For the second year, Saint Louis University students are given the opportunity to recognize and honor those professors who have made a difference in their lives.

The Faculty Excellence Awards began last year as an initiative under the Student Government Association assembly. Last year’s Academic Vice President Rebecca Shelby collaborated with the Academic Affairs Committee to organize the distribution of the awards in their first year. Shelby is involved in this year’s awards as well, under the title of Director of Academic Initiatives.

“[SGA] wanted the Faculty Excellence Awards to be student-based. Though the University offers several other awards that are more prestigious for faculty members, [SGA] wanted this award to be solely from the students,” Shelby said.

All SLU students-part time or full time, graduate or undergraduate-are encouraged to nominate one or more of their professors for this award. Students can submit their nominations via a Web site set up by SGA, http://sga.slu.edu/academics/excel. The deadline for submission of nominations is March 22.

The nomination form includes writing an essay of at least 500 words about the teacher being nominated. Some of the thought-provoking questions provided as suggestions on how students can direct their essays include:

“How did the teacher take a special interest in your learning?”

“What does the teacher do outside of his or her classrooms to improve the University and further its Jesuit mission?”

There were 25 recipients of the award last year, and that is the tentatively estimated number of awards that will be given out this year. Shelby acknowledged though, that the number of recipients “is one of those issues that we will need to deal with on a year-to-year basis.”

A committee is in the process of being formed that will review all the nominations and select the recipients of the award. The committee is open to all students. Shelby and the other members of SGA who are working on this year’s Awards hope to compile a committee as diverse as possible, drawing on input from all areas of academic study. “[Giving these awards] is something different and special that we, as the student body, can do for the faculty,” Shelby said.

The deadline to join the committee is March 8. Interested students can e-mail Shelby at [email protected] and faculty members.