For questions or more information, please contact Lucy Fort, 202-65-7500 x1171

• Home
• Programs
• Awards
• Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award
  

NASPA Melvene D. Hardee
Dissertation of the Year Award

The NASPA Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award is accepting applications for the 2014 Award cycle. 

The purpose of the Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award is to encourage high quality research relevant to the field of college student services administration and the general field of student affairs, and to recognize outstanding dissertation research conducted by doctoral degree recipients presently in or intending to enter the student affairs profession.

AWARD: The individual whose dissertation is selected will receive: 

• Certificate to be awarded at the NASPA Annual Conference.
• Complimentary NASPA Annual Conference registration.

• Monetary award for future research. 

• Presentation of dissertation research in a program at the NASPA Conference; and
• Consideration for publication in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Entrants in the Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award competition must have completed their dissertation and had their degree conferred between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013. 

Entrants must submit the following items electronically: 

1. A completed online application form;
2. A completed degree confirmation form, signed by applicant and Doctoral Committee Chair;
3. An abstract of the dissertation following the format outlined below electronically in Word:
4. A cover sheet with the title of the dissertation and the author's name and address must be included as a separate file electronically in Word.

Entrants must submit the following items electronically:

• The abstract must be double-spaced
• No identifying references, such as college or town names, should appear in the abstract.

• The body of the abstract must not exceed 10 pages and should be divided into four sections:

1. Research rationale and brief literature review
2. Statement of the hypothesis/problem  
3. The methodology employed and rationale for its selection  
4. Significant findings and relevance to student affairs in particular and post-secondary education in general

• A brief bibliography, not to exceed 2 pages.
   

JUDGING PROCESS: All materials submitted become the property of NASPA and will not be returned to the author. The panel of judges will include practicing student affairs professionals and preparation program faculty. 

•  Each abstract will be reviewed by the same number of judges.
• The judges will use standard rating criteria.
• Two to four dissertations will be selected as finalists.
• Upon notification (in November 2013), finalists will submit one electronic copy of their entire dissertation with identifying references removed.
• The entire panel of judges will evaluate the dissertations of the finalists.
• The names of the winner and runner-up will be announced at the NASPA Annual Conference awards presentation.
• The award recipient will be notified no later than January 2014. 

• The decision of the judges will be final.

SUBMISSIONS: All required application materials must be emailed and received by September 15, 2013. Faxed submissions will not be accepted. Submit application materials to: 

Lucy Fort
Assistant Director of Educational Programs and NASPA Foundation 
lfort@naspa.org