Austin Community College (ACC) believes in recognizing faculty who demonstrate outstanding teaching and leadership. The following awards are coordinated through the Office of Faculty Development: ACC Teaching Excellence, the League Excellence Award, E-Faculty of the Year Award, the NISOD Excellence Award, the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty and the Minnie L. Stevens Piper Award nominations. The ACC Annual Awards Celebration will take place in spring 2026.
For any questions about the awards, please email [email protected].
The awards nomination period has closed.
ACC leadership awards
Award winners will be honored at a reception in the spring. An employee may be nominated for the following based on their job classification.
- Classified Employee of the Year Award
- Professional-Technical Employee of the Year Award
- Administrator of the Year Award
- Faculty Leader of the Year Award
Criteria
Nominees for Classified Employee, Professional-Technical Employee, Administrator and Faculty Leader of the Year awards should be those individuals who have gone above and beyond the duties listed in their job descriptions. They may:
- Serve as mentors to their colleagues or staff members
- Provide assistance beyond their normal duties to aid their department or the institution as a whole
- Volunteer to help with institutionwide projects
- Encourage their staff or colleagues to enhance their education or their professional skills
- Provide superior internal and external customer service
- Support the institution in a positive and optimistic manner
- Represent the institution in a professional manner
- Consistently seek improvement of their own skills
ACC Teaching Excellence Award
ACC Teaching Excellence Awards honor full-time and adjunct faculty who exemplify the ACC Faculty Values: Teaching, Scholarship, Inclusion, Collaboration, Service and Empowerment. In addition to exemplifying ACC Faculty Values, these recipients promote special learning opportunities, student interaction and innovation that support student success.
Each year, we honor outstanding faculty with 10 Teaching Excellence Awards—five full-time and five adjunct faculty members are selected. From these recipients, one full-time and one adjunct faculty member are further recognized with the Top Teaching Excellence Award.
Recipients are celebrated at the annual awards celebration in the spring. Each Top Teaching Excellence Award recipient receives a $1,000 cash award. Nominations are accepted from faculty, staff and students.
DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty honors nursing faculty who inspire their students to remember that nursing is more than tasks and technology. The DAISY nurse faculty member ensures that both the art and science of nursing are brought to every patient experience. This award celebrates nursing faculty for their inspirational influence on the nurses of today and tomorrow.
Recipients are presented with an award at the awards celebration. Along with an award from Austin Community College, the recipient will also receive a certificate, a special DAISY Award pin and a Healer’s Touch sculpture. Nominations are made by ACC staff, faculty and current students.
E-faculty of the year
This award recognizes an outstanding ACC faculty member who has creatively used appropriate internet-based technologies to teach online or hybrid courses at ACC. The recipient must have designed and taught one or more online or hybrid courses with an imaginative approach, well-designed course materials, instructional strategies and a demonstrated rapport with the course participants.
The recipient is presented with an award at the annual awards celebration. The recipient will also be sponsored to a distance education conference.
Criteria
- Course design—The nominee has created a well-designed and structured course (structure, weekly/module/unit learning objectives and instructional strategies).
- Interaction and collaboration—The nominee has demonstrated rapport with learners as well as other course participants (student/student and faculty/student interaction and collaboration).
- Course technology and media value—The nominee has implemented a creative approach to one or more emerging instructional challenges through the use of technological tools (tools and media to enhance student interaction and engagement).
- Assessment—The nominee has demonstrated effectiveness in achieving desired learning outcomes by aligning assessments with course objectives (assessing student learning outcomes in alignment with course objectives).
Courses must also score 85% on the Quality Matters Rubric.
Upon receipt, nominations will be evaluated by a selection panel made up of instructional designers, faculty and students. The panel, to be convened by the Distance Education Committee, will evaluate and select an exemplary online course using a rubric based on the four selection criteria above.
Nominations are made by faculty, staff, instructional designers and students.
Piper Professor Nominee Award
The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation is a prestigious statewide award honoring 10 professors each academic year for their dedication to the teaching profession and for their outstanding academic, scientific and scholarly achievement. Honorees are awarded certificates naming them “Piper Professors” together with cash honoraria of $5,000 for each professor selected.
The purpose of these awards is to give recognition to the teaching profession rather than to research, publication, administration or other such related activity, although these criteria are also considered by the Selection Committee. This award is considered one of the most prestigious awards bestowed upon faculty in the state of Texas. Only 10 professors receive this award each year among a pool of approximately 10,000 educators.
Note: Department chairs submit nominations for the Piper Professor Award. Only full-time faculty can be nominated.
