Involvement Awards
Nomination Timeline
Nominations will open up on Monday, January 26 and will close Sunday, February 15 at 11:59 PM.
The 2026 Involvement Awards Ceremony will be on Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 PM.
EVENT AWARDS
For the event award category nominations, you can nominate up to TWO events per student organization out of the categories below.
- Student Organization can nominate their own events in this category.
- Option 1 - Student Org can nominate one event for two separate awards. (Totaling two submissions)
- Option 2 - Student Org can nominate two different events for the same award. (Totaling two submissions)
- Option 3 - Student Org can nominate two different events for two different awards. (Totaling two submissions)
For event awards, the word limit is 500 words.
This award recognizes one specific event, put on by a student organization that created purposeful engagement that fosters meaningful relationships, personal growth, and a lifelong curiosity.
Nominations should:
- Demonstrate how building relationships and personal growth are prioritized during the event
- Evaluate how members are engaged and explains the level of impact on attendees and the community
- Exemplify continued attention and effort put forth by the organization to bring awareness to lifelong curiosity
This award recognizes a specific event, put on by a student organization, that promotes mental health, physical health, and well-being for its members and/or the entire student body.
Nominations should
- Share how the organization addressed the need for health and wellness promotion through this event as it relates to its mission and values
- Provide evidence of an event, program, or initiative put on by the organization and explain the impact/results
- Evaluate the need for this event and explains the execution of the event
This award recognizes one specific event, put on by a student organization, that prepares Gators for work, citizenship, and life beyond UF and empowers students to uniquely contribute to an ever-changing global community.
Nominations should:
- Demonstrate how this event prepares Gators for the workforce during and after their time at the University of Florida
- Describe how citizenship is important through interdependence, social responsibility, active engagement with a community, and an ethic of care
- Explain how students uniquely contribute to an ever-changing global community through the event
This award recognizes an event put on by a student organization that aimed at making students feel a sense of belonging with peers, the organization, and/or the campus community.
Nominations should:
- Describe how the event fostered a welcoming environment that aided students in feeling a sense of belonging
- Explain how the event valued a variety of student needs and voices
- Provide evidence of event impact for attendees
This award recognizes an event, put on by a student organization, that has contributed to the University, surrounding Gainesville community, or beyond. The event was created by the organization with the mission of serving others. The student organization identified a need in a community and has acted in a specific and unique way through an event, program or initiative.
Nominations should:
- Share how the organization addressed the identified need through an event, program, or initiative
- Describe the education or training of members related to the need and community
- Provide evidence of event, program, or initiative impact/results
- Evaluate the quality of the lasting effects of the event, program, or initiative
This award recognizes a student organization that has brought a brand new and innovative program or initiative to the University of Florida campus or Gainesville community. The innovative event, program or initiative has a record of its impact that highlights the mission statement of UF’s Division of Student Life: The University of Florida Division of Student Life champions meaningful experiences that foster community connection, career design and lifelong wellbeing.
Nominations should:
- Identify and explain a connection to the Division of Student Life mission statement
- List the new audience(s) and explains the purpose, goals and/or objectives of the event
- Demonstrate the event or a similar event has not been done in the last four years
- Provide evidence of impact or success
This award recognizes a student organization that has elevated or repeated an existing program, initiative, or tradition to the University of Florida campus or Gainesville community in an innovative and reimagined way. This student organization has a record of impact the program, initiative, or tradition has and highlights the Division of Student Life mission statement: The University of Florida Division of Student Life champions meaningful experiences that foster community connection, career design and lifelong wellbeing.
The nominated event MUST be a recurring event for this organization.
Nominations should:
- The nominated event MUST be a recurring event for this organization
- Identify and explains a connection to the mission of the Division of Student Life
- Describe in detail the event and how the event addresses updated and/or ever-changing audiences, and/or needs of campus
- Identify why this event exists every year and the innovative ways it is elevated
- Provide evidence of impact or success
STUDENT ORGANIZATION AWARDS
- For the student organization award category, you can nominate your organization for up to TWO awards.
- For Advisor of the Year, it will not count towards your two award nominations in this category, if you choose to want to nominate your advisor.
For student organization awards, the word limit is 500 words, unless otherwise noted under the description.
This award recognizes a student organization who brought together other student organizations, university departments, and/or other campus partners through a program, service or event.
Nominations should:
- Demonstrate successful collaborative efforts with other organizations, university departments, or other campus partners
- Explain the purpose of the collaboration
- Offer results of collaboration on the organization or population they serve
- Share the benefits to the University of Florida community
This award recognizes a student organization demonstrating excellence in professional development through workshops, conferences, training, or curriculum provided to the organization's members.
Nominations should:
- Describe the workshop, conference, training, or curriculum designed for skill enhancement of members in detail
- Explain how the workshop, conference, training, or curriculum benefitted the mission and members of the organization with specific examples related to content and activities
- Evaluate the quality of the program, initiative, or event
This award recognizes a student organization that promotes mental health, physical health, and overall well-being for its student membership or within the campus community through education, access to resources, and/or internal initiatives.
