Eligibility Requirements

• This application is open to non-profit accredited institutions of higher education for which the primary students served are located in the United States of America. 

• Application support from a senior level leader from the institution who is responsible for student services at the institution or their designee. 

• Institutions are only permitted to submit one application. 

• Willingness to provide follow-up information regarding the application details.

What kinds of innovative virtual programs or services can be submitted? 

Institutions are encouraged to submit an application that addresses any type of program or service for students. However, priority consideration will be given to applications that address a institution-wide approach in the following functional areas: 

• Academic Supports (e.g. mentoring, tutoring)

• Advising (e.g. coaching, course selection, career development plans, degree auditing)

• Basic Needs (e.g. housing, emergency aid funds, childcare supports, food support)  

• Health and Well-being (e.g. mental health, counseling, intramural and club activities)

• Community (e.g. orientation, community service, clubs, and activities)

• Career Exploration (e.g. internships, student employment, career placement)

• Diversity and Inclusion (e.g. multicultural services, disability support services, LGBTQIA student services) 

To help prepare a strong application, institutions should consider developing responses with a team of professionals who are involved with the priority areas listed above.

The application period for the Virtual Innovation Awards has now closed. Please stay tuned early 2021 for list of winners and upcoming Virtual Innovation Summit.

 Application Guidelines

Any institutional change effort requires well-coordinated planning, implementation, and execution activities from stakeholders across the institution. Delivering effective virtual support services and programs also requires an additional level of innovation and nimbleness to keep students, faculty, and staff engaged and to make any immediate programmatic changes to better address students’ needs. 

The following application questions are designed to help you describe how your institution is giving students an exemplary virtual support experience. As you complete the open-ended portions of the application, please provide details that offer context regarding your institution's mission, vision, and other factors that influence your delivery of unique and innovative resources.

Applications will be assessed based on a range of criteria. Below are eight considerations for institutions to focus on when completing their applications:

1. Connection Building: Communicate how you are leveraging technology to develop a sense of community and connection with students; and focus on documenting the impact and quality of student-to-student and student-to-administrator engagements. 

2. Holistic Approach: Demonstrate ways that you are offering responsive virtual services and programs that support multiple aspects of students’ well-being. Delivery approaches should account for differences in student interests, identities, needs, and preferences. 

3. Ingenuity: Describe how institution professionals are maximizing resources efficiently and successfully delivering virtual programs and services.

4. Equity Focus: Describe how you ensure that virtual programs and services meet the unique needs of diverse and/or underrepresented populations which include, but are not limited to, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, first-generation, low-income, and other prioritized student populations.  

5. Scalability & Sustainability: Highlight how you are tailoring virtual programs and services to local contexts and the potential for similarly-situated institutions to replicate their practices; and demonstrate a commitment to economical solutions that can be expanded on and sustained in the future. 

6. Strategic Technology Use: Communicate plans, goals, and assessment of technology use for virtual programs and services.

7. Collaboration: Describe how you promote teamwork within and across functions, offices, units, and divisions to deliver high-quality virtual programs and services; and clarify if the programs and services are delivered using in-house systems, third-party vendors, or a hybrid approach. When applicable, describe collaboration with third-party vendors that provide technology platforms. 

8. Data Utilization: Describe how you are using (or plan to use) data to understand students and inform virtual program and/or service development; and communicate your effort to evaluate the impact of virtual programs and/or services.