Spencer Mentor Award

The 2022 Mentor Nomination Form is now open

The Spencer Foundation seeks nominations for the Spencer Mentor Award and plans to award $15,000 grants to mentors who have demonstrated extraordinary contributions to supporting the research training and career trajectories of graduate students and junior scholars who engage in education research, broadly construed. To submit a nomination, please fill out the information below and upload the required documents. Further information about eligibility and the nomination and review process can be found at https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/mentorship-award.

Guidelines for Nomination
This form is meant to be completed by the nominator. Self-nominations are not permitted.
Please fill in the fields under each of the tabs below, upload the required documents, and click Submit for your nomination to be considered.

NOTE: This form can be saved as you work, but if the browser tab or window is closed before clicking Submit, you will lose any information you have entered. Please review all of the requirements on all 3 tabs below before beginning the form.
Can Spencer share your letter with the nominee?
Upload Nomination Letter - Click the button below to upload the nomination letter in PDF format; after upload, click Save Draft to confirm your letter was uploaded.

This letter should make a compelling argument for why this person is deserving of the award. It should describe the mentor’s field of work and their contribution to research training in their field. It should also include your relationship to the mentor and how long you have known and/or worked with the mentor and in what capacities. (1000-word limit)
Click Save before adding attachment

Letter Writer # 1

Expanded
...
This letter of support should come from the mentor’s Dean, Department Chair, or Supervisor. The author should be familiar with the nominee from a distinct position of oversight and speak to the mentor’s contribution to supporting the research training and professional development of graduate students and junior scholars through that lens. (1000-word limit)
Can Spencer share this letter of support with the nominee?
Letter of Support #1: Click the button below to upload the first letter of support in PDF format. After upload, click Save Draft to confirm the letter was uploaded.
Click Save before adding attachment

Letter Writer # 2

Expanded
...
The second and third letters of support should be collected from individuals familiar with the nominee, such as current or former students, advisees, postdocs, colleagues, or others familiar with their work and mentorship. We encourage these letters to address how the mentoring relationship provided training and/or other professional opportunities, impacted their own scholarship, and any other dimensions of mentorship they feel are important to highlight. We encourage the authors to use specific examples in their letters. (1000-word limit each)
Can Spencer share this letter of support with the nominee?
Letter of Support #2: Click the button below to upload the second letter of support in PDF format. After upload, click Save Draft to confirm the letter was uploaded.
Click Save before adding attachment

Letter Writer # 3

Expanded
...
Can Spencer share this letter of support with the nominee?
Letter of Support #3: Click the button below to upload the third letter of support in PDF format. After upload, click Save Draft to confirm the letter was uploaded.
Click Save before adding attachment