Unsung Hero Call for Nominations
Each year, the Graduate and Professional School and the Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) host Graduate Community of Scholars events during Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions and impact graduate and professional students make at Texas A&M.
Our signature event, Dinner & Dialogue, to be held this year on Wednesday, April 9, brings our graduate community together for a night of great food and rich conversation centered on a theme. This year's theme is Excellence Around the World.
At Texas A&M University, we are committed to a unique set of core values. One of these values, excellence, reflects our dedication to delivering results and outcomes that exceed expectations, building a better future for Texas, our nation and the world. The university welcomes students and scholars from 137 countries to join us in our research, teaching and service mission. After graduation, Aggies carry this commitment to excellence into their professional and personal lives as members of the global Aggie Network. Having risen to the challenges and rigors of earning an advanced degree, Aggie graduate and professional students are best positioned to exemplify excellence as leaders and innovators, which will advance Texas A&M’s positive impact in society.
For graduate and professional students, excellence is manifested in several key areas:
- Academic Excellence, Research and Innovation: Graduate and professional students are encouraged to pursue rigorous academic inquiry that challenges them to go beyond mastery of their discipline to think critically and innovate. They also stand at the forefront of Texas A&M’s research initiatives, in both leading and supporting roles, to pursue solutions or new knowledge for the challenges and issues that our society faces.
- Professional Development: Excellence means going above and beyond in their preparation for professional success and leadership. This includes participating in internships, networking and professional development that enhances their skills and career readiness so they can have the greatest, most far-reaching impact.
- Teaching and Mentoring: Fostering in others intellectual curiosity and a shared commitment to excellence to build a better future. Sharing skills, knowledge, and experience with others so they can make a positive difference in the world and pass that ability and opportunity on to others.
- Service and Other Activities: A commitment to excellence in one’s extracurricular efforts by focusing on improving lives and outcomes for others, through volunteerism, community outreach, or collaborations with non-profit or government organizations to make a broad and significant positive impact.
The Graduate and Professional School seeks nominations for current Texas A&M University graduate or professional students who exemplify a commitment to excellence in a way that has made – or is poised to make – a global impact.
From the pool of nominees, selected student awardees will:
- Starting the week of March 24
- Schedule filming sessions to share their story. The final video will be shared at the 2025 Graduate Community of Scholars Dinner and Dialogue event (details, below).
- Attend the 2025 Graduate Community of Scholars Dinner and Dialogue: Excellence Around the World Event on Wednesday, April 9, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Memorial Student Center Bethancourt Ballroom (MSC 2300) in-person, and
- Receive a $1000 scholarship to use for research, presentation, professional development, or training/education travel expenses.
Do you know an Aggie graduate or professional student who embodies the core value of excellence in a way that makes a global impact? If so, we'd love to hear from you!
For more information on Dinner & Dialogue or other Graduate Community of Scholars events, visit the Graduate Community of Scholars page.
Nomination Details:
Nominations for the 2025 Unsung Hero awards are now closed. Who is eligible?
- Enrolled full-time as a graduate or professional student at Texas A&M University – College Station (includes all colleges and programs).
- Maintain Eligibility as defined by Aggie One Stop
- Students, faculty, or staff may submit nominations for other graduate or professional students.
- Graduate or professional students may self-nominate.
- All nominations require a letter of support explaining how the student has exemplified excellence to make, or prepare to make, a global impact.
- One letter of support is required from an individual who can speak about how the student exemplifies excellence.
- Must not exceed 1,000 words.
- Must explain and elaborate on the student(s) commitment to excellence in their academic, research, personal and/or professional pursuits.
- One to two weeks after the deadline, the Graduate and Professional School will contact the students selected to move forward.