Rice Staff Excellence Award

Rice Staff Excellence Award

Presented by the Rice Staff Council

Do you know a staff member who goes above and beyond? Do you work with colleagues who stand out for their exceptional efforts and commitment to Rice? The Rice Staff Excellence Award recognizes five full-time staff members annually for their exceptional efforts, commitment to the university, and embodiment of the RICE core values: Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence. Each recipient receives a $1,000 award and is honored at the President’s Staff Recognition event.

Eligibility

  • Full-time, non-temporary staff with at least two years of service by April 1, 2026 and in good standing with HR.
  • Current Rice Staff Council members and Selection Panel members are ineligible.
  • Previous recipients may not receive the award again within five years.

Nomination Process

Nominations may be submitted by any Rice community member using this Qualtrics form link. You do not need to complete the form in one sitting; your work will be saved automatically, and you can return to it anytime before the due date. No self-nominations will be accepted. 

Nominations are due on Friday, February 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST. 

As you complete the nomination form, we encourage you to provide clear, illustrative descriptions and specific examples of how the nominee demonstrates the RICE core values and positively impacts the Rice community.

Selection Process

The Selection Panel will review nominations using this scoring rubric and select recipients by early April. Panel members include:

  • Rice Staff Council Staff Recognition Committee members
  • Current Staff Council chair and vice chair
  • Previous year’s recipients (optional, must still be employed at Rice)
  • Non-voting HR representative

A total of five awards will be given out in the following categories:

  • One Rising Star: A staff member with 2–5 years of service at Rice as of April 1, 2026.
  • Two Non-Exempt Staff
  • Two Exempt Staff

If there are not a sufficient number of suitable candidates for a category, multiple awards may be given in another category. This is up to the discretion of the Selection Panel.

Recognition

Awardees will be announced through campus news outlets and celebrated at the President’s annual staff recognition event in late spring.

If you have questions, contact ltj1@rice.edu.