Graduate Award for Distinguished Achievement
Celebrating outstanding graduate student achievement
Each year the University’s six colleges select graduate students to receive the Graduate Award for Distinguished Achievement. The recipients are honored for their outstanding academic performance and service to the profession, department and community.
One award recipient from each college is selected for special honors as the graduate college hood. On behalf of their college classmates, they have received the symbolic investiture of the hood.
SFSU’s Graduate Student Awards for Distinguished Achievement are conferred to students who have earned a distinguished record for academic performance and contribution in their major field. Nominations for the awards are put forward by the faculty in the respective graduate major subject areas.
To be selected, the students shall have already distinguished themselves during their graduate student careers. Criteria and the procedure for the selection of candidates will be determined by each individual college.
Criteria for selection must include, but are not limited to:
- A minimum grade point average of 3.75
- the candidate has filed a Graduate Approved Program with the Division of Graduate Studies
- the candidate has an advisor's statement indicating they are expected to graduate in spring or summer that year, or has already graduated in the most recent summer or fall semester
- Academic achievement and scholarly work, as well as significant contributions to the profession, discipline, department, college, or university, and service to the community are additional examples of student achievement that may be taken into consideration. No student may receive this award more than once for a specific degree.
Graduate Hood Recipient
For graduate coordinators and faculty
Each college may select several Distinguished Achievement Award recipients equal to the number of degrees or concentrations offered. Colleges offering fewer than 5 degrees will be allocated additional awards equal to two percent of the annual average number of graduate students completing degrees during the previous 5 years. Additionally, the College of Education will be allotted 4 additional positions for "credential only" students.
Colleges may allocate awards within the college as they choose provided the total number of awards granted does not exceed the number allotted to the college. Each college may submit the name of one of their awardees in nomination for the Master's Hood. From these names, a committee of the University Graduate Council will select the Master's Hood Recipient.
Responsibilities of the Dean of the Division of Graduate Studies in the award procedure include:
- Informing the college deans by the beginning of the Spring semester as to the number of awards which are authorized for that academic year and to provide instructions for submitting nominations
- Receiving nominations and supporting documents from the college deans and verifying basic eligibility (i.e., Graduate Approved Program on file, minimum 3.75 grade point average, has graduated or has advisor's statement)
- Conducting the awards ceremony
- Issuing certificates of award
- Notifying Registrar for posting on transcripts.