Nominations should
- Share how the organization addressed the need for health and wellness promotion
- Provide evidence of education, outreach, and/or initiatives related to health awareness and explains the impact/results for its members
- Evaluate and express the importance of health education for organizational members of the organization, detailing strategies used to promote well-being
This award recognizes a student organization that fosters community within the organization by building connections among members, connecting members to university resources, and prepares members to create connections that develop their future pursuits beyond UF.
Nominations should:
- Demonstrate how the organization welcomes new members and connects them to current members
- Explain opportunities for members to learn about, utilize, and engage with university resources and services
- Enable members to develop relevant skills and connections for their pursuits after graduation
- Seek and incorporate member feedback into the organization’s operations
This award recognizes a student organization that has committed itself to service to the University, surrounding Gainesville community, or beyond. The student organization identified a need in a community and acted.
Nominations should:
- Share how the organization’s mission and values related to an identified need within a community
- Describe the education or training of members related to the need and community
- Provide evidence of the positive change it made on members, and the community through education, outreach, initiative or resource(s) and how the organization evaluates the impact/results
- Demonstrate how the organization imparts the importance of community engagement for organizational members in the identified need/community
This award recognizes a student organization that has been a registered student organization for fewer than three (3) years and has demonstrated a notable impact that corresponds to the organization’s mission and vision.
Word Count - max 1,000 words
Nominations should
- Address why there was a need for this organization
- Showcase unique mission and purpose that addresses an unmet need at the University of Florida
- Demonstrate strong visibility in the campus community with opportunities provided to students
- Explain how the organization contributes to the University’s mission
This award recognizes a registered student organization that is classified as UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED and overall exemplifies UF’s Division of Student Life mission: The University of Florida Division of Student Life champions meaningful experiences that foster community connection, career design and lifelong wellbeing. The organization must demonstrate the positive impact it has made on its members, its host department/university unit, and the UF community through the intentional development and engagement of its activities, service, resources, and events.
Word Count - max 1,000 words
Nominations should
- Explain successful recruitment and retention of organization members
- Show the impact on the campus community
- Explain leadership opportunities provided through membership
- Showcase contributions to furthering the mission of the University of Florida
This award recognizes a registered student organization that is classified as GENERAL and overall exemplifies UF’s Division of Student Life mission: The University of Florida Division of Student Life champions meaningful experiences that foster community connection, career design and lifelong wellbeing. The organization must demonstrate the positive impact is made on its members and the UF community through the intentional development and engagement of its activities, service, resources, and events.
Word Count - max 1,000 words
Nominations should
- Explain successful recruitment and retention of organization members
- Show the impact on the campus community
- Explain leadership opportunities provided through membership
- Showcase contributions to furthering the mission of the University of Florida
This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a student organization advisor to a student organization. Student Engagement will personally invite the student organization’s advisor if they are selected to receive the award. The student organization will also be notified before the award ceremony.
Word Count - max 1,000 words
Nominations should
- Showcase the Advisor's impact on the organization
- Demonstrate the Advisor's commitment to the development of the organization and its members
- Explain how the Advisor is accessible to members and has a presence in organization meetings and events
- Must serve as an advisor for the organization for at least two years continuously
STUDENT LEADER AWARDS
- Emerging Gator and Distinguished Engagement Awards will have more than one recipient.
- For student org member of the year and officer of the year, you cannot submit a self nomination.
- For student org member of the year and officer of the year, you can only nominate one person per student organization.
In recognition of the Division of Student Life mission statement, The University of Florida Division of Student Life champions meaningful experiences that foster community connection, career design and lifelong wellbeing, This award recognizes the outstanding contribution of a student leader who is not currently serving, nor has previously served as an officer of the organization and embodies their organization’s mission in their contribution within and to a student organization.
Word Count - max 1,000 words
Nominations should:
- Showcase the member's contribution to the organization
- Explain how the member embodies the purpose of the organization
- Identify the member's desire to develop skills and knowledge that would further the organization
- Display the member's initiative in addressing the needs of the organization
This award recognizes the outstanding contribution of a student leader who is currently serving on the executive board of a student organization and embodies their organization’s mission in their contribution within and to a student organization.
Word Count - max 1,000 words
Nominations should
- Showcase the officer's contribution to the organization
- Explain the officer's ability to motivate others
- Demonstrate innovation and change made as an officer
- Describe the officer's Impact on the membership
- Demonstrate the officer's commitment to being a role model
This award recognized various freshmen and sophomores who have shown dedication, leadership qualities, service to others, and has begun to have a long-lasting impact on the campus community through their involvement at the University of Florida.
Qualifications for Nominees:
- Be in good standing with the University of Florida. The University of Florida considers students to be in academic good standing if they are eligible to continue or to re-enroll at the university, and free of conduct probation.
- Minimum 2.0 overall GPA
- Have earned no more than 60 credit hours at the University of Florida
- Submission of ALL application materials after nomination (resume & essay)
Nomination Process:
- A Freshmen or Sophomore can be nominated by any student, student organization, faculty, or staff member
- Once nominated, the student leader will receive an email from Student Engagement asking them to apply for this award
Nominations should include in less than 500 words, how has the Student Leader:
- Demonstrated leadership to the University of Florida through outstanding performance as a member of a student organization or university program
- Impacted the student organization or university program
- Showcased service to others through the nominee’s involvement
- Contributed to an improvement or positive change in the university community
Once nominated, the nominee must apply and include in application:
- Resume: No more than 1 page, highlighting only accomplishments during your time attending the University of Florida.
- Essay: No more than 1,000 words, addressing how your involvement at the University of Florida has impacted yourself and the campus community through leadership and service.
This award recognized various freshmen and sophomores who have shown dedication, leadership qualities, service to others, and has begun to have a long-lasting impact on the campus community through their involvement at the University of Florida.
Qualifications for Nominees:
- Be in good standing with the University of Florida. The University of Florida considers students to be in academic good standing if they are eligible to continue or to re-enroll at the university, and free of conduct probation.
- Minimum 2.0 overall GPA
- Have earned at least 60 credit hours at the University of Florida if an undergraduate student
- Submission of ALL application materials after nomination (resume & essay)
Nomination Process:
- A Junior, Senior, or Graduate Student can be nominated by any student, student organization, faculty, or staff member
- Once nominated, the student leader will receive an email from Student Engagement asking them to apply for this award
Nominations should include in less than 500 words, how has the Student Leader:
- Demonstrated leadership to the University of Florida through outstanding performance as a member of a student organization or university program
- Impacted the student organization or university program
- Showcased service to others through the nominee’s involvement
- Contributed to an improvement or positive change in the university community
Once nominated, the nominee must apply and include in application:
- Resume: No more than 1 page, highlighting only accomplishments during your time attending the University of Florida.
- Essay: No more than 1,000 words, addressing how your involvement at the University of Florida has impacted yourself and the campus community through leadership and service.
The late William G. Cross served the University of Florida community for more than 25 years until his retirement in 1988. During his tenure at UF, Mr. Cross held the Assistant Dean of Men role, until promoted to the Director of Student Activities and Involvement and Associate Director of the J. Wayne Reitz Union from 1967-1988. As the Director of Student Activities, he served as the advisor to the Interfraternity Council, Student Government, and Florida Blue Key and worked closely with Homecoming and Gator Growl. Mr. Cross valued the studentexperience and believed students could improve the quality of campus life through their involvement in extracurricular activities. It is in this spirit Student Engagement looks to honor William G. Cross's legacy at the University of Florida by recognizing an exceptional student of the UF community that has demonstrated outstanding leadership through involvement and co-curricular activities during their time at the University of Florida. The recipient who qualifies and is selected will receive a $1,500 award to support their University of Florida student experience at the Involvement Awards in April.
Award Description:
The William G. Cross Award recognizes an outstanding student of the University of Florida community that has demonstrated outstanding leadership through involvement and co-curricular activities at the University of Florida. The recipient who qualifies and is selected will receive a $1,500 award to support their University of Florida student experience.
Award Criteria:
- Minimum 2.5 overall GPA.
- Meet requirements to be an eligible student organization officer per university policy. See Officer Eligibility criteria.
- Be in good standing with the University of Florida.
- The University of Florida considers students to be in academic good standing if they are eligible to continue or to re-enroll at the university, and are free of conduct probation.
- Demonstrates leadership to the University of Florida through outstanding performance as a student organization officer and/or leader.
Application Requirements:
- Current Involvement Resume (Must highlight ONLY accomplishments during their time attending the University of Florida.)
- Essay: No more than 500 words, addressing how your on-campus involvement has prepared you to achieve success post-graduation through meaningful experiences that foster community connection, career design and/or lifelong wellbeing.
- Interview - Completion of a 45-minute interview, if selected as a top candidate
2025 Award Winners
Campus Collaborator - Gator Chapter of NAACP
Excellence in Health and Wellness by an Organization - Generation Action
Excellence in Health and Wellness through an Event - SKY
Excellence in Member Engagement - Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers
"Greater Good" Event of the Year - Generational Relief in Prosthetics
"Greater Good" Organization of the Year - Women Building Women
Leaving a Legacy Award - Circle K International
"Life-Long Learner" - Excellence in Career Readiness - Pre-Dental Society
Most Innovative New Event - Gator User Design
Outstanding "Community Connection" Event - Indian Graduate Student Association
New Student Organization of the Year - Student Alliance of Graduates in Education
Student Organization of the Year (USSO) - Women in Computer Science and Engineering
Student Organization of the Year (GRSO) - Data Science Informatics
Advisor of the Year - Mariela Pajuelo
Member of the Year - Isabela Villa Urrego
Officer of the Year - Mikhail Mikhaylov
William G. Cross Student Leadership Award - Nyla Searl
Career Catalyst Award - SACNAS Florida Chapter
Community & Belonging Event - Best Buddies
Emerging Gator Award - Anjani Sharma, My Pham, and Tiana Casseus
Distinguished Engagement Award - Mikhail Mikhaylov, Gadhaun Aslam, Jordan Bryant, and Kole Kemple