JoAnn Miller Exemplary Community Partner Award

The JoAnn Miller Exemplary Community Partner Award, presented annually, recognizes local nonprofits, schools, or government units that contribute to the educational growth of Purdue students by providing volunteer and service-learning opportunities. It includes a $1,000 cash prize. In 2015, the award was renamed in memory of JoAnn L. Miller, who was Associate Dean of Engagement and head of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Liberal Arts. She worked passionately to further engagement with the community by Purdue students, faculty, and staff.

Eligibility

Nominees must be a not-for-profit organization, a school, or a governmental unit either within Indiana or within 50 miles from a Purdue University campus (e.g., Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Fort Wayne, Purdue Northwest, Purdue in Indianapolis). The nominee must have partnered with Purdue to provide volunteer and/or service-learning opportunities that demonstrate excellence in engaging students in meaningful service to the community. Internships and placements partnerships are ineligible for this award.

Nomination Process

Community partners (as described above in the Eligibility section) and faculty, staff, and students across the Purdue system may nominate a community partner.

Nominations must include the following elements:

• Community need(s) addressed by the agency’s programs and how the agency addresses the need(s)
• How Purdue students have been involved in the agency’s programs and the benefits they have received from their experience
• Contribution/value that student involvement brings to the agency and the population it serves
• Why the agency is deserving of the award
• Number and level of students engaged with the agency each year

The nomination form can be found HERE. Nominations are due March 4, 2024 by 11:59 PM.

Selection Process

Nominations will be evaluated and awarded by an ad hoc committee of Office of Engagement staff based on the following criteria:

1. “Meaningful service” is defined as service that is reciprocal. Students learn about challenges/issues in the community and are empowered to address them while the partner agency receives valuable services and resources.
2. The partner agency acts as co-educator for the students.
3. Finalists will be selected and notified by March 8th. Each organization selected as a finalist will participate in a virtual conversation with one or two members of the selection committee during the week of March 18th. The winning organization will be selected and notified during the week of March 25th.

Award

Awardees receive a $1,000 cash prize, a plaque, and are honored at the Office of Engagement’s Annual Awards Luncheon.

Contact

Any questions about the award processes may be directed to Dr. Lindsey Payne, Director of Service-Learning, at paynel@purdue.edu.