It has been another year of small changes and improvements from the Awards Committee to better serve AORE membership and recognize the amazing things programs and individuals are doing across the country. The Awards Committee is always striving to maximize the number of applications and nominations so that the best of the best can be recognized.
Being an outdoor professional can require a significant investment of both time and money to stay current on certifications and the latest trends. Professional Development scholarships utilize support from our industry partners to make costly certifications accessible to AORE members. Certifications increase the professionalism of our industry and translate directly to increase the excellence of the programs you bring them back to. Consider applying for a Professional Development scholarship, the benefit can far exceed the effort required. Deadline to apply is September 15, 2017.
The Big 4 Awards give AORE members the chance to nominate outstanding programs and members for the things they do to serve their programs, the industry, and the Association. Applications are already open, so take advantage of your summer “down time” and apply or nominate someone for one of these prestigious awards. The deadline is September 15, but we all know things get crazy when fall semester starts, so get it done now! To qualify for a Big 4 Award the nominee must hold the appropriate membership with the Association and not have won an award in the past year. Students nominated for the Bill March Student Achievement Award must be enrolled full-time in classes, as defined by their institution. Current Board members are not eligible for scholarships or awards.
There are many more awards and scholarships distributed at the national conference, a full list can be found on the website under the “about AORE” drop down menu and has also already been sent to all current members via email.
As a new member of AORE, one of the things I most appreciate about the Association is that you can easily get involved at a national level. I attended my first AORE conference in Minneapolis and was able to join the Awards Committee at the same time. We are always looking for new members, if you are interested in elevating your involvement contact Steven Whitman ([email protected]).
Awards Committee Update
By: Betsy Bremer
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