Can students nominate themselves?
Students are encouraged to take the initiative and make a request of an Arkansas State University faculty member or organization advisor to be nominated. The student can complete the entire application, but must have a faculty member or organization advisor agree to be listed on the application as ‘nominator’.
Does it help to have more than three letters of recommendation?
You may not have more than three letters of recommendation with your completed application. The first three letters that arrive at the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Office will be the three included with your application. All others will be discarded.
How detailed do I need to be in the application?
As detailed as possible. If you are involved in an organization, list the extent of your involvement as well as the purpose of the organization. If you are an officer, list the duties of your job and your accomplishments in the position. The committee cannot read more into the application than the information you give. If you do not explain your involvement, they will not understand how active you were or how much time the position took. Some members of the committee may not know all of the specific organizations on the A-State campus or what they do, so it helps to be specific.
Aren’t these awards just for students involved in campus organizations like SGA?
No. The committee considers students involved in all types of activities on campus. Previous recipients include student-athletes, students who had an emphasis on involvement in their own college, and students who were never presidents of any organization, but were actively involved in them.
If a professor wants to nominate me, what should I do?
Provide the professor with as much information about your campus involvement as possible. Many professors only know part of your involvement on campus and off; help them give you the best nomination by sharing your other activities. Also, provide suggestions to the professor of other recommendation letters he/she could request for you.
Who should I ask to write a letter of recommendation for me?
One letter must be from a faculty member. This could be your advisor or another professor with whom you have a strong relationship. Another required letter is from an organization advisor. This could also be a faculty member, someone on the A-State staff, or a volunteer (i.e. a Greek adviser). The third letter can be from anyone; however, attempt to find three different people who each know you in a different capacity. The committee wants to learn what kind of person you are, so each letter needs to be unique to his/her relationship with you. It also helps to find people who are familiar with the DSA/Wilson Awards and understand their significance as Arkansas State University’s highest student honors, recognizing service and involvement.
