Faculty University Service Award 

Overview

The Faculty University Service Award is given each year to recognize and encourage excellence in service to University operations and governance. Recognized activities include service at the university, college and/or department levels and may include libraries and USU Extension. Examples include:

  • Service on one or more of the standing or ad hoc committees of the Faculty Senate or other councils, committees, or task forces addressing specific university issues and initiatives
  • Service on department, college, or university committees
  • Service on search committees or promotion/tenure committees
  • Other activities performed in service to the University

The award does not recognize service to a professional organization or community outside USU.

The Faculty Evaluation Committee (FEC) will select an award recipient from a pool of nominees chosen annually by each of the academic colleges, USU Extension, and Libraries. In addition to recognition at the annual University Faculty Awards Event, and the Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies, the Faculty University Service Award recipient will receive $1,500.

2026 Winner

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services | Psychology

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez is Professor of Psychology. Her work addresses health disparities through scholarship, teaching and training, and mentorship, and her graduate and undergraduate courses prepare psychologists entering the workforce to manage and address diversity and equity in their professional roles. Domenech Rodríguez has a steady history of service to the profession and the university, having served as faculty advisor of Psi Chi, the psychology honor society local chapter (2002-2015), chair of the Institutional Review Board (2012-2023), and faculty senator (2025-Present).

Congratulations to the 2026 Faculty University Service Nominees!

Rose Judd-Murray

Read Story

Rose Judd-Murray

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources | Applied Sciences, Technology & Education (ASTE)

View Previous Award Recipients

Criteria

Nominees must be full time faculty members (tenure-track, tenured, or term appointments) without administrative role statements (small or minimal county director appointments for Extension are allowed).

Criteria for selection of nominees include:

  • Excellence in institutional service for at least three years as supported by letters from peers
  • Evidence of effective leadership while involved in service activities
  • Evidence of outstanding quality, innovation, and impact in service activities.

Because so many individuals are potentially deserving of this award, past recipients will not be considered, nor will current or recent (within 3 years of serving) Faculty Senate presidents.

Nomination Materials

Submission deadline: January 23, 2026

The following required nomination materials must be prepared in 12 pt. font and not exceed 16 pages:

  • A statement from the nominee summarizing his or her institutional service activities for at least the last three years (two pages maximum)
  • A short CV that emphasizes University service roles and leadership (three pages maximum)
  • Letters of support from peers who are familiar with the nominee’s institutional service (maximum of five letters of no more than two pages each)
Additional required materials (not provided to the Faculty Evaluation Committee)

  • A short biography (two paragraph maximum)
  • A candid photo: landscape-orientation photo (1920 X 1080 minimum size) of nominee engaged in activity related to their nomination (teaching, working with students, doing research in the office, lab or field, etc.) 
  • A professional portrait at least 1000 pixels high, titled FirstName_LastName.jpg 
  • A description why this individual received the College nomination (statement of 60-100 words or less from the Dean or selection committee chair).

Nominate Now

For more information on the Faculty University Service Award, please contact:

Michele Hillard
Executive Assistant to the Provost
Phone: (435) 797-1167
Email: michele.hillard@usu.edu