Service and Recognition Awards

Each year, the FIU community comes together for the annual FIU Service and Recognition Awards Ceremony. Consistent with our values and the pursuit of excellence, we believe in recognizing the extraordinary efforts and contributions of our unstoppable staff and faculty.

We are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for peer-to-peer recognition. This is a perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on stellar colleagues and teams that go above and beyond. Nominations will be accepted through the deadline on Friday, January 30, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When do nominations open for the Service and Recognition Awards?
Nominations open during the Fall semester each year.

When do nominations close?
Nominations close the following January.

When will the award recipiets be announced?
Award recipients will be announced at the annual Service and Recognition Awards Ceremony.

Who is invited to attend the annual Service and Recognition Awards Ceremony?
Service milestone recipients, recognition award nominees and their nominators will be invited to the event.

Which years of service are recognized at the Service and Recognition Awards Ceremony?
Service milestone recipients celebrating their 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 year service anniversary.

Why Nominate?

Boost Morale: Our people are everything. Your nomination can uplift someone’s spirits and validate their stellar contributions.

Foster a Culture of Appreciation: Recognizing excellence makes all the difference in fostering a culture of appreciation.

Inspire Others: Highlighting someone’s or a team’s contributions inspires our people to continue to strive for excellence.

Award Categories

Review the award categories and criteria below and determine which award category is most appropriate for your nominee(s). You may submit nominations for multiple categories and for as many deserving peers or direct reports.

Please note, self-nominations and anonymous nominations will not be considered. Eligibility is not open to the following leadership classifications: university president, provost, deans, and vice presidents.

Presidential Excellence Award

Supported institutional, strategic, and operational excellence by restructuring processes to improve efficiency, productivity, and quality; and/or implementing critical programs; receiving recognition from peers in the academic community for excellence in research, scholastic, or creative activities.

(Full-time faculty, administrative and staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award category.)

FIU Community Award

Supported the university’s mission by promoting high quality teaching, state-of-the-art research and creative activity, or collaborative engagement with our local and global communities during the past year.

(Full-time faculty, administrative and staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award category.)

FIU Opportunity Award

Promoted FIU’s vision of being a leading urban public research university by contributing outstanding service with a focus on student learning, innovation, and collaboration.

(Only full-time administrative and staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award category.)

FIU Torch Award

Exemplified FIU’s institutional values of truth, freedom, respect, responsibility, and excellence by exhibiting the highest standards of character and ethical behavior.

(Full-time faculty, administrative and staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award category.)

FIU Sustainability Award

Promoted FIU’s respect for the environment by providing knowledge, education, and modeling ways to achieve climate preservation as well as capitalize on the economic opportunities of the solutions developed.

(Full-time faculty, administrative and staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award category.)

Service Excellence Award (Staff)

This individual possesses the job knowledge, people skills, motivation, and drive for continuous improvement that provide a level of service excellence that exceeds the expectations of FIU customers and colleagues. They are known for service excellence beyond their mandated job responsibilities. Consistently seeks opportunities for collaboration and cross-functional improvements to better serve the University community.

(Full-time staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award. Cross-department nominations are highly encouraged.)

Service Excellence Award (Administrative)

(Full-time administrative employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award. Cross-department nominations are highly encouraged.)

Service Excellence Award (Team)

These individuals possess the job knowledge, people skills, motivation, and drive for continuous improvement that provide a level of service excellence that exceeds the expectations of FIU customers and colleagues. They are known for service excellence beyond their mandated job responsibilities. Consistently seek opportunities for collaboration and cross-functional improvements to better serve the University community.

(Full-time faculty, administrative, and staff employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award. Cross-department nominations are highly encouraged.)

FIU Safety and Loss Prevention

Promoted safety by demonstrating proactive efforts to reduce accidents and promote safety-related initiatives. This individual has reported unsafe work conditions, promoted safe behaviors, a safe environment and a stronger safety culture. They have been instrumental in resolving unsafe work conditions and/or safety deficiencies.

(Full-time faculty, staff and administrative employees hired prior to 7/1/2024 are eligible for this award. Cross-departmental nominations are highly encouraged.)

Ready to Nominate?

Review the Nomination Writing Tips
Sign-in to FIU HR Nominations site
Select the FIU Recognition Awards program
Start your nomination

Resources

Our service recipients say it best, watch the video below to check out what makes our FIU an employer of choice!

Questions? Contact Trudy Fernandez, Director, HR Relations and Director FIU Retiree Association at (305) 348-0101 or at Trudy.Fernandez@fiu.edu.

Service & Recognition Awards Highlights

Service & Recognition Awards Programs

2025 Service & Recognition Awards Program	2024 Service & Recognition Awards Program	2023 Service & Recognition Awards Program
2022 Service Awards Program	2022 Recognition Awards Program	2021 Service Awards Program
2021 Recognition Awards Program	2020 Service & Recognition Awards Program	2019 Service & Recognition Awards Program
2018 Service & Recognition Awards Program	2017 Service & Recognition Awards Program	2016 Service & Recognition Awards Program
2014 Service & Recognition Awards Program