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Nominations for all ESP awards will be accepted until midnight on August 30.

PDF forms may be saved as a completed file, then sent via email as an attachment to Emily Doosing for committee review. All awards use the Individual Award Nomination Form unless the award is for a team. Past winners can be found at ESP Award Winners.

Nomination form - Individual (PDF)
Nomination form - Team (PDF)


Award Descriptions – Epsilon Sigma Phi Membership Required

Current membership status can be found at https://portal.espnational.org/Directory.

  • State Level Awards – Certificate of Recognition

    • Outstanding Regional Extension Faculty (Woman)
    • Outstanding Regional Extension Faculty (Man)
    • Outstanding State Extension Faculty

    Application should emphasize the nominee's success in program development, regional or campus activities, innovative methods used, use of evaluation, willingness to cooperate, and other successful activities. Contributions may be of a general nature or may be specific to Agriculture, 4-H Youth Development, Human Environmental Sciences, Business/Industry, Community/Public Sector or Continuing Education. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • Early Career Service Award (0-10 years of service)

    Recognizes the new extension professional who has exhibited the potential for leadership and excellence in extension program planning, delivery, evaluation, in program and/or administration during the first 10 years of their career. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • Mid-Career Service Award (10–20 years of service)

    Recognizes the experienced extension professional who has consistently exhibited leadership and excellence in extension program planning, delivery, evaluation, in program and/or administration for over 10 years and less than 20 years. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • Distinguished Service Award (20 years or more of service)

    Recognizes experienced extension professionals who consistently exhibit continuing leadership, initiative, and excellence in extension program planning, delivery, and evaluation, or in administration, on a state or regional basis, over a career of more than 20 years. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • Administrative Leadership Award

    Recognizes an Extension professional who has shown noteworthy administrative enthusiasm, performance, and accomplishment during their extension career (10 years or more). This award recognizes the candidate's work in meeting the needs and furthering the efforts of supervised faculty, staff and/or program. Administrative leadership may be at county, regional, chapter, program, department, or national level. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • Visionary Leadership

    Recognizes an extension professional whose significant accomplishments have resulted in leading extension forward in new directions. This person’s visionary leadership should have enabled extension to anticipate a significant new opportunity and developed support to implement program organizational changes necessary to achieve success. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • International Service Award

    Recognizes an extension professional who has contributed significantly to the development and/or expansion of an extension program in another country or countries through in-state and/or overseas work. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi.)

  • Diversity Multicultural Award (Individual and Team)

    Recognizes an extension professional OR team of professionals who have demonstrated outstanding efforts and accomplishments in developing, achieving and sustaining extension programs and/or audiences in our diverse and multicultural society. Nominations should show understanding, valuing and celebrating differences among people relative to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status and sexual orientation. (List is not all-inclusive and not limited to those mentioned.)

    The diversity/multicultural program must have been implemented in the past three years and addressed significant diversity/multicultural issues for a period of at least one year. The individual or team demonstrates collaborative and innovative efforts to attract and reach diverse and/or multicultural audiences and utilized creative and unique strategies to market or publicize programming to reach diverse and/or targeted audiences. Efforts were above and beyond affirmative action program requirements. (At least 50% of the team members eligible for Epsilon Sigma Phi membership must be Epsilon Sigma Phi members whose dues are paid for the current year and previous year by February 1.)
    *Use the appropriate nomination form based on who you are nominating - individual or team

  • Distinguished Team Award

    Recognizes outstanding efforts of an extension staff team (two or more individuals) for responding to and incorporating into a specific educational program one or more critical issues. Critical issues may be defined by local, regional, state or national need. (At least 50% of the team members eligible for Epsilon Sigma Phi membership must be Epsilon Sigma Phi members whose dues are paid for the current year and previous year by February 1.)
    *Use nomination form for teams

  • Retiree Service Award

    Recognizes continuing contributions and outstanding service by a retired Extension professional to their professional field or their community since retirement. (Must be a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi. Current Lifetime Memberships can be found at https://portal.espnational.org/Directory.)

Award Descriptions – Epsilon Sigma Phi Membership NOT Required

  • Meritorious Support Service Award

    Recognizes university or extension state or regional support staff or paraprofessionals who have significantly supported extension professionals or programs for a sustained period. (Recipient does not have to be an Epsilon Sigma Phi member.)

  • Friend of Extension Award

    This is the highest award presented to a non-extension (lay) person and is designed to recognize truly outstanding support and personal involvement in Extension efforts over a period of time. Contributions may be of a general nature or specific to 4-H/Youth Development, Human Environmental Sciences, Business/Industry, Agriculture, Community/Public Sector or Continuing Education. An endorsement letter of support from the state Extension Director must be included with the nomination. (Recipient does not have to be an Epsilon Sigma Phi member.)