Phillips and Mildred A. Talbot LAS Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Engagement

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The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, in fulfillment of its mission, is committed to excellence in Public Engagement. The Phillips and Mildred A. Talbot LAS Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Engagement was established in 2026 to recognize faculty who demonstrate innovative and sustained excellence in engaging with public partners to address critical societal issues. The LAS Awards Committee will review and rank the applications received. Final recipient recommendations will be approved by the Dean of the college. One award may be made annually.

Criteria

Nominations will be evaluated in terms of achievement according to the following established criteria:

  • Sustained leadership (minimum of three years at the University of Illinois) in working with the public and/or with external organizations.
  • Innovative or entrepreneurial ways of working for the well-being of citizens and communities.
  • Documented excellence in extending University knowledge.
  • Evidence of the impact on the community served.
  • Demonstrated intellectual, professional, personal, and/or career growth as a result of the experience.
  • Demonstrated level of responsibility that goes above and beyond what is expected.
  • Evidence of impact on scholarship/research, instruction and curriculum development, or evidence of national significance in the field or community.

Award: Recipients receive a $750 award and a commemorative plaque. Both are presented to the winner at the LAS Recognition of Excellence.

Eligibility

The eligibility requirements for this award and the Campus Award for Excellence in Public Engagement faculty awards are the same. All faculty members (tenure-stream and specialized) with at least a 50% appointment at the University who have demonstrated significant individual contributions to the local community, state, nation, or world through distinguished university public engagement are eligible for public engagement awards. For purposes of these awards, distinguished public engagement is a direct extension of an individual’s disciplinary or technical expertise to the public and non-profit sector. Individuals who have received the award in the previous 5 years are not eligible. Engagement or service resulting in monetary gain (private consulting) is not considered public service, nor is service that is performed as a private citizen (membership in local service clubs, for example) or as an elected public official.

Nominations

The nomination for this award and the Stage 1 process for the Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement are the same. The criteria and procedures are defined in the Provost’s Guidelines for the Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement- Faculty & Staff. The LAS Awards Committee will review and rank the applications received. In addition to the campus procedures, all materials must be typed in 12 point, Times New Roman font, single-spaced.

Winners of the LAS Faculty Award for Excellence in Public Engagement will be submitted in the appropriate category (distinguished or emerging) to the Provost’s office in the fall of the same year when the Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement awards cycle opens. For example, the spring 2027 college award winner will be put forward for the fall 2027 Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement cycle.

The deadlines for submission to the department and to the college correspond to those for the campus awards:

DateDeadlines
Mid-November 2026Recommended deadline for nominations to departmental selection committee.
January 4, 2027: Deadline for nominations from departments to the college.
November 2027Deadline for college nominations to campus.