William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award

Source: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/funding/awards/student-employee Parent: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/funding/awards

Professional & Student Awards

Nominations Open:\ October 27, 2025

Nominations Close:\ February 13, 2026 - Deadline extended!

Questions

If you have questions, email \ Brianna Smallman.

The William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award honors outstanding performance by graduate student academic employees.

Nominations must be sponsored by a faculty member, and each graduate program may submit one nomination for each category. All prizes will be announced in spring.

The nomination categories are:

Teaching assistant
Assistant instructor

Eligibility

All graduate students are eligible for nomination for an award if they held one of the required appointment titles during the prior academic year.

Nominations

Nominations must be initiated by one of the following: GSC faculty, department graduate adviser, department graduate coordinator, GSC chair or program graduate school award administrator.

Please see the Documentation section below for directions.

The Graduate School's Online Awards System

Nominations should be submitted by the hiring department or program using the Graduate School’s online awards system, which you can access at this link.

Documentation

The Student Awards System will direct the nominator to a series of questions regarding the student’s performance. The nominator may upload a letter in lieu of responding to the questions provided. For full consideration, the letter must address the following questions:

What are the nominee's primary responsibilities in his or her position?
How have you observed his/her outstanding performance in this position?
In what ways has this nominee been innovative or superior in their performance?
Please provide anecdotal evidence that supports his or her excellence in this\ position.
Have other colleagues (faculty, students, staff) also commented on the\ outstanding performance of this nominee?
If so, what are the nature of those comments? Feel free to give some examples\ of such comments.
Add any additional comments, if any, you wish to include to support this\ nomination.
If this is a TA nomination based on an AI's recommendation, please give the\ name and email of the AI.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should the nomination and supporting letters be?

There’s no required length. Please be sure that all requested information is thoroughly included in both the nomination and supporting documentation.

What are the nomination categories for the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation and Master’s Thesis or Report awards?

There are three main areas:

Area A — Humanities and Fine Arts\ Includes programs focused on human culture, expression, and historical understanding.\ \ Examples:

Humanities: English / Literature, History, Philosophy, Linguistics, Religious Studies, Classics, Cultural Studies
Fine Arts: Studio Art, Art History, Music (Performance, Composition, Theory), Theatre and Dance, Film and Media Studies, Creative Writing

Area B — Social Sciences, Business, and Education\ Covers disciplines that study society, human behavior, and organizational systems.\ \ Examples:

Social Sciences: Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Geography, Economics, Public Affairs / Public Policy
Business: MBA Programs, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, Information Systems
Education: Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, Special Education, Higher Education Administration, Counseling and Student Services

Area C — Mathematics, Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Biological and Life Sciences\ Includes programs focused on scientific inquiry, quantitative analysis, and technological innovation.\ \ Examples:

Mathematics: Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Computational Science
Engineering: Mechanical, Electrical and Computer, Civil, Chemical, Biomedical, Aerospace Engineering
Physical Sciences: Physics, Chemistry, Earth Sciences (Geology, Geophysics), Astronomy, Materials Science
Biological and Life Sciences: Biology, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Ecology, Genetics, Biomedical Sciences

Can I submit an incomplete dissertation or thesis for the Outstanding Dissertation & Master’s Thesis/Report award?

No. Only completed dissertations and master’s theses/reports will be considered. Incomplete submissions are not eligible but may be submitted the following year once finalized.

Who should nomination letters be addressed to?

All nomination letters should be addressed to the Review Committee.

What is the submission deadline?

All submissions must be received by 11:59 PM CST on the day of the stated deadline on the awards page.

How many nominations can each department submit for the Outstanding Student Employee award?

Each department may submit one nomination per category: one for a Teaching Assistant (TA) and one for an Assistant Instructor (AI).