Outstanding Student Award
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)'s Student Awards recognize CEC's outstanding college and university student members—undergraduate and graduate students—who make outstanding contributions to CEC and to children and youth with exceptionalities.
Award Details:
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)'s Student Awards recognize CEC's outstanding college and university student members—undergraduate and graduate students—who make outstanding contributions to CEC and to children and youth with exceptionalities.
Award Benefits
The 2023 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Member Award recipients will each:
- Receive complimentary registration, and $500 travel stipend for the CEC 2023 Convention & Expo, March 1-4th, 2023, in Louisville, KY
- Be recognized and receive a commemorative plaque at the Awards Luncheon during the CEC 2023 Convention & Expo on Thursday, March 3rd, 2023
- Be featured on the CEC website
Nominees must:
- Be a current CEC student member and have been a member for at least one full semester at the time of nomination.
- Be one of the following:
- A full-time undergraduate or a full-time or part-time graduate student during the 2022-2023 academic year at an accredited college or university
- A 2022 graduate of an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university
- Have demonstrated outstanding contributions to children with exceptionalities and/or CEC in areas such as:
- Demonstrated leadership and inspiration as a role model for other students
- Exhibition of sincere commitment to children with exceptionalities and the field of special education
- Involvement with CEC through a student chapter, state chapter, and/or at the national level
- Service as a CEC officer or committee member/chair in a CEC chapter, Unit or Special Interest Division.
Award Selection Considerations
- The CEC Student and Early Career Committee has the authority to give only one Outstanding CEC Undergraduate Student Award or opt not to grant the award in any given year
- The CEC Student and Early Career Committee will conduct an individual review of each application based on the criteria set forth above
- Current sitting members of the CEC Student and Early Career Committee may not be nominated for either award and may not nominate or write letters of recommendation for any Student Award nominees
Rules and Instructions for Nomination
The nomination should be completed and submitted using the form linked below. Nominations must be submitted by a faculty member at the student’s undergraduate institution. This may be the CEC Student Chapter faculty advisor or one of the student’s professors. Self-nominations are not accepted.
- All application materials (including letter of recommendation) must be submitted together to CEC Headquarters via email by December 19th.
- Nominations will be accepted electronically via the following form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3HDK8L2
- Please note: Nominations for BOTH the Undergraduate and Graduate awards should be submitted using this form.
- Supporting materials, including attached images or PDFs, should have clearly labeled file names that include the name of the nominee. If you are unable to upload them in the electronic submission form, please contact Gennith Johnson at students@exceptionalchildren.org
- All materials submitted become the property of CEC and will not be returned.
Application Steps
- Confirm your Nominees Eligibility
- Submit your Nomination by December 19th, 2023
- Applications Reviewed by the CEC Student & Early Career Committee.
- Recipients will be notified in mid-January
Please address any inquiries about the CEC Student Awards to students@exceptionalchildren.org.
Recipients of these awards are not required to attend the convention to receive their award. No student will be awarded more than one CEC award each year. Student members on CEC’s Student & Early Career Committee are not eligible for these awards.
Please note: High school students and other non-members are not eligible for these awards.