The importance of a dual nomination alumni award process

Nominator/Nominee Workflow

The importance of a dual nomination alumni award process

Recognizing alumni achievements is crucial for fostering a strong and engaged alumni community. Implementing a dual-process nomination system is the best way to ensure an inclusive, thorough, and efficient awards process that maximizes marketing efforts while also ensuring data accuracy and alumni engagement. Additionally, replacing traditional reference letters with standardized templates reduces barriers, ensures consistency, and upholds data security, making this the most effective method for alumni award nominations.

 

What is a dual nomination process?

A dual nomination workflow consists of breaking the typical alumni award nomination process into 2 components:

  1.  An open call for nominations, submitted by the nominator.
  2. Acceptance of the nomination, and submitted by the nominee.
    1. Self nominations – mimics the workflow of the nominated acceptance workflow.

While this dual process does contain two completely separate and independent workflows, Reviewr consolidates this data into a centralized submission experience and nomination packet to streamline efficiency and provide ease of data access.

 

Why a dual nomination process?

A dual nomination process provides numerous benefits to all stakeholders in an alumni award:

  • Lower the barrier for nominators.
  • Enhanced marketing efforts boost volume and participation rates.
  • Increased alumni engagement.
  • More robust and accurate alumni nomination data.
  • Enrichment to existing alumni database records.
  • Creates the framework for a fair, non-bias, review and selection process.
  • Better experience for additional stakeholders such as those submitting references.

A) An open call for nominations

  • Boost marketing efforts by lowering the barrier for nominators to submit a simple who are you, who are you nominating, and why.
  • Empowers nominators to have a simple workflow (they are volunteers).
  • Allows nominators to seamlessly submit multiple nominations.

B) Alumni acceptance of nomination (or self nominations)

  • Put the bulk of the effort on the nominee themselves.
  • Marketing conversion metrics of the number of nominations submitted, nominees accepted, and completed applications.
  • Leverage metrics and progress for automated follow ups and reminders.
  • Better quality nominations such the effort and content is coming directly from the source (nominee).
  • Ensure alumni data accuracy
    • Leverage updated alumni data such as address, job, etc to enrich existing alumni databases.
 

How to incorporate reference collection

Often an afterthought, yet critical to get right, is the collection of references. When an external variable such as references is added to the award nomination application and selection process we must ensure this tool follows both proper protocol for data security, but also best practices.

Avoid reference letters:

  • Historically references were collected in a letter format but this is now an outdated and risky method.
  • Letters create a barrier for references.
    • Hard to write
    • Takes time and effort
    • Multi-step to create, write, and send back.
    • Not all references are created equal – some are better written than others, some had more time put into it, etc. Is this a fair representation of the applicant?
    • Hard to blind PII in a letter.

Leverage reference templates:

  • Outline 3-5 questions that each reference should answer.
  • Lowers the time and effort barrier for references.
  • Creates data consistency amongst all applicants.
  • Creates consistency in the review process with defined data sets.
 

Examples

Sample Nomination Workflow

Section 1: Nominator Information

  • Name:
  • Membership Number (if applicable):
  • Contact Information (Email, Phone Number):
  • Relationship to Nominee:

Section 2: Nominee Information

  • Name of Nominee:
  • Category of Award:
    • Lifetime Achievement
    • Innovator of the Year
    • Chapter Excellence Awards
    • Diversity and Inclusion Award
    • 30 Under 30 Award
    • (Other categories as applicable)
  • Reason for Nomination:
    • [Text Box for detailed explanation]

Specific Nomination Forms for Each Award Category

After selecting the award category, the nominator will be directed to the specific nomination form for that category, to be completed by the nominee. The goal here is to put the heavy lifting on the nominee themselves as well as collect accurate information that likely is only available from the nominee.

Common Sections for All Categories:

  • Nominee’s Personal Information:
    • Full Name:
    • Membership Number:
    • Contact Information (Email, Phone Number):
    • Current Position/Title:
    • Organization/Affiliation:
  • Membership Information:
    • Years of Membership:
    • Previous Roles/Positions within the Organization:
  • Short Answer Questions: (Questions will vary based on the award category)
    • Example: “Describe a significant contribution you have made in the field of [specific category].”
  • File Uploads:
    • Option to upload supporting documents, certificates, publications, etc.
  • Reference Request:
    • Name of Referee:
    • Email of Referee:
    • Relationship to Nominee:
 

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