Background and submission guidelines

Background and submission guidelines

What are the Premier s Awards? The Premier s Awards for graduates of Ontario s colleges honour the important social and economic contribution college graduates make to Ontario and throughout the world. The awards were launched in 1992 and are administered by Colleges Ontario. Presented annually, the Premier s Awards recognize graduates in the following six categories: Business Community Services Creative Arts and Design Health Sciences Recent Graduate* Technology Selection criteria Chosen from nominations submitted by Ontario s 24 colleges, each nominee must demonstrate outstanding career success related to his/her college experience and have made a significant contribution to his/her sector and community. The individual s career achievements will be given top priority. Selection panellists will be considering the following points: Primary consideration: Career impact Has the nominee made a significant impact to his/her chosen career? Has the nominee made a significant contribution to his/her sector? Has the impact been recognized by others in their industry and/or profession? Has the impact helped shape or change the lives of others? Secondary considerations: Community impact Has the nominee made a significant contribution to his/her community? College education Has the decision to go into the college system been a key factor in the nominee s success? Is it clear that the college route provided a fairly unique contribution to the nominee s preparation? Would others be inspired to enter the college system after hearing the nominee s story? University education If the nominee has a university credential, assess if this credential (rather than the college credential) was the key to his/her success. Page 2

Eligibility Any graduate of a college program may be nominated. This includes, but is not limited to, certificate programs, accelerated programs and/or distance education. It is up to each college to decide under which category the nominee should be submitted. Category selection can be based on the program the nominee graduated from or on his/her career path. Colleges may nominate only one graduate in each category. There is no limit to the number of times a graduate can be nominated over the years as long as the individual was not previously selected as a recipient. Nominating colleges are responsible for doing their own due diligence with regards to the accuracy of the information provided in the entry form and nominee profile. Colleges Ontario will be reviewing the nomination forms after the deadline and before they are provided to the selection panel. If any questionable detail is found in the forms, the nominating college will be consulted for verification. If verification cannot be provided, the nomination will be deemed ineligible. *Recent Graduate category Persons who have graduated from any college program within the last five years (2012 present) are eligible for nomination in the Recent Graduate category. Since graduating, nominees must have demonstrated promising career success. Candidate search Cultivate an ongoing awareness for searching out graduates within your college approach your college community for leads. Many colleges promote the Premier s Awards for outstanding college graduates in their alumni magazines, local community media (paid and public service announcements), social media and college websites. Selection panel All nominations are judged by a panel of experts in the fields of business, community services, creative arts and design, health sciences, and technology based on the guidelines described in this document. A recipient will be selected for each of the six categories. Recognition for recipients Premier s Awards winners will be announced at a gala awards evening in November. Each award winner is presented with a bronze medal and a framed certificate signed by the premier of Ontario. A $5,000 bursary that is to be directed to his/ her graduating college is also awarded to each winner. Recognition for nominees Each nominee will receive a framed certificate of achievement signed by the premier of Ontario. 3 Page

Administrative fee for recipient s nominating college A $3,500 administration fee is charged to the nominating college of each recipient from Colleges Ontario to recover some of the expenses associated with the awards program. 2017 Premier s Awards ceremony The 2017 Premier s Awards for outstanding college graduates will be presented on November 27 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. All nominees are invited to attend the presentation. Eligible nominees will be sent a letter via email from Colleges Ontario in July with information about how to RSVP to the awards gala. NOMINATION SUBMISSION GUIDELINES In addition to the completed nomination forms, colleges must also submit the following: Photograph A photo must be submitted in order for the nomination to be accepted. Studio-quality photographs are to be submitted in electronic format, meeting the following criteria: Size: A minimum of 1800 x 2400 pixels, or an original 5 x 7 at 300 dpi photograph (photo size must not be edited). You may wish to consult with the media/art department at your college to ensure the photo meets these specifications. Format:.JPG only *NOTE: File name must include extension. Portrait orientation, head-and-shoulders shot only. Background: The focus must be on the nominee. These photos will be used on the Premier s Awards website, the nominee banners, during the awards gala, and in printed materials. A nominee s photograph cannot be changed after the deadline. No photo credits can be given. Please take note of this when selecting an image to use. How to submit nominations Please submit only the templates provided, and not the entire nomination package (eg., do not submit these nomination guidelines). Page 4

Please label all submissions as follows: College Category Name e.g., Algonquin-Business-John Smith.doc Nomination forms can be filled out on the MS Word document or directly on the fillable PDF form. We will not accept handwritten nomination forms. Please do not submit scanned copies of the entry form and nominee profile as we will be unable to copy and paste details from them. Scanned copies of release and authorization forms are permitted. You may upload more than one file per nominee (e.g., the entry form and nominee profile are saved separately from the authorization and consent forms). Colleges Ontario will be using an FTP site to accept all nomination forms. At the beginning of June, all Premier s Awards college contacts will receive an email invitation with login details and a link to access his/her college s folder on the site. After college contacts receive this email, they are asked to follow the instructions in the PDF How to: Upload nomination forms to Colleges Ontario s FTP site available on the Premier s Awards website at www.co-awards.org. Colleges Ontario will send a confirmation email to confirm that the nomination forms have been uploaded successfully. The folders are secure, so each college can only access and view its own folder. The FTP site can accept large files and will prevent bounce back emails, ensuring your nominations are received on time. We will not be accepting nominations by email. All nomination documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Any nominations received after the deadline date will not be submitted to the selection committee. Incomplete nominations Incomplete nominations will not be presented to the selection committee. You may wish to submit your nominations early so they can be reviewed for completion before the deadline. Contact Us If you have any questions regarding the Premier s Awards submission guidelines, please contact Yvonne Leoveras, Communications and Events Specialist, by email at leoveras@collegesontario.org or by phone at (647) 258-7680. 5 Page

CHECKLIST Please ensure all of the following items are included in your submission for each nominee: Completed ENTRY FORM (please do not send scanned copies). Completed NOMINEE PROFILE (750 words maximum). Completed PROFILE SUMMARY (100 words maximum). Signed NOMINATION RELEASE AND AUTHORIZATION AND CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION FORM (after the nominee has verified the content of the nomination). A studio quality photograph that meets the specified guidelines. Your nomination package MUST be received via Colleges Ontario s FTP site in electronic format no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Page 6