# Academic and Community Award Descriptions

**Source**: https://bcsc.stanford.edu/ceremonies/academic-and-community-awards/academic-and-community-award-descriptions
**Parent**: https://bcsc.stanford.edu/

[2026 Academic and Community Awards Sample Ballot.pdf](/sites/g/files/sbiybj19816/files/media/file/academic_community_awards_2026_nominations_submissions_form-google_forms_0.pdf "academic_community_awards_2026_nominations_submissions_form-google_forms.pdf")
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## **Awards Decided by BCSC Prostaff**

### **BCSC Esteemed Scholar -** [**Nominate**](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrsaBV3fQ6YVtO0pxeyOtE1hxWZqB8ydcWytm_QblWG0g_Hw/viewform)

| **Presenter: The Director of the Black Community Service Center** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| This award is presented to a graduating undergraduate and graduate student who has completed an original research project that demonstrates a superior understanding of academic inquiry and research.  **Nominators should speak to the following points**   - The rigor of the student’s research. - The students academic achievements. - How the student demonstrates mastery and/or love of their research topic. - The impact or implications of the student’s work or career aspirations. - How their research aligns with the mission of the Black Community Services Center. |

### **Black Diaspora Fellowship - Recognized at the ACAs**

| **Presenter: The Assistant Director of the Black Community Services Center** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| The Black Diaspora Fellowship is a BCSC & Haas Center for Public Service partnership that enables students to participate in a practicum working with a nonprofit organization or government agency on social, political and/or economic issues affecting Black American communities. Students have an in-depth learning experience that will foster an opportunity to apply what they have learned in and out of the classroom about race, diversity, equity and social justice. The Black Diaspora Fellows spend a summer working full-time with a supervisor/mentor in a community organization of their choice. The fellows are publicly recognized during our Academic and Community Awards Ceremony. |

### **Ira D. Hall Service Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Presenter: TBD** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to a Stanford alumnus under 30 years old, who has shown extraordinary commitment to social justice, community organizing, and public service in a local, national, and/or global context. This award is named and endowed by Ira D. Hall, a Trustee Emeritus of Stanford University |

### **The Harold K. Boyd Student Leadership Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Presenter: The Director of the Black Community Service Center** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| This award is Presented in honor of Harold K. Boyd, Stanford University’s first Black Assistant and Associate Dean of Students. In recognition of his leadership, the award is presented to an undergraduate senior who has held key leadership positions in one or more VSOs and shown sustained commitment to the Black Community at Stanford.  **Nominators should speak to the following point.**   - The impact of the student’s leadership on campus. - How their leadership roles advances or aligns with the mission of the Black Community Services Center. |

### **VPGE Academic Achievement Award for the Black Community Services Center -**

| **Presenter: TBD** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| BCSC/VPGE Distinguished Scholar Award is presented to a graduate student who has demonstrated exceptional academic and intellectual achievement through cutting edge research in a particular field of study. The ideal candidate for this award represents scholarly excellence at Stanford and serves as an academic role model to fellow students.  **Nominators should speak to the following:**   - Please provide a short summary of the student’s academic accomplishments, including a summary of their research. - Please provide a short summary of the student’s leadership and service accomplishments. - Please provide any quotes from nominators appropriate that you would like to include into the nominee's award letter. |

## **Awards Decided by Our Nominations Committee**

This committee is made up of Stanford students, faculty, and staff members.

