SACES 2026 Awards Nominations 

The SACES Awards celebrate excellence in counselor education by recognizing individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievements in teaching, research, service, leadership, and advocacy. These awards recognize those who exceed expectations in supporting students, advancing the profession, and making meaningful contributions to their communities. We encourage nominations that reflect the diverse talents and impactful work of our SACES members.

Please submit your complete nomination packet by 11:59 PM on September 9th, 2026 to the Awards Committee at:  https://fau.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7Nx2pW3RjWj2RUy

All materials must be submitted as a single PDF file, with items organized in the order specified by the relevant award category. Award recipients will be formally recognized during the 2026 SACES Conference in Louisville, KY.

SACES Individual Achievement Awards

Unless otherwise specified below, individual award nominations use the following core structure:

1. Nomination Statement: maximum 2 pages. The statement should directly address the award-specific criteria and provide concrete examples of the nominee’s accomplishments and impact.

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae: maximum 3 pages. The CV should highlight accomplishments directly relevant to the award criteria.

3. Supporting Statement: maximum 1 page, only for categories where an additional perspective materially contributes to evaluation.

Outstanding Teaching Award

The SACES Outstanding Teaching Award is intended to acknowledge individual educators who teach in a manner that exceeds regular teaching expectations and involves a sustained performance of excellence in at least two different course preparations. The nominee’s teaching should reach beyond the educator’s personal realm or classroom. Examples of reaching beyond their own classroom could include presenting or publishing about teaching, authoring or contributing to texts, or collaboration in instructional development with faculty and graduate students, increasing communication and collaboration within the university and/or local communities. 

Nomination Package

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

1. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting teaching accomplishments and contributions.

2. Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) from a current or former student who can speak directly to the nominee’s teaching impact.

Locke-Paisley Outstanding Mentoring Award

The Locke-Paisley Outstanding Mentoring award is to acknowledge individual educators from the SACES region whose mentorship impacts students and colleagues in extensive ways. Such efforts often go unnoticed – but not unappreciated. The award is based on the experiences and successes of the nominee’s mentees, not the mentor’s personal career achievements. As such, the nomination should focus on the positive influence the mentor has had on a series of students and/or colleagues as they are developing their careers. For the purpose of this award, mentoring is defined as the process of guiding, supporting, and promoting the education and career development of others.

Nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). Written from the perspective of a mentee, the statement should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Quality and significance of the nominee’s mentoring

   2. Impact on mentees’ educational, professional, or career development

   3. Support for mentee independence, professional identity, and ethical development

   4. Inclusive and sustained mentoring of students and/or colleagues

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting mentoring involvement and accomplishments.

3. Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) from an additional mentee who can provide another perspective on the nominee’s mentoring impact.

L. DiAnne Borders Clinical Supervision Award

Named for an innovative and renowned clinical supervision and supervision scholar, the L. DiAnne Borders Clinical Supervision Award honors a counseling supervisor or a supervision researcher who exemplifies excellence, innovation, and impact in clinical supervision.  The award is designed to acknowledge individuals, through supervision practice or supervision research, who demonstrate efforts toward extending and strengthening counseling services to recipients, establishing standards for service delivery systems,  improving the quality of services delivered, developing and implementing in-service programs which improve counselor skills and knowledge, and/or developing and implementing assessment and evaluation of counselor competence and program implementation.

Candidates for this award may include counselor educators or supervision practitioners who merit recognition as a clinical supervisor or supervision researcher. If the nomination is for supervision research, the nomination also should include samples of the research. In describing the nominee’s achievements, attention should be given to: 

·       Innovation in clinical supervision or supervision research
·       Leadership in the advancement of supervision knowledge, delivery, techniques, practice, assessment, and theory
·       Impact of the nominee’s work in clinical supervision
·       Scholarly involvement in organizations, presentations, and leadership

The nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Excellence in clinical supervision practice and/or supervision research

   2. Innovation in supervision knowledge, delivery, techniques, assessment, practice, or theory

   3. Impact on supervisees, counselor development, service delivery, or the supervision profession

   4. Leadership and contribution to the advancement of clinical supervision, including relevant scholarship when applicable

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting supervision practice, research, scholarship, and leadership relevant to the award.

3. Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) from a supervisee or practitioner who can attest to the impact of the nominee’s work.

Outstanding Tenured Counselor Educator Award

The SACES Outstanding Tenured Counselor Educator award is to acknowledge individual educators who have established an ongoing, career commitment to Counselor Education in the role of a faculty member. The nominee should be exemplary in all areas of academic responsibilities: research, service and teaching. Expectations vary by university, but a career commitment would be indicated by exceeding university requirements. The nominee should have a consistent, productive record of publications and professional presentations; a record of substantive involvement and leadership in professional service; and a steady reputation for positive teaching evaluations and beneficial advising.

The nomination packet:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Sustained scholarship and contributions to counseling knowledge

   2. Excellence and impact in teaching and advising

   3. Substantive professional service and leadership

   4. Overall sustained impact on counselor education, students, institutions, communities, and/or the profession

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting accomplishments relevant to the award criteria.

3. Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) from a current colleague, program coordinator, or department chair addressing the nominee’s sustained impact and excellence.

Outstanding Pre-Tenure Counselor Educator Award

The SACES Outstanding Pre-tenure Counselor Educator award is to acknowledge individual faculty members who are showing exceptional progress in the early stages of their academic career. The award is based on activities in all areas of an academic position: research, teaching, and service. The nominee must have a productive track record of research and publications and a developed research agenda that promises to develop our knowledge of counseling. The nominee should also be actively involved in service to the counseling profession, preferably with leadership positions. Because SACES has a separate Teaching award, the evaluation of teaching is not as critical in this award, but the nominee should also show a solid performance of teaching counseling / human services courses.

Nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Scholarship productivity, research agenda, and trajectory

   2. Excellence and development in teaching

   3. Professional service and emerging leadership

   4. Promise and demonstrated impact within counselor education and the counseling profession

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting accomplishments relevant to the award criteria.

3. Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) from the nominee’s program coordinator or department chair addressing the nominee’s progress, contributions, and promise.

Outstanding Graduate Student - Doctoral Level Award

The SACES Outstanding Graduate student at the Doctoral level award is to acknowledge doctoral students who exceed the already typically high demands of doctoral work. The nominee must be involved in scholarship beyond the dissertation, and exceed in other expectations as well. Additional areas of excellence can include teaching, supervision, clinical work, service, leadership and advocacy. The nominee must be registered as a doctoral student (not graduated) at the time they are nominated for this award.

The nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Scholarship beyond the dissertation, including the nominee’s specific contributions to collaborative work when applicable

   2. Excellence in professional activities such as teaching, supervision, clinical work, or program development

   3. Leadership, service, and/or advocacy within the program, community, or profession

   4. Promise and demonstrated impact as an emerging counselor educator or counseling professional

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting accomplishments relevant to the award criteria.

3. Advisor/Chair Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) confirming the nominee’s contributions, performance, and promise. The nominee must be enrolled as a doctoral student and not have graduated at the time of nomination.

Outstanding Graduate Student - Master's Level Award

The SACES Outstanding Graduate student at the Master’s level award is to acknowledge master’s students who exceed the demands of the master’s program. The nominee should show exceptional promise for a productive career in counseling through early evidence of ability and commitment to serving clients and developing a professional identity. The nominee must be registered as a Master's student (not having graduated) at the time they are nominated for this award.

The nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Professional development and emerging professional identity

   2. Excellence in counseling preparation, client service, and/or other professional activities

   3. Leadership, service, research, outreach, or community engagement beyond routine classroom expectations

   4. Promise for future contribution to clients, communities, and the counseling profession

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting accomplishments relevant to the award criteria.

3. Advisor Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) confirming the nominee’s contributions, performance, and promise. The nominee must be enrolled as a master’s student and not have graduated at the time of nomination.

Courtland Lee Social Justice Award

The Courtland Lee Social Justice Award acknowledges a SACES member who has made significant contributions to enhancing social justice within and beyond the counseling profession. Professionals nominated are engaged in activities specific to social justice in legislation, advocacy, teaching, research, or service.

The nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 2 pages). The nominator should provide specific examples addressing:

   1. Demonstrated commitment to and action toward social justice

   2. Scope and significance of the nominee’s contributions

   3. Demonstrated impact on individuals, communities, institutions, the counseling profession, and/or society

   4. Sustained influence, advocacy, or leadership related to social justice

2. Award-Focused Curriculum Vitae (maximum 3 pages) highlighting social justice and advocacy accomplishments relevant to the award.

3. Supporting Statement (maximum 1 page) from an individual who can directly attest to the significance and impact of the nominee’s social justice work.

Outstanding Program Awards

Outstanding Doctoral Counselor Education and Supervision Program

The Outstanding Doctoral Counselor Education Program is designed to acknowledge programs that educate doctoral-level students. Programs nominated for this award should demonstrate outstanding pre-service and in-service training in areas such as counseling, supervision, teaching, research and scholarship, and leadership and advocacy.

The nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 3 pages). The statement should provide specific evidence addressing:

   1. Excellence in doctoral-level counselor education and supervision preparation

   2. Distinctive or innovative program practices

   3. Student outcomes, accomplishments, and demonstrated program impact

   4. Contributions to counselor education, the counseling profession, and/or relevant communities

2. Supporting Evidence (maximum 3 pages). Include selected evidence that directly supports claims made in the nomination statement. Evidence should be concise and clearly connected to the award criteria.

3. Optional Web Links (maximum 3 links). Links may provide supplemental information about the program. Reviewers should not be required to access external links to find evidence necessary for scoring.

Outstanding Master's Counselor Education Program

The Outstanding Master’s Counselor Education Program is designed to acknowledge programs that educate Master 's-level students. Programs nominated for this award should demonstrate outstanding pre-service and in-service training in core and specialty areas.

The nomination package:

1. Nomination Statement (maximum 3 pages). The statement should provide specific evidence addressing:

   1. Excellence in master's-level counselor education preparation

   2. Distinctive or innovative program practices

   3. Student outcomes, accomplishments, and demonstrated program impact

   4. Contributions to counselor education, the counseling profession, and/or relevant communities

2. Supporting Evidence (maximum 3 pages). Include selected evidence that directly supports claims made in the nomination statement. Evidence should be concise and clearly connected to the award criteria.

3. Optional Web Links (maximum 3 links). Links may provide supplemental information about the program. Reviewers should not be required to access external links to find evidence necessary for scoring.

Awards Selection

The SACES Executive Council members are not involved in the nominations or selection of award recipients, with the exclusion of the Presidential Service Award. All packets will be evaluated by the Awards Committee which is comprised of SACES members (e.g., students and professional members).

Award recipients and award nominators will be notified in advance so that arrangements can be made for both to be present at the SACES Awards Ceremony held during the biannual SACES or ACES conventions. All award presentations will occur at this time. The SACES Awards Committee will send the date and location for this event to all recipients via email. For further information, please direct your questions to the SACES Awards Committee Co-Chairs at awards@saces.org.

The Awards Committee is not required to grant an award if there are insufficient nominees for the award's category or if the committee does not deem any nomination worthy of an award.