Tag Archives: award

Outstanding Thesis Award: Nominations Open till March 8

by Office of the Provost

Outstanding Thesis Award will be available for 1-2 theses completed in the 2012/2013 academic year.  The winners will each receive $500.  In addition, the winners will be presented at the University’s commencement ceremony in May and will sit with the platform party.

Each college is invited to nominate one outstanding thesis for consideration for this prestigious award.  Students with degrees awarded in May, August, and December of 2012 and those with degrees to be awarded in May 2013 are eligible.  We continue to include the prior May degree recipients so that high quality work completed too late for last year’s college selection process can participate this year.  One restriction remains; nominees sent forward to the Graduate Studies & Research Committee last year may not be nominated again.  The deadline for this year’s competition is March 8, 2013.  Colleges may forward their nominee anytime before the March 8 deadline.

The Graduate Studies & Research Committee will serve as the jury.  In order to assist the Graduate Studies & Research Committee in the difficult task of selecting the “best of the best,” please submit the following with each nomination:

  • A copy of the thesis (which will be returned).
  • A minimum of two reference letters that indicate the reasons for the nominee’s selection, including some indication of the contribution made by the thesis to knowledge in the field.  Reference letters are required from the college committee or dean and the thesis committee chair or program coordinator.
  • The Outstanding Thesis Award Information Form (http://www.sjsu.edu/gradstudies/docs/Outstanding_Thesis_Award_Information_Form-downloadable.pdf) completed for the college nominee.

The Graduate Studies & Research Committee will make its selections by March 18, 2013.  If you have questions or need additional information, please contact David Bruck at david.bruck@sjsu.edu.  We hope that all colleges will be represented this year.

Reflections on Student Challenges & Success: William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustee Award 2012 Winner Erin Enguero

 

By Erin Enguero, KIN undergraduate student

KIN student Erin Enguero wins 2012 CSU Trustee’s Award

Since 1999, the William Randolph Hearst/ CSU Trustees Award has recognized one student from each campus who has overcome adversity while demonstrating exceptional academic, personal, and community achievements.  At the time I applied for this scholarship, I had been wearing hearing aides for nine years, was elected as SJSU Pre-Physical Therapy Club Treasurer, and was hired at the campus Student Health Center as a Physical Therapy Aide.  When I became one of 23 award winners of the William Randolph Hearst/ CSU Trustees Award, and the first student scholar that was hearing impaired, it was a lot to take-in, as I had only just completed my first year of college!

Last week on September 18th, I woke up at 4:30am to fly down with my family to Long Beach to attend the awards ceremony at the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

To get to this point, I have overcome social and educational challenges of being a hearing impaired student, which has pushed me to reach higher levels of success. Stories of other award winners were also powerful including candidates who had faced homelessness, abuse, poverty, and additional hardships. I was in awe of what my fellow award winners had accomplished. We all shared the funny sentiment that the candidate next to us had a story more inspiring than ours! I feel so blessed to have met such a talented, humble, and resilient group of students. Scholarships often recognize individuals for their community service and leadership, but to celebrate life challenges that have strengthened our spirits is truly an exceptional recognition.

After receiving a surprising bundle of gifts from Sony, a standing ovation from members of the Chancellors Office, and the opportunity to shake President Quayomi’s hand, I am still trying to take-in what this great accomplishment means.  The one thing that is clear in my mind is that it is a thrill to be a member of the CSU system and a representative of SJSU.  Most importantly, I am blessed to be a student of the Kinesiology department.  Due to their welcoming arms, I am proud to be the individual who I am today and am excited to see what is around the next corner!