Maxwell Award

Ron Maxwell Award for Distinguished Leadership

At the 1997 NCPTW in Lexington, KY, Ron Maxwell received a plaque from the conference organizers in recognition of his leadership in the organization. Twila Yates Papay of Rollins College received similar recognition at the 1998 NCPTW in Plattsburgh, NY. Starting in 1999, Maxwell provided funds for a small honorarium for the recipient of such an award. Maxwell’s funding ensured that such recognition would continue, and the NCPTW board insisted the award bear the Maxwell name. Molly Wingate of Colorado College received the inaugural 1999 NCPTW Ron Maxwell Leadership Award.

Ron Maxwell’s advice for new peer tutors. Video courtesy Jon Olson.

The NCPTW Ron Maxwell Leadership Award is given annually to a professional in the National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing (NCPTW) organization who has contributed with distinction to undergraduate student development through promoting collaborative learning among peer tutors in writing. The award recognizes an individual for dedication to and leadership in collaborative learning within writing centers, for aiding students in taking on more responsibility together for their learning, and thus for promoting the work of peer tutors. Its presentation also denotes extraordinary service to the evolution of this conference organization.

While other aspects of a candidate’s professional performance–e.g., work with professional tutors, writing center research and publication–are respected by the NCPTW and are surely interrelated, this award is intended to recognize meritorious work in an area too little acknowledged—that of leadership. Such leadership may be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including but not limited to

Fostering leadership skills among peer tutors
Showing evidence of leadership in collaborative learning on the home campus
Developing innovative peer tutoring programs in the home community
In general, welcoming and meeting new challenges in leading a center guided by a collaborative learning philosophy
Building a record of bringing peer tutors to present at the conference
Giving service to the NCPTW through hosting the Conference, serving as program chair, leading in the search for future sites, etc.

Nominations

Nominations should be submitted to NCPTWMaxwellAward@gmail.com by August 15.

Each nomination should include

A cover sheet listing the name of the nominee with contact information and the name of the nominator(s) with contact information
A letter of nomination that clearly indicates why this individual should be so honored and how the individual specifically exemplifies the criteria for this award. Letter is limited to three pages, but may be up to six pages if no additional letters of support are included.
Additional letters of support, no more than two and not longer than two pages each, may accompany the nomination.
A short curriculum vitae or resume (two pages maximum) highlighting relevant activities and information.