Awards

The SWCA sponsors annual awards that recognize excellence at both the tutor and supervisor levels. Awards are presented at our annual conference. See below for details about awards and the nomination process.

SWCA Tutor Awards recognize leadership, commitment, and overall excellence of individuals working in an SWCA writing center. Individuals can be nominated in one of four categories:  Secondary Tutor (high school) Undergraduate Tutor Graduate Tutor Professional Tutor

The SWCA Impact Award recognizes the outstanding achievement of a current writing center leader either in a single writing center and/or in the field of writing center studies over a period of at least 10 years. While nominees most often hold the title of Director, Associate Director, etc., anyone with 10 years of experience in writing centers is eligible and the years of experience need not be in a formal leadership position.

Information about Nominations

• For a nominee to be eligible for an award, the nominee, their center’s director, or their institution must be an SWCA member by the time of nomination. Nominees should be from schools within the SWCA region. Award winners are encouraged, although not required, to attend the SWCA conference. 
  
  

• Questions about the nomination process or eligibility can be directed to Kem Roper (kem.roper@athens.edu) and Caitlin Kelly (caitlin.kelly@gatech.edu). 

SWCA Tutor Awards

To submit a nomination for the SWCA Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional Tutor Awards, click on the award name (below) and complete the submission form.

SWCA Impact Award

Nomination and Application Process 

You can nominate yourself or someone else by completing this form. After the nomination deadline, the Chairs of the Awards and Scholarships Committee will reach out to nominees with instructions about submitting the nomination package (described below).  

A complete nomination package must include the following and be submitted to awardscommitteeswca@gmail.com as a single PDF: 

• Cover letter of no more than 1 page single-spaced that identifies 3 categories of achievement and explains the evidence presented for each (see list below)  

• The nominee’s most recent CV 

• The nominee’s statement of writing center philosophy (no more than 2 pages single-spaced) 

• 3 pieces of evidence of achievement in the categories declared in the cover letter (including, but not limited to, articles and conference presentations, administrative writing or reports, writing center workshop or program materials, tutor education materials, internal research projects, etc.) 

• 1 letter of support from a colleague within the nominee’s institution who does not report directly to the nominee 

Additionally, nomination packages may also include up to (2) 1-page, single-spaced letters of support from: 

• Undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional writing tutors; 

• Writing center administrators and/or other faculty or staff at the nominee’s institution; and/or 

• Writing center scholars outside of the nominee’s institution. 

Categories of Achievement 

Nominations must identify 3 categories from the following list to demonstrate or define their achievement: 

• Program development: growth and development of a writing center itself or programs and services that are a part of a writing center 

• Mentorship and tutor/staff development: efforts to support the professional and personal development of tutors and other writing center staff, either through formal or informal means 

• Research activity and contributions: publications (peer reviewed and public writing), presentations, studies designed and completed, etc.  

• Service to the field of writing center studies: board membership, conference hosting, editorial service, article review, etc.  

• Community engagement and outreach: service and collaborations with organizations and groups outside of one’s writing center or institution 

Characteristics of Successful Nominations  

Nomination packages are evaluated by the Awards and Scholarships Committee. Winning nominations will include all of the required documents; clearly identify and describe the nominee’s achievements; present relevant evidence in support of the nominee’s achievements as outlined in the cover letter; and demonstrate achievement in writing center work that has made a significant and visible impact on their writing center/institution and/or the field of writing center studies.  

Nomination and Submission Instructions

Nominations are due no later than September 1, 2025 and can be submitted using this form. Completed nomination packages should be compiled into a single PDF and sent to awardscommitteeswca@gmail.com by 11:59pm on October 31, 2025. 

Past Award Recipients