The Outstanding Service Award is given to Society members in recognition of distinguished service in helping the Society to develop and carry out its program over a long and sustained period of time. Accomplishments of the nominee should not be of a scope or significance warranting the degree of Fellow, but should be greater than those required for the Commendation Award.

Criteria:

• Any Society member may be nominated. A five-year period, however, must elapse before members who have received Fellow Awards are eligible for the Outstanding Service Award.
• Officers at the national and chapter levels, Board members, and Society staff members are eligible during their terms of office.
• The nominee must have performed distinguished service to the Society on a sustained basis for at least 10 years. This service may have been performed at the chapter, regional, or international level, or any combination thereof.
• The nominee's service should include activities that help the Society to achieve its goals and objectives.
• The award will not be given merely to recognize long membership in the Society or to honor a member's retirement.

Nomination Procedure:

• Nominations shall be by petition, signed by at least 25 Society members. Individuals signing the petition may, but need not be, members of the same chapter. Names of Society members who are not formal members of a local chapter may also appear on a petition. Names of petitioners must be printed as well as signed.
• The supporting material must clearly document the above criteria, including such items as length and continuity of membership; time span during which the distinguished service was rendered; offices, committee, and other positions held at the chapter and international levels; attendance at chapter and national meetings; and other information, in narrative form, identifying the services rendered to the Society, as deemed appropriate under the award criteria.
• The nominees Professional Curriculum Vitae must accompany the Award Nomination Questionnaire
• The Award Nomination Questionnaire and supporting materials may be emailed to:  sueann.lynes@swcs.org.  If emailing, you may fax the signed petition to: 515-289-1227.  You may also submit the Award nomination by U.S. Postal Service (1copy only) to: SWCS-Awards, 945 SW Ankeny Rd., Ankeny, IA 50023.  All nominations must be received by December 12.  All forms of submission will receive a confirmation of receipt.  Late nominations will not be considered. 

Selection:

• The Awards Committee will evaluate and rank all nominations. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.
• No more than one-tenth of one percent of the Society's membership will be honored each year.

Click here for the Outstanding Service Award Form

Click here for the Outstanding Service Award petition.