Distinguished Mentor Award (DMA)

Now Accepting Nominations for the DMA.
Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026

Without the dedication of UI faculty and staff mentors, there would be no undergraduate research.

To recognize the work that mentors put in to make their student's experiences successful, OUR created the Distinguished Mentor Award (DMA). Students are invited to nominate their faculty research mentor as a huge "Thank you!" for the time and talent their mentors have given.

Each year, OUR recognizes two faculty/staff members who have been nominated by their student mentee(s). All faculty and staff who mentor students in research, scholarly, or creative work are eligible for nomination. Any nominated mentors will be notified, making nomination alone a token of gratitude from the student.

Nomination Process

Thinking about nominating your mentor?

All faculty and staff who mentor students in research, scholarly, or creative work are eligible for nomination. Any nominated mentors will be notified, making nomination alone a token of gratitude from the student. This award is open to all discipline areas on campus.

If your mentor is selected as a DMA recipient they will also receive the following:

An OUR Research Fellow of their choice for the upcoming summer or academic year.
A beautiful award to be displayed proudly at home or the office.
Recognition at the annual award ceremony hosted by the Office of the President, recognizing faculty and staff achievements.

Find out more about who is eligible and the nomination process!