North American Society for Sport Management

Purpose

The purpose of the North American Society for Sport Management Distinguished Sport Management Educator award is to recognize exceptional contributions to teaching and learning. The award signifies (a) distinction in classroom, and/or field, and/or on-line teaching; (b) excellence in pedagogical innovations in teaching methods, and/or course design, and/or curricular design, and/or assessment; (c) sustained commitment to the improvement and quality of teaching and learning in the sport management disciplines; and (d) sustained commitment to one's own professional learning.

I. Qualifications

Any professional member of NASSM is eligible to be nominated and receive the NASSM Distinguished Sport Management Educator recognition. Nominees must have been members of NASSM for a minimum of five years, and must have taught sport management courses for a minimum of 3-years.

II. Nominations

The nomination deadline is November 15. All nominations must be submitted electronically to the designated Committee Chair (Robert Baker, rbaker2@gmu.edu).

Any NASSM member may nominate another NASSM member for consideration by submitting a letter, not to exceed two pages, to the committee Chair (Robert Baker, rbaker2@gmu.edu). Self-nominations will be accepted.

Nominees may be of any faculty rank, and must currently be teaching full time in a sport management major curriculum. There is no limit to the number of times a member may be nominated. Nominations will remain active for three years.

The nomination letter should outline the qualifications of the nominee based on the award's purpose (see Purpose). Nominees must be able to provide the required evidence (See Section III - Evidence) by the designated deadline. The committee will select no more than three final candidates based on the nomination letters. Finalists will be notified by December 15.

III. Evidence

If selected as a finalist, candidates must provide the following supporting evidence to the committee chair no later than February 1. All materials must be submitted electronically.

1. A current curriculum vita.
2. An application document, not to exceed 5-pages, that includes a statement of the candidate's teaching philosophy as well as evidence which describes the candidate's qualifications based on the purposes of the award (see first paragraph, page 1). Examples of evidence may be, but is not limited to the following, as appropriate:
   • Evidence of the candidate's excellence in teaching and/or mentoring students.
   • Evidence that the candidate's teaching and/or mentoring enabled students to expand their disciplinary knowledge and/or skills, and/or enabled students to become more willing to engage difficult concepts, and/or enabled students to learn new ways to approach questions.
   • Evidence of innovative teaching methods, and/or course, and/or curricular design.
   • Evidence of innovative assessment techniques and responses to or adjustments made to teaching as a result of assessment outcomes.
   • Evidence of publications, presentations, workshops, and/or other forms of public dissemination of pedagogical concepts, including consultantships.
   • Evidence of sustained commitment to one's own professional learning through continued professional development.
   • Evidence that the candidate has fostered students' skills in presentation/research.
3. Other appropriate evidence, not to exceed two pages, as selected by the candidate such as summaries of quantitative or qualitative evaluations, feedback from students who work(ed) with the candidate outside of credit-bearing courses (e.g.,  advising, special projects), evidence demonstrating candidate's attention to student's diverse needs, and other evidence indicating that the candidate's teaching has produced significant learning.
4. A current syllabus from one course of the candidate's choice.
5. Five letters of support, at least one of which should be from the candidate’s current administrator, one of which should be from a current student, and one of which should be from a former student now in professional practice. The remaining two letters may be from any of the above categories, or from current or former teaching colleagues, NASSM colleagues, or any other appropriate persons as selected by the candidate.

Letters of support should address the candidate's distinguished performance in classroom, and/or field, and/or on-line teaching; excellence in pedagogical innovations in teaching methods, and/or course design, and/or curricular design, and/or assessment; sustained commitment to the improvement and quality of teaching and learning in the sport management disciplines; and sustained commitment to the candidate's own professional learning.

IV. Evaluation

The NASSM Distinguished Sport Management Educator Selection Committee will evaluate candidates' credentials based on the evidence as provided. The committee may request clarifications or explanations, as appropriate.

V. Selection and Award

The NASSM Distinguished Sport Management Educator Committee Chair will provide the committee’s recommendations to the NASSM Executive Council no later than March 15. The Council will select the NASSM Distinguished Sport Management Educator by majority vote no later than April 1.

NASSM Distinguished Sport Management Educators will receive appropriate recognition at the annual NASSM conference, as determined by the NASSM Executive Council.

NASSM members may receive the award more than once. However, there must be a 5-year duration between award periods.