and select a program for recognition on the following criteria: 

 

• Strength of narrative explaining institutional context 
• Strength of narrative explaining program excellence in at least one area such as curriculum, program quality, course design, special programs, etc. 
• Strength of artifact evidence in direct support of narrative 
• Creative, new, innovative ideas that directly benefit undergraduate students 
• Potential for concrete takeaways to offer colleagues in NCA spotlight panel 

 

RECOGNITION 

 

• Winner(s) will be recognized at a special spotlight panel at the November 2025 National Communication Association annual convention in Denver, Colorado. 
• If a school submits a nomination, they are committing to send at least one faculty member in person to the NCA convention to receive the award and deliver the spotlight presentation, including tangible takeaways for the audience to grow in program effectiveness. 
• The winning program will receive a plaque in recognition of their excellence. 

 

Please direct questions about the Rex Mix Program of Excellence Award to NCA Undergraduate College and University Section Vice Chair Elect Alena Ruggerio at Alena.Ruggerio@sou.edu.  Submissions due May 15, 2025. 

The NCA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Communication Studies Division and Caucus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Concerns are pleased to announce annual awards for scholarship pertaining to the study of GLBTQ communication.  

 

We are interested in recognizing scholarship that: 1) advances our field’s understanding of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer communication studies; 2) makes a significant contribution to contemporary scholarship on GLBTQ populations and/or identities; and 3) demonstrates intellectual rigor and mastery of the work’s chosen literature field and methodology. Guidelines for nomination and submission for each award are outlined below.  

For questions, please contact the awards committee chair: Dr. Beck Banks (bbanks@warren-wilson.edu) 

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Book of the Year Award  

 

The Book of the Year Award recognizes one outstanding scholarly book advancing GLBTQ communication studies. To qualify for the award, the book must have been published in the last two calendar years (2023-2024). Nominations by NCA members as well as self-nominations will be accepted. To apply for this award, please submit the nomination packet via the NCA submission portal.

 

1. A letter of nomination detailing the merit of the book to be considered for the award. This should also provide publication information including the date of release and publishing press.
2. Three copies of the book for consideration. Hard copies and electronic copies/submissions are highly encouraged  

 

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Monograph of the Year Award  

 

The Monograph of the Year Award recognizes up to three outstanding monographs/scholarly articles advancing GLBTQ communication scholarship. To qualify for the award, the essay must have been published in the last two calendar years (2023-2024). Nominations by NCA members as well as self-nominations will be accepted.  

To apply for this award, please send a packet with the following items to the awards committee chair: Dr. Beck Banks (bbanks@warren-wilson.edu) 

1.  A letter of nomination detailing the merit of the essay to be considered for the award. This should also provide publication information including the date of release and publishing press.
2. A single copy of the work as a PDF.  

 

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Dissertation of the Year Award  

 

The Dissertation of the Year Award recognizes one outstanding dissertation advancing GLBTQ communication scholarship. To qualify for the award, the dissertation must have been approved and filed within the last two calendar years (2023-2024). Only self-nominations will be accepted.

To apply for this award, please submit the nomination packet via the NCA submission portal.

1. A letter of nomination detailing the merit of the dissertation to be considered for the award. This should also provide publication information including the defense and filing dates.
2. One full copy of the dissertation, as well as three copies of the chapter most representative of the claims outlined in the letter of nomination as a PDF.
    

The deadline for all application materials for all awards is May 15. Application materials for all awards should be compiled into one PDF, and submitted electronically via the NCA submission portal, except for submissions of hard copy books, which should be submitted to Dr. Beck Banks (please send me an email for my mailing address). Please indicate the name of the award in the subject line of the email. Finally, please email Dr. Beck Banks (bbanks@warren-wilson.edu) if you have any questions about the awards.  

The Jim Ferris Award: Outstanding Achievement in Disability and Communication 

 

The Disability Issues Caucus (DIC) is pleased to present this call for nominations for the Jim Ferris Award for Outstanding Achievement in Disability and Communication. This award recognizes an individual whose career as a whole has had an enduring and significant impact in/on the field of disability and communication. Preference will be given to nominees who demonstrate excellence in research-based and/or creative scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and/or service in/to the discipline, but the award may be given to an individual not directly associated with the field whose work has had an exceptional influence on its growth and development. 

 

Nominations must come from a Disability Issues Caucus member, though the nominee need NOT be a member of the caucus currently.  Self-nominations are accepted. (Non-caucus members are encouraged to submit suggestions to members of the caucus for consideration.) 

 

Below is a list of previous recipients of the Jim Ferris Award: 

 

2014: Jim Ferris (inaugural award) 

2015: Dawn Braithwaite and Teresa Thompson 

2016: Simi Linton 

2017: Kurt Lindemann 

2018: no nominations 

2019: James L. Cherney 

2020: Beth Haller 

2021: jw Smith 

2022: Terry Galloway and Laura L. Ellingson 

2023: Robert McRuer 

2024: Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock and Mara Mills 

 

Nominations are due by NCA’s deadline addressed to DIC’s Vice Chair Elect.   

 

A complete nomination package should contain the following:   

 

• At least two letters (not more than four letters) of reference from different individuals supporting the nomination (at least one of which is from the nominator). Letters of support should address the nominee’s contribution to the scholarship and meritorious service to the field.   

• The nominee’s curriculum vita/resume and/or similar documentation detailing the nominee’s contributions to the field.  

• Additional appropriate documentation may be included but is not required.  

 

Documents may be sent separately to the above email address; simply identify the nomination they are supporting. 