Criteria for nominees:
- Current additional or administrative duties
- Service to the off-campus community
- Particular effectiveness in the classroom and in personal contact with students
- Unusual dedication to the profession of teaching
How to nominate by Oct. 1, 2025
Department chairs must send an email to the Office of Faculty Development at [email protected] with the following information:
- Name of nominee
- Subject nominee teaches
- Reason for nomination
- Statement granting the nominee’s permission to nominate them for this opportunity
After the nomination deadline, a selection committee of ACC faculty will select ACC’s nominee. Once selected and notified, ACC’s nominee must submit a Piper Professor Nomination application to the Piper Foundation, and the foundation will officially announce award winners by May.
To honor the nominee, regardless of selection by the Piper Foundation, the Office of Faculty Development will recognize the nominee at the annual ACC awards celebration in the spring. Please review what the selected nominee will have to compile once they are chosen by ACC’s committee in the link below:
Piper Professor Submission Criteria
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the Office of Faculty Development via email at [email protected] or call 512-223-7885.
The Queen Samantha Ackers College Values Award
This award honors the enduring legacy of Queen Samantha Ackers, a beloved member of our ACC community whose light, leadership and laughter touched countless lives. Queen embodied our college values—Courage, Compassion, Joy and Yes—with every interaction. Whether through her work in the Theory of Change, as a Joy Ambassador or simply in the way she uplifted others, Queen led with purpose and heart. This award recognizes individuals who carry forward her spirit by showing up with bravery, care, positivity and a bold commitment to saying “yes” to inclusion, connection and transformation.
This award recognizes 10 outstanding ACC faculty and staff members for their exceptional leadership, service and dedication to Austin Community College, as selected by Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart. Each recipient will be recognized at the ACC Awards Dinner and will receive a $500 stipend in celebration of their impact and commitment.
National recognition for excellence in teaching and leadership
In addition to being celebrated at the ACC Annual Awards Celebration, each award recipient also receives a national award through one of two prestigious organizations:
- NISOD Excellence Awards: Presented by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, this award honors faculty and staff for their extraordinary commitment to student learning and institutional excellence. Recipients are recognized nationally at the annual NISOD Awards Dinner.
- The League Excellence Award: Sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College, this award recognizes outstanding leadership and contributions to the community college field. Recipients are celebrated at both the ACC Awards Celebration and the League’s Awards Dinner.
These national recognitions highlight the incredible work of ACC employees who go above and beyond to advance student and institutional success.
View past winners
- ACC Top Teaching Excellence Awards
- DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty
- E-faculty of the year
- Leadership awards
- Piper Professor Nominee Award
- The League Excellence Award
- The National Institute for Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award
Videos
- View our 2024 Awards Celebration
- View our 2024 Awards Celebration Photos
- View our 2025 Awards Celebration
- View our 2025 Awards Celebration Photos
Contact
For any questions about the awards, please send an email to [email protected] or call 512-223-7216.
ACC believes in recognizing those faculty who demonstrate outstanding teaching. The following awards are coordinated through the Office of Faculty Development: ACC Teaching Excellence, the League Excellence Award, eFaculty of the Year Award, the NISOD Excellence Award, and the Minnie L. Stevens Piper Award nominations.
For any questions about the awards, please email [email protected].
Awards
The awards nomination period has closed. The ACC Annual Awards Celebration takes place in the spring. Read about the awardees on the Awards Celebration page!
ACC Leadership Awards
Award winners will be honored at a reception in the spring. An employee may be nominated for the following based on their job classification.
- Classified Employee of the Year Award
- Professional-Technical Employee of the Year Award
- Administrator of the Year Award
- Faculty Leader of the Year Award
CRITERIA
Nominees for Classified Employee, Professional-Technical Employee, Administrator, and Faculty Leader of the Year awards should be those individuals who have gone above and beyond the duties listed in their job descriptions. They may:
- Serve as mentors to their colleagues or staff members
- Provide assistance beyond their normal duties to aid their department or the institution as a whole
- Volunteer to help with institution-wide projects
- Encourage their staff or colleagues to enhance their education and/or their professional skills
- Provide superior internal and external customer service
- Support the institution in a positive and optimistic manner
- Represent the institution in a professional manner
- Consistently seek improvement of their own skills
The awards nomination period has closed.
ACC Teaching Excellence Award
ACC Teaching Excellence Awards honor full-time and adjunct faculty who exemplify the ACC Faculty Values: Teaching, Scholarship, Inclusion, Collaboration, Service, and Empowerment. In addition to exemplifying ACC Faculty Values, these recipients promote special learning opportunities, student interaction, and innovation that support student success.
Recipients are presented with an award at the Awards Celebration and have an opportunity to be recognized at commencement. Full-time and adjunct faculty recipients each receive a$1000 cash award. Nominations are made by faculty, staff and students. Award winners will be recognized at the Awards Celebration in the spring.
The awards nomination period has closed.
DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty honors nursing faculty who inspire their students to remember that nursing is more than tasks and technology. The DAISY nurse faculty is one who ensures that both the art and science of nursing are brought to every patient experience. This award celebrates nursing faculty for their inspirational influence on the nurses of today and tomorrow.
Recipients are presented with an award at the Awards Celebration. Along with an award from Austin Community College, the recipient will also receive a certificate, a special DAISY Award pin, and a Healer’s Touch sculpture. Nominations are made by ACC staff, faculty, and current students.
The awards nomination period has closed.
E-Faculty of the Year
This award recognizes an outstanding ACC Faculty member who has creatively utilized appropriate Internet-based technologies to teach online and/or hybrid courses in ACC. The recipient must have designed and taught one or more online or hybrid courses with an imaginative approach, well-designed course materials, instructional strategies, and a demonstrated rapport with the course participants.
The recipient is presented with an award at the annual Awards Celebration. The recipient will also be sponsored to a distance education conference.
Nominations are made by faculty, instructional designers, and students.
Criteria
- Course Design – The nominee has created a well-designed and structured course – (structure, weekly/module/unit learning objectives and instructional strategies).
- Interaction and Collaboration – The nominee has demonstrated rapport with learners as well as other course participants (student/student and faculty/student interaction and collaboration).
- Course Technology and Media value – The nominee has implemented a creative approach to one or more emerging instructional challenges through the use of technological tools – (tools and media to enhance student interaction and engagement).
- Assessment- The nominee has demonstrated effectiveness in achieving desired learning outcomes by aligning assessments with course objectives – (assessing student learning outcomes in alignment with course objectives).
Courses must also score 85% on the Quality Matters Rubric.
Upon receipt, nominations will be evaluated by a selection panel made up of instructional designers, faculty, and students. The panel, to be convened by the Distance Education Committee, will evaluate and select an exemplary online course using a rubric based upon the four selection criteria above.
The awards nomination period has closed.
Piper Professor Nominee Award
The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation is a prestigious statewide award honoring ten professors each academic year for their dedication to the teaching profession and for their outstanding academic, scientific, and scholarly achievement. Honorees are awarded certificates naming them “Piper Professors” together with cash honoraria of $5,000.00 for each professor selected.
The purpose of these awards is to give recognition to the teaching profession rather than to research, publication, administration, or other such related activity, although these criteria are also considered by the Selection Committee. This award is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards bestowed upon faculty in the State of Texas. Only ten professors receive this award each year among a pool of approximately 10,000 educators.
NOTE: Department chairs submit nominations for the Piper Professor Award. Only full-time faculty can be nominated.
Criteria for Nominees:
- Current additional or administrative duties
- Service to the off-campus community
- Particular effectiveness in the classroom and in personal contact with students
- Unusual dedication to the profession of teaching
To honor the nominee, regardless of selection by the Piper Foundation, the Office of Faculty Development will give the nominee a free registration to the National Institute for Staff Organizational Development (NISOD) International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence and recognition at the annual ACC Awards Celebration in the spring. Please review what the selected nominee will have to compile once they are chosen by ACC’s committee: Piper Professor Submission Criteria
How to Nominate
Department Chairs must send an email to the Office of Faculty Development at [email protected] with the following information:
- Name of nominee
- Subject nominee teaches
- Reason for nomination
- Statement granting the nominee’s permission to nominate them for this opportunity
After the nomination deadline, a selection committee of ACC faculty will select ACC’s nominee. Once selected and notified, ACC’s nominee must submit a Piper Professor Nomination application to the Piper Foundation and the Foundation will officially announce award winners by May.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the Office of Faculty Development via email at [email protected] or call 512-223-7885.
The awards nomination period has closed.
The Chancellor's Leadership Award
The recipient of this award is selected by Chancellor Russell Lowry-Hart for their outstanding leadership, service, and dedication to Austin Community College. These individuals have been selected because of their outstanding service to the College that has gone beyond the duties listed in their job description.
The National Institute for Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award
The National Institute for Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award program was established to support individual colleges’ recognition and celebration of their finest instructors. At its annual conference, NISOD recognizes more than 1,000 Excellence Awards recipients by formally presenting them with an excellence medallion and an awards booklet that recognizes and showcases their achievements. Every year, selected ACC faculty and staff receive recognition and are awarded the NISOD Excellence Award. For more information about the NISOD award, visit the NISOD Excellence Awards page.
The League Excellence Award
In recognition of the long tradition of excellence in community college teaching and leadership, the League Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by community college faculty and staff. Selected by a committee, recipients will be recognized at the ACC Annual Awards Celebration and have the opportunity to attend the League for Innovations Conference in the spring.
Questions
Contact
For any questions about the awards, please email: [email protected] or call (512) 223-7216.