Performance Studies Division
National Communication Association

Division and NCA Awards

Distinguished Service Award

(adopted by the PSD Executive Board, November 1997)

This award is the most prestigious award given by the Division to one of its members. The nominee must have been a member of the Performance Studies Division for at least five years. Previous winners are not eligible. Criteria to be considered in the selection process include excellence in teaching, productions, performances, publications, service to the field, service to the division, and special performance.

Previous Winners Distinguished Service Award

2006
Michael Bowman
2005
Elizabeth Bell
2004
Nathan Stucky
2003
Bruce Henderson
2002
Tim Gura
2001
Kristen Valentine
2000
Ronald J. Pelias
1999
Linda Park-Fuller
1998
Sheron Daily
1997
Marion Kleinau
1996
Kristin Langellier
1995
Paul Gray
1994
Leslie Irene Coger
1993
Mary Strine
1992
Charlotte Lee
1991
Mary Frances HopKins
1990
Dwight Conquergood
1989
Wallace Bacon
1988
Beverly Whitaker Long

Procedure

The Awards Committee (and its chair) are appointed by the PSD Executive Board. There are six members each serving two years with three members rotating off and three new members rotating on each year. The Awards Committee Chair shall inform members of the committee of their duties, shall coordinate the process of selection, and shall be responsible for giving the award during the annual business meeting of the division.

A slate of nominations is solicited by the Committee Chair from the PSD membership as well as the Awards Committee. The committee chair distributes the nomination letters (with nominator identity concealed) along with a nomination ballot. The Awards Committee members vote for three candidates from the initial list. The chair tabulates the results and issues a final ballot to committee members with the top two candidates only. Committee members then vote for one candidate (tabulated by the Chair). The committee chair’s vote shall break a tie.

The process is confidential. Neither the committee members nor the nominees should be contacted regarding the results. The PSD Chairperson, however, should discretely contact the person who will receive the award in order to encourage that person to attend the business meeting.

Recommended Timetable for Use as a Guideline for Committee Action

  1. April/May. Committee Chair solicits nominations from the committee members.
  2. August 15. Deadline for nominations returned to Chair.
  3. September 15. Deadline for Chair to return nominations and ballots to committee members.
  4. September 30. Committee Chair notifies PSD Chairperson of the results.
  5. October/November. Committee Chair has plaque made, sends bill to NCA office for reimbursement.

Ordering the Plaque

The Chair of the Awards Committee shall be responsible for ordering and presenting a suitable plaque. The guideline for this award is as follows: A 12”x15” (approximately) Walnut Cast plaque with inscription reading:



Distinguished Service Award

presented to xxxxxx

Performance Studies Division

National Communication Association

---year---

The reasonable cost of the plaque shall be borne by the Division through its regular NCA account. In 1992, the plaque cost $64.11; in 1994, $63.30; in 2003 $82.72.



Marie J. Robinson Scholarship

The Performance Studies Division is pleased to announce that a generous bequest by Marie J. Robinson has created an annual $250 scholarship for a graduate student in Performance Studies. The first award will be presented at the 2004 convention in Chicago.

Background

Dr. Marie J. Robinson received her B.L.I. from Emerson College (1935), her M.A. from Michigan State University (1944), and her Ph.D. from Northwestern University (1960). She taught speech and Drama at Lockport Senior High in Lockport, New York (1935-43); served as Head of the Department of Speech and Drama at State Teachers College, Bemidji, Minnesota (1944-45), was Instructor of Speech at Syracuse University in New York (1945-49); and was Professor of Speech at Illinois Wesleyan University (1950-80), where she served as Department Head from 1953 to 1974. She actively served her profession, helping to form the New York State Speech Association and holding executive office in the Illinois Speech and Theatre Association as well as the Central States Speech Association. She actively coached forensics and frequently served as a guest artist at performance festival and as visiting artist at other universities. Dr. Robinson continued her service by establishing this scholarship.

Selection Criteria

The Marie J. Robinson Scholarship seeks to fund the education of a graduate student who has begun to demonstrate her/his potential to impact the Performance Studies discipline and NCA through written and/or performed scholarship. Selection will be based on the applicants endeavors in Performance Studies as demonstrated in any variety of venues: course work, NCA convention participation, university and department performances, professional performance production, publications, disciplinary service, and