George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award

The George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award recognizes the highest level of achievement among staff employees. Serving as a companion award to the Trustees Award for faculty, the George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award is a symbol of what we value as a campus community, having an “extraordinary impact on the lives of students”. This award winner exemplifies the traits of its namesake George J. Howe (humility, generosity, and excellence in leadership) as well as the Cardinal Principles and whose career has had an exceptional impact on the university.

Award Overview & Criteria

The nomination period for this award is from December to February 15 each year.

Who can nominate someone?

Anyone in the university community, including co-workers, supervisors, faculty, staff, and students can submit a nomination. Self-nominations are not accepted.

Who can be nominated?

Regular, full-time exempt or non-exempt staff, who:

  • Have at least five years of continuous service at the University of Louisville
  • Are in good standing with the university
  • Have not previously won this award. Since this award represents the highest level of achievement in a career, an employee can only win it once. However, past nominees can be renominated.

Nomination Form Requirements

All requested fields must be completed in the nomination form for consideration. Include as much detail as possible and provide real-world examples that showcase the nominee's impact; specific stories and achievements can truly highlight their contributions and make your nomination stand out!

Additional required documents uploaded as a combined PDF to include

  • A letter of support from the nominee’s dean or vice president
  • A letter of support from the nominee’s supervisor
  • Letter(s) of support from current and/or past students, colleagues, and others

Number of Award Recipients

One winner is selected each year.

Selection Criteria

A selection committee of peers will review each nomination and recommend a winner. The intent of this award it to honor a staff employee who has had a long and dedicated career in higher education. Recipients should demonstrate over the course of their career a remarkable commitment to the mission of the University of Louisville, its students, faculty, and staff, while exemplifying both the Cardinal Principles and the traits of George J. Howe through their humility, generosity, and excellence in leadership.

Consideration for the award may include the nominees’ length of service as an indication of their commitment to the university, but awards are not based solely on years of service.

What Winners Receive

  • A cash award of $5,000
  • An engraved glass award
  • Recognition in UofL Today
  • A highlight on the Employee Success Center website
  • Recognition at the Annual Presidential Excellence Reception

Questions?

For any questions, please email . 

Submit a nomination

Nomination forms can be submitted via this webpage beginning in January, with a deadline of February 15, 2025. You can begin preparing now. You will be asked to submit answers to the following questions:

  • Briefly describe the job duties of the employee being nominated
  • Briefly describe (in 150 words or less) why you feel this individual should be considered for the George J. Howe Distinguished Staff Award

For this award, you will also be required to upload the following in a combined PDF document:

  •  Letter of support from the nominee’s dean or vice president
  • Letter of support from the nominee’s supervisor
  • Letter of support from current and/or past students, colleagues and others

About the Award Namesake: George J. Howe

George Howe was the University of Louisville's first Director of Student Activities and was a major force in developing the Red Barn as a campus location for student programs.  He started work at the University of Louisville on July 1, 1970. A native of Pennsylvania, George earned his undergraduate degree in 1965 from Muskingum University in Ohio and his master’s degree from University of West Virginia in 1969. As the first Director of Student Activities George was responsible for developing programs in the Red Barn. He and a team of dedicated students over the years helped make the Red Barn the premier live music venue in Louisville in the 70's and 80's. For more than 50 years the Red Barn has provided a location for student events and George acted as host for most of those 50 years. In 2007 the Red Barn was officially dedicated as the George J. Howe Red Barn in recognition of George’s lifetime commitment to students and the University of Louisville. That same year the George J. Howe Leadership Fund was established and endowed with initial gifts of more than $10,000. George retired in 2020.