The annual AKA Scholar Awards honor a select number of students from member departments, recommended by department faculty, whose academic and leadership records are distinctive. The awards are intended to recognize and promote academic excellence, to further the professional competence and dedication of academically accomplished students and to promote kinesiology and its related fields. Awards are offered in four categories:

• Undergraduate Scholar Award
• Master’s Scholar Award
• Doctoral Scholar Award
• Graduate Writing Award

Member institutions may submit one nomination per category. Each student nominated by a college or university will be the designated Undergraduate Scholar, Master’s Scholar, Doctoral Scholar, or Graduate Writing Award recipient from their institution, pending final approval by the AKA Scholar Award committee. More information about the awards, including selection criteria, can be found on the AKA website  or by contacting the AKA Awards Committee Chairperson, Dr. Melinda Solmon. The deadline for nominations is March 2, 2015.

Awardees will receive a certificate and their photos will be published on the AKA website. Announcements of awards will be sent to chairs and deans of the students’ institutions soon after a decision is made (every effort is made to have certificates in time for your awards ceremonies).  The Awards Committee will begin the review process on March 2.

This year, in addition to the recognition of program-based awards for students at each institution, nominations will be considered for national awards. One winner will be chosen by the AKA awards committee for each category. National award recipients will receive a $250 gift certificate for Human Kinetics products.

These awards provide an excellent way to showcase the academic talents of undergraduate and graduate students in kinesiology and many member departments have taken advantage of this opportunity.  If you have not already done so, please consider nominating your students for this year’s awards.