Who's Eligible?
Any TESOL member. Former TESOL staff and board members may not be nominated until three (3) years after completion of their term of service.
Purpose
To acknowledge outstanding and extended service by TESOL members at international, regional, and local levels. This award was established in 1987 to honor James E. Alatis for his 21 years of devoted service as TESOL's first executive director.
Award
A commemorative plaque is presented to the recipient at the TESOL convention, and the recipient's name is placed on a permanent plaque in TESOL staff office. One award is presented each year.
Criteria
The recipient is selected according to evidence of
- a genuine and long-lasting vision of what TESOL is and can be
- the ability to combine professional and administrative roles in TESOL organizations
- the ability and desire to represent and promote TESOL
- efficiency, personal dynamism, and good cheer
To Nominate a Colleague Online
An individual TESOL member, a TESOL affiliate, interest section, or other TESOL group may nominate a TESOL member for this award. To complete the online nomination process, you will need the following information.
You are strongly encouraged to gather this information before you begin the application. That way, you can fill out the nomination completely, and you will not have to go back and fill in items later.
Candidate's Information
- full name
- institution (place of work)
- place of residence (city, state, country)
- email address
- phone number
Letter of Nomination
The letter of nomination should
- describe the candidate specifically in terms of the aforementioned attributes and providing examples of the nominee's strengths in these areas
- list chronologically the nominee's service to TESOL organizations
Letter of Support
If the nominator is a group, a letter of support is not required. If the nominator is an individual, he or she must solicit a letter of support from another TESOL member who can comment on the nominee's strengths in terms of the criteria listed above.
How to Apply
Send your nomination by email to
TESOL Awards no later than
15 September.