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Dossier Guidelines

Dossiers must contain adequate factual or narrative material that describes the extent to which an individual meets the awards criteria. Upload a completed dossier (one PDF) as outlined below and use objective data to support the nomination.

Please follow the dossier guidelines below to prepare a dossier for the Alumni Award for Excellence in Graduate Academic Advising, Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising, Outstanding Administrator Award, Outstanding New Advisor Award, or the Provost's Award for Excellence in Advising.

Dossier Format

Please format all application materials as follows:

  • Use one side of 8.5 x 11-inch paper
  • Limit total length to 20 pages (excluding cover page)
  • Number all pages in lower right corner beginning with section 1 (nomination letter). Do not number the cover page.
  • Submit as ONE single PDF file

Dossier Contents

A complete dossier should contain the following items and conform to the specified page lengths. Dossiers that fail to meet the guidelines will not be considered.

  • Cover Page. Your submission must use this cover page template.
  • Section 1. Nomination letter should include a summary of the nominee’s qualifications- In this key piece, the letter should summarize the extent to which the nominee meets the award criteria, citing letters of support, data, or other materials illustrative of exemplary performance as an advisor. How does this nominee consistently go beyond expected job duties to provide outstanding advising? (2 page maximum)
  • Section 2. Nominee Resume or Curriculum Vitae- Please limit entries to material that pertains directly to academic advising, presenting relevant information from the nominees overall resume/vita. Please include a current position description with a list of job responsibilities and the percentages of time spent in each area of responsibility. (3 page maximum)
  • Section 3. A personal statement that includes the nominee's advising philosophy. (2 page maximum)
  • Section 4. Appendices that support the nomination letter (section 1), such as the following: (13 page maximum)
    • Representative materials developed by the nominee such as evidence of training provided, handouts for advisors or faculty, program/service descriptions, and any other advising administration documentation created by the nominee that is further evidence of outstanding work.
    • Letters of support from students, direct reports, campus colleagues, or supervisors.
    • Other pertinent information from the nominee.

Please follow the dossier guidelines below to prepare a dossier for the Award for Excellence in Career Advising.

Dossier Contents

Complete dossiers must be received by the published deadline to receive further consideration. Each dossier must include:

  • A Letter of Nomination/Cover Letter (three pages maximum)
  • A personal statement from the candidate about why it is important to them to assist students with their career journey (two single-spaced pages maximum)
  • Three to five letters of recommendation from colleagues, students, or alumni.*

*Short letters of nomination from students may be excerpted and consolidated into a single “letter” (to be considered as one of the five)

Dossiers must include only original documentation prepared specifically for the award in which they are submitting the dossier. Materials intended for other award programs will not be considered.

Submission Procedures

  1. If you have been nominated for an Academic Advising Award (Alumni Award for Excellence in Graduate Academic Advising, Alumni Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising, Outstanding Administrator Award, Outstanding New Advisor Award, or the Provost's Award for Excellence in Advising), please fill out the Academic Advising Award Confirmation form. If you have been nominated for the Award for Excellence in Career Advising, you may continue directly to step 2.
  2. Go to Sharepoint and log in with your pid@vt.edu and password
  3. Open the advisor’s folder and upload the completed dossier (Once the folder is open, either drag & drop the file or click “upload”)
  4. (Please name your file with the nominee’s: lastname_firstname)

A non-conforming dossier will not be considered.