 

Please view a full description of the Jim Ferris award for more information.  

Celebrating scholarly excellence, the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) Caucus invites nominations for 1) Top Student Paper Award, 2) Outstanding Research Award, and 3) Service Award. We seek submissions that reflect rigorous scholarship and contribute significantly to the field of communication studies within the SWANA context. Award criteria and details can be found below. The announcement of all award recipients will take place during the Caucus business meeting at the NCA convention in Denver, CO. Top awardees will receive a cash prize.

 

For the Outstanding Research Award and Service Award, please submit the nomination packet to the NCA Submission Portal by May 15th. Self-nominations are encouraged for all awards. Nominees must be members of NCA either at the time of nomination or during the eligibility period. In cases involving multiple nominees, such as co-authors of a journal article or book, at least one nominee must be an NCA member.

Questions? Contact swanacomm@gmail.com.

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Top Student Paper Award

 

Top Student Paper Award recognizes exceptional scholarly achievements among graduate students whose research contributes significantly to the understanding and advancement of communication studies within the SWANA region. All student papers that are accepted for presentation at the NCA 2025 conference within the SWANA Caucus will be automatically considered for this award. No additional nomination materials necessary. See below for award criteria.

 

Outstanding Research Award

 

Outstanding Research Award acknowledges remarkable scholarly accomplishments within the field of communication studies, with a particular emphasis on the SWANA region. This award aims to honor exceptional research contributions that significantly enhance the understanding and advancement of communication studies within SWANA. Eligible submissions must include a peer-reviewed published journal article or book chapter released within the past five years (from 2020-2025). The publication date will be determined based on the print date for print journals and the date of release online for electronic-only journals. See below for award criteria.

 

SWANA Service Award

 

SWANA Service Award highlights the impact of service and celebrates individuals dedicated to making a difference within SWANA communities. Nominees should have a track record of dedicated service to SWANA, through either community service, mentorship, or disciplinary efforts, with a focus on: 1) supporting SWANA scholars and/or scholarship, 2) advancing and fostering community development, or 3) demonstrating leadership that has served and benefited SWANA individuals and communities. Those interested in applying for this award should submit:

 

Submission Materials

 

• Nomination Letter: Letter that showcases nominee’s qualification for the SWANA Service Award, as outlined in the award description.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV): Nominee’s CV

 

The Top Student Paper and Outstanding Research Award will be selected based on the following criteria:

 

• Relevance to SWANA: The paper should directly address issues, phenomena, or contexts relevant to Southwest Asia and North Africa. This may include but is not limited to cultural, political, social, economic, or historical aspects of communication within the SWANA region.
• Originality and Innovation: The paper should demonstrate originality in its research question, approach, or findings, showcasing innovative thinking and contributing fresh insights to the field of communication studies within the SWANA context.
• Theoretical and Conceptual Framework: The paper should exhibit a strong theoretical and/or conceptual framework that guides the research design, analysis, and interpretation of findings, demonstrating a deep understanding of relevant communication theories and concepts.
• Methodological Rigor: The paper should demonstrate methodological rigor in its research, employing appropriate methodologies and techniques to address the research question effectively.
• Clarity and Coherence: The paper should be well-organized, clearly written, and logically structured, presenting arguments and findings in a coherent and compelling manner that is accessible to a diverse audience of scholars in communication studies.
• Contribution to the Field: The paper should make a substantive contribution to the advancement of communication scholarship within the SWANA region, either by addressing gaps in existing literature, offering new theoretical perspectives, or providing practical implications for communication practice and policy.
• Overall Excellence: The paper should exhibit overall excellence in terms of scholarship, creativity, and scholarly merit, distinguishing itself as an exemplary piece of research in the field of communication studies.

 

Francine Merritt Award

 

The Women’s Caucus of the National Communication Association is calling for nominations for the 2025 Francine Merritt Award for outstanding contributions to the lives of women in communication. The recipient will be notified in the Fall of 2025 and will be honored at a reception at NCA’s 2025 convention in Denver, Colorado.

 

The Women’s Caucus offers the Francine Merritt Award to someone who has made a difference in the field of communication through their mentoring, service, advocacy, teaching, and scholarship. Nomination packages should stress the nominee’s contributions in each of these areas, particularly as they relate to the mission of the Women’s Caucus.

 

The Women's Caucus mission is “to advocate for women's improved status, voice, and opportunities in the discipline. In doing so, we are committed to exploring the diversity and complexities of women's lives in terms of their academic and professional experiences. In keeping with the spirit of this mission, the Caucus encourages innovative and alternative ways of understanding and investigating women's experiences. We are committed to building alliances with other NCA divisions and caucuses who are interested in creating opportunities for students, recent graduates, and/or scholars who have not previously participated in NCA programming.”

 

A complete nomination package consists of the following materials:

 

• Letter of nomination outlining candidate’s contributions.
• Nominee’s vita, including current contact information.
• No more than 5 letters of support.
• A letter from the nominee accepting the nomination and agreeing to attend NCA’s convention in 2025 in Denver, Colorado (virtual attendance can be arranged).

 

Nominators from the 2024 call may choose to have their nominee’s materials remain in the pool for a second year. The nominator should send a letter requesting such, and the nominee should send a letter accepting the nomination and agreeing to attend the NCA convention in 2025 in Denver, Colorado. The deadline for nominations is May 15, 2025.

 

Questions should be directed to:

 

Nivia Escobar Salazar
Women’s Caucus Chair
nikescob@iu.edu