University Awards for Excellence Nominations

Jan. 7, 2026
To: University Employees
From: Employee Recognition Committee
Subject: University Awards for Excellence Nominations
Date: Jan 07, 2026

Nominations for the 2026 Awards for Excellence awards are open. Benefits-eligible university staff from any campus are eligible for nomination. 

The annual Awards for Excellence are presented by the Staff Council with support from the Office of the President. Honorees are nominated by colleagues and selected by a panel of employees who volunteer as judges. Save the date for the 2026 awards ceremony on April 23.

Submit nominations via Arizona Cultivate, through 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, for the following award categories:

  • The Award for Excellence (Individual)
    Presented to four-to-nine benefits-eligible University or Classified Staff members, regardless of length of service, classification, or pay grade, for exceptional achievements and accomplishments in their roles.
     
  • The Billy Joe Varney Award for Excellence
    Awarded to one benefits-eligible University or Classified Staff member with at least 15 cumulative years of service who has demonstrated a career or dedicated service to the university, its employees, and the community.
     
  • The Team Award for Excellence 
    Recognizes teams composed of University and/or Classified Staff for outstanding contributions to their unit, department, or the university through a specific project or function.
     
  • The Center/Department/Institute Award for Excellence
    Honors a single organizational unit for exceptional excellence in managing people and resources, creating a supportive, empowering, and impactful workplace. The selected unit will be awarded a commemorative plaque.

Submit a Nomination
All awards, except for the Center/Department/Institute Award for Excellence, include a university-funded monetary prize. All awards recognize achievements that go beyond standard job expectations. 

We encourage you to take this opportunity to acknowledge those who make significant differences at the University. Complete details and nomination forms are available on the Employee Recognition Committee website. Please contact Jennifer Lawrence, chair of the Staff Council Employee Recognition Committee, with questions.

Nomination Deadline: 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, 2026
Awards Ceremony: April 23, 2026 | 3-4:30 p.m.
Location: South Ballroom, Student Union Memorial Center

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