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Call for Distinguished Mentor Award Nominations

The Graduate School seeks nominations of faculty who have demonstrated excellent mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. The Distinguished Mentor Award program honors those who have distinguished themselves as mentor in multiple ways that may include:

  • Providing outstanding mentorship that supports the success of trainees from all backgrounds.
  • Integrating students and/or postdoctoral scholars into the broader culture of the discipline.
  • Acting as advocates for students and postdoctoral scholars individually or collectively, helping them overcome problems, discord, or barriers.
  • Helping students complete their degrees successfully and in a timely manner.
  • Promoting successful transitions into further training or independent careers.
  • Creating a supportive environment for research, scholarship, and/or artistic production; respecting student and postdoctoral scholar goals and assisting in goal attainment; providing students and postdoctoral scholars (potentially even those outside of their “own group”) with the resources necessary to take full advantage of institutional, academic and professional opportunities (publications, conferences, networking, etc.).
  • Providing intellectual leadership. Models a record of excellence in research and/or creative work, teaching skills, research, and artistic presentation and publication; ensures that students and postdoctoral scholars master the content and skills of their discipline; clearly articulates expectations and holds students and postdoctoral scholars to high standards.
  • Demonstrating leadership and initiative at the program level to improve mentorship access and quality for graduate students and postdocs. Facilitating a culture of excellence in mentoring across the community.

Recipients of The Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Distinguished Mentor Award will receive an award of $2,500. Up to three awards will be made each year.

Eligibility

Nominees must be faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Nominators may recognize the many forms that mentorship can take. We encourage the nomination of individuals from all different backgrounds.

Nominees who have received a Distinguished Mentors Award within the last 5 years are not eligible.

Selection Process

Nominations will be reviewed by an interdisciplinary selection committee composed of faculty (including past recipients of the Distinguished Mentor Award, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students). Awardees will be selected by the Dean of The Graduate School based upon recommendations of this committee.

Nomination Procedure

 Nominations may be submitted by current and former graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and members of the campus community.

Include the following:

  1. A cover sheet
  2. Nominating letter (3 pages maximum) addressing the outstanding work of the nominee and describing how the nominee’s mentoring efforts go above and beyond the usual levels of excellent mentorship that is expected of all Ph.D. and postdoctoral mentors at the University of Utah.
  3. Current curriculum vitae for the nominee (5 pages maximum). The CV should include material that is mentoring focused, including a list of past graduate students/postdoctoral scholars with their placement/position upon leaving the University of Utah.
  4. At least three, but not more than five, additional letters of support from colleagues and former Ph. D. students, MS Students, and postdoctoral scholars. At least two of these letters should be from current or former mentees.
  5. A letter from the Department Chair or Dean supporting and evaluating the nomination. This letter should address the unique and outstanding aspects of the nominee’s work including efforts to support the success of all students, leadership, and initiative at the programmatic or community level, etc.

Application Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2026

Submit nominations to the Postdoctoral Affairs Office

Distinguished Mentor Nomination Cover Sheet

Last Updated: 12/12/25