Apply for APLU Institutional Awards

The application process is now open for APLU’s 2025 institutional awards. APLU urges all its members to strongly consider apply for an APLU award in student success, community engagement, innovation and economic prosperity, comprehensive internationalization, and public impact research.

Winners will be prominently announced during our Annual Meeting in November where they will also be able to present their strategies for success to other public research university leaders and peers.

Excellence in Student Success Award
 This award recognizes institutions demonstrating a comprehensive commitment to advancing student success through innovative approaches. It celebrates universities that implement effective strategies supporting degree completion, career readiness, and improved student outcomes while addressing the unique challenges in higher education today. ***Apply Now — Deadline: June 30, 2025***

International Impact Award 
The APLU International Impact Award recognizes innovative and impactful global engagement efforts at a member institution. The institutional impact of these efforts can be shown through local/global community engagement, global teaching and learning, and/or research. ***Apply Now – Deadline: July 7, 2025***

Public Impact Research
The APLU Public Impact Research Award recognizes an APLU member that has implemented one or more impressive Public Impact Research (PIR) efforts that have produced exceptional outcomes. PIR is a broad label to describe how university research improves lives and serves society—locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Criteria for the Award include: connection to public need, leveraged resources, evidence of impact, and sustainability. ***Apply Now – Deadline: June 23, 2025***

C. Peter Magrath & W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Awards
The APLU C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award provides national recognition for the outstanding community-university engagement work of public universities. The Magrath Award winner is chosen from one of four regional winners of the Kellogg Community Engagement Awards, which are presented each fall during the Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC) annual conference. Application Period Closed.

Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) Awards
APLU member institutions that have earned APLU’s IEP Designation qualify for the IEP Awards competition as world-class leaders in economic engagement. The awards promote universities’ significant contributions and achievements in developing innovation and entrepreneurship, talent, and place in their region, and in building connections across these types of contributions. Application Period Closed.