Outstanding Supervisor Award
What makes a supervisor effective? According to Simon Sinek, great supervisors establish a “circle of safety” that fosters employee engagement, innovation, and productivity. They cultivate a culture of support, emphasizing the development of team members while consistently conveying respect, compassion, and trust.
The university honors supervisors who exceed expectations in engaging and developing their employees while embodying the Cardinal Principles.
Do you have a supervisor that has inspired and supported you? Show them they have made a difference with a nomination.
Award Overview & Criteria
The nomination period for this award is from December 1 to February 15 each year.
Who can nominate someone?
Any employee who the nominee currently supervises or has supervised in the past. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Who can be nominated?
Full-time, regular status faculty or staff supervisors, who:
- Have at least one year of continuous service
- Are in good standing with the university
- Supervise at least one full-time regular status employee
- Have not received the same award in the past five years
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 letters of support can be included, but the form itself must be complete. If you are aware the multiple people would like to nominate the same supervisor, you are encouraged to submit one nomination but include additional letters of support combined in a PDF via the uploaded document.
Number of Award Recipients
One winner is chosen each year.
Selection Criteria
A selection committee of peers will review each nomination and provide their recommended winner(s). Recipients of this award should
- Maintain a work environment which demonstrates and supports work/life balance, professional development, and performance management
- Demonstrate equitable and respectful treatment of all staff
- Motivate peers and employees
- Demonstrate other leadership qualities
- Demonstrate the Cardinal Principles
What Winners Receive
Once winners are selected, they will be notified via email. They will receive:
- A cash award of $1,000
- 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 recognition@louisville.edu.
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. 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!
- 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 an Outstanding Supervisor Award
- Support your nomination by responding to each of the following sections (provide examples, as applicable).
- Maintains a work environment which demonstrates and supports work/life balance, professional development and performance management
- Demonstrates equitable and respectful treatment of all staff
- Motivates peers and employees
- Demonstrates other leadership qualities
- Demonstrated the Cardinal Principles as a supervisor
- Provide concluding comments or additional information
Again, additional letters of support can be included but are not required. If you are aware the multiple people would like to nominate the same person, you are encouraged to submit one nomination but include additional letters of support combined in a PDF via the upload document field
