Annual Awards

Each year we invite our member campuses to recognize special achievements on campus and in community with the annual Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Awards. In preserving traditions in both states in our network, two types of awards are offered each year: Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents’ Awards recognize outstanding contributions in civic and community engagement by students, faculty, staff, collaborative teams, and community organizations. Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Engaged Campus Awards recognize great projects, partnerships, and programs related to civic and community engagement.

The 2024 Award cycle will be announced in Fall 2024.

View the 2023 Award Winners

Presidents' Leadership Awards

Each year, presidents of our member campuses can nominate an individual or group for the following categories to recognize their accomplishments from the year.

  • The Presidents’ Student Leadership Award recognizes an individual student or a student organization that models a deep commitment to civic responsibility and leadership, evidenced by initiative, innovative and collaborative approaches to addressing public issues, effective community building, and integration of civic engagement into the college experience.
  • The Presidents’ Civic Engagement Leadership Award recognizes a member of the faculty, administration, or staff or for a group (e.g., advisory committee, task force, project team) that has significantly advanced their campus’ distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic and community engagement, and working to institutionalize a culture and practice of engagement.
  • The Presidents’ Community Partner Award recognizes a community-based partner or organization that has enhanced the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways and has engaged in the development of sustained, reciprocal partnerships with the college or university, thus enriching educational as well as community outcomes.

Engaged Campus Awards

Each year, campuses can nominate awardees for each category of the Engaged Campus Awards. There will be one awardee and one honorable mention per category. Awardees may be individuals or groups at the discretion of the member campus.

  • The Engaged Campus Award for Alumni Leadership recognizes an alum from a member institution making strong contributions to their community and demonstrating the values of the civic mission of higher education.
  • The Engaged Campus Award for Community Collaboration recognizes a collaboration co-created with community organizations, leaders, and/or partners that is deep, reciprocal, and transformational.
  • The Engaged Campus Award for Emerging Innovation recognizes a recent project, program, or initiative making unique and innovative contributions that demonstrate strong future potential, including student-led projects.

Nomination Timeline

Awards for the 2022-2023 academic year will follow this timeline:

  • December 13 – award categories & nominations timeline announced
  • January 23 – nominations open
  • March 13 – nominations due
  • March 31 – awardees selected by review committee; communication shared with member campuses & awardees directly
  • April 13 – awards celebration at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN

Event Details

2024 Awards process and timeline will be announced in Fall 2024.

The 2023 in-person celebration was hosted on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. Tickets for the event were $15/person or purchase a table for your campus for $100 ($20 discount for a table of 8).

Event Schedule

  • 1:30 pm – Check-In & Awards Sponsors Open House
  • 2:00 pm – Presentation of Awards (snacks and refreshments will be offered)
  • 3:00 pm – Keynote Speaker: Edwin Torres
  • 3:30 pm – Meet the Awardees
  • 4:00 pm – Networking (snacks and refreshments will be offered)
  • 5:00 pm – Adjourn

 

Edwin TorresEdwin Torres is a political strategist with nearly a decade of electoral campaign experience at local, state, and national levels. Edwin brings his unique upbringing as a DACA recipient, innovative ways of thinking, focus on community-centered solutions, and ability to build authentic relationships and coalitions to win historical campaigns. He has been at the forefront of Minnesota’s most recent historic election, serving as the Political Director for the re-election campaign of Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, which resulted in a DFL trifecta for the first time since 2012 and only the second time since 1983. As Vice President of Public Affairs at NewPublica, Edwin brings his passion, winning record, and relationships to deliver unassailable results.

Past Awardees