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2024 Outstanding Professional Award nominations open April 1st. Please check back soon. The awards ceremony will be held at the University Club on Thursday, May 16th, from 3:30pm – 5:00pm. |
Beyond providing a voice for the professional staff of The University of Alabama, the Professional Staff Assembly has also created a few opportunities for professional staff and others to celebrate achievements on campus. The Mark G. Foster Scholarship is awarded in the Fall semester to a professional staff member who is also currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses at UA. The scholarship is $1,000 paid out in two $500 sums over two semesters.
The Outstanding Professional Award (OPA) is awarded in the Spring semester to 2 professional staff members for going above and beyond their regular duties and for exemplifying positivity, for bringing out the best in others, for offering innovative ideas, and for creating conditions for success.
Inquiries about both the Mark G. Foster Scholarship and the Outstanding Professional Award can be directed to the Chair(s) of the Professional Development Committee, Kelly Wolfe and Lisa Young.
Mark G. Foster Scholarship
History: In April of 2011, under the direction of then PSA President Reata Strickland, the Mark G. Foster Scholarship was established. Mark was active in the formation of the PSA and was part of the Professional Staff Constitutional Convention that voted to establish the Professional Staff Assembly. He served as the PSA President for the 2007 – 2008 year and as chair of Assembly Operations for the 2010 – 2011 year.
Our colleague, friend and long-time member of the University of Alabama community, Mark was a graduate of the University and served the UA community in many capacities. At the time of his death, he was the Assistant Director of Judicial Affairs. Mark also served as an on-call dean for the Division of Student Affairs, collaborated with UAPD to resolve student issues and worked part-time with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. His dedication to students, professional colleagues and the University was abiding and evident to all who knew him.
Eligibility: All regular, full-time professional (non-faculty) staff, employed for at least 6 months that are eligible for full benefits and classified Equal Employment Opportunity 3 or 5 (EEO 3 or 5) that is also a current UA student in good standing, seeking a bachelor’s or graduate degree.
Donations: If you would like to make a donation to the Mark G. Foster Scholarship Fund, visit the online giving page.
Outstanding Professional Award
Nominations: Nominations will be accepted from the administration, faculty, and staff of The University of Alabama. Nominations must be submitted via this nomination form. Anonymous nominations will not be considered.
The PSA Professional Development Committee will review and administer the policies and procedures related to the award and will select the recipients at the end of the nomination process. The committee reserves the right to withhold the award in any given year.
Eligibility: All regular, full-time professional (non-faculty) staff, employed for at least 6 months that are eligible for full benefits and classified Equal Employment Opportunity 3 or 5 (EEO 3 or 5) are eligible for the award, except those currently serving on the PSA Professional Development Committee.
Recipients are selected based on their demonstration of outstanding characteristics in various domains:
- Demonstrates accountability, dependability, ethics and integrity in the workplace
- Communicates, collaborates and brings out the best in others in the workplace
- Upholds a service and continuous improvement mindset that impacts the professional staff community
These criteria reflect a comprehensive assessment of the recipients’ contributions to their workplace, emphasizing not only individual performance but also their impact on the University as a whole.