### **Student Organization Leadership Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Presenter: Student MC for our ACAs** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to 2 students, an undergraduate and a graduate, who have shown exceptional leadership within their student organizations. Ideal candidates for this award are those students who have taken on various leadership roles within their organization and/or have made innovative changes in order to help their organization make a positive impact to Stanford’s community that aligns with the mission and goals of the Black Community Services Center. |

### **Community Service Awards -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Presenter: Student MC for our ACAs** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to 2 students, an undergraduate and a graduate, who have demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to public service. Ideal candidates for this award have dedicated time and energy to community service endeavors that have made positive contributions to individuals and/or organizations. |

### **The Arts Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Presenter: Student MC for our ACAs** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to 2 students, an undergraduate and a graduate, who have excelled in the area(s) of music, dance, theater and/or visual arts. An ideal candidate for this award is someone who has pronounced dedication to the arts and has freely shared their talent to enhance the Black Community or represent the community in a positive way. |

### **Best Program/Event of the Year Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Presenter: Student MC for our ACAs** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to a Black Volunteer Undergraduate and/or Graduate Student Organization that has demonstrated exceptional collaboration skills on a program or event. Ideal candidates for this award have not only contributed financially to an event, but all groups worked together consistently from creation, coordination, and execution of the event. |

### **VSO of the Year Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| **Student MC for our ACAs** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to a Volunteer Undergrad and/or Graduate Student Organization that has executed consistent quality programming that has impacted the community in a significant and/or unique way. Ideal nominees are organizations with consistent excellence in programming and/or organizations that have shown great improvement. |

## **Awards Decided by Our Campus Partners**

### **The Shanta Annan Memorial Award -** [**Nominate**](https://forms.gle/c3yFqBPgkgnsDsQX6)

| Department of African & African American Studies |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Given for outstanding performance by a Freshmen in an African and African American Studies Course at Stanford University. Shanta Annan was an outstanding freshman. Prior to her passing in the Fall 2004 in her Freshman year, she made a significant impact on the lives of students, faculty and staff with whom she had connected. This award honors her memory and talent. |

#### **Faculty nominators for the Shanta Annan Award should speak to the following points:**

- Your nominee’s engagement in class.
- The curiosity, rigor, and quality of your nominee’s class work.
- Your nominee’s enthusiasm for learning and applying what they learn outside of the classroom.
- What sets this student apart from the first-year students in your courses?
- Assess your nominee’s potential to major in DAAAS.
- How does your nominee’s campus impact reflect the [mission](https://aaas.stanford.edu/about/mission) of DAAAS?

#### **Student nominators for the Shanta Annan Award should answer one or more of the following questions:**

- How was your learning experience positively impacted by your nominee?
- How does your nominee’s campus impact reflect the mission of DAAAS?

#### **Staff nominators for the Shanta Annan Award should speak to one or more of the following:**

- How does your nominee show up for the DAAAS community?
- Tell us about their impact outside of the classroom.
- How does your nominee’s campus impact reflect the mission of DAAAS?

### **Professional Staff Award**

| **Black Staff Alliance** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to a professional staff member or administrator who has provided outstanding support for students through advising, mentoring, coaching and or research. This awards is managed by the Black Staff Alliance. |

### **Condoleezza Rice Prize**

| **Black Staff Alliance** |
| --- |
| **Award Description** |
| Presented to a senior student for outstanding academic achievement in public policy, international relations, or political science. The Black Staff Alliance (fr. African American Staff Group) created this award when Condoleezza Rice departed Stanford for the White House. This award is managed by the Black Staff Alliance. |

## Sunsetted Awards

These awards are no longer a part of our award ceremony.

### **Dean’s Awards for Academic Excellence**

- **Superior Achievement** - Presented to students who have earned between a 3.5 – 3.74 GPA for three consecutive quarters
- **Exceptional Achievement** - Presented to students who have earned a 3.75 or higher GPA for two, or three consecutive quarters
- **Crossfield, Black, and Coley Achievement** - Presented to students who have earned at least a 3.5 GPA for six or more quarters

In each quarter, students also need a minimum of 12 letter graded units. Courses taken RO S/NC, CR/NC, ect, are not counted as they do not produce a letter grade.

**Mary and Jacquelyn Edmonds Prize:** Selected by the Human Biology and Communications departments, this award. is presented to one outstanding student majoring in Human Biology and another majoring in Communication. This award is made possible by a generous donation from Mary Edmonds, former Vice Provost for Student Affairs and her daughter Jacquelyn Edmonds. Recipients will receive a $200.00 scholarship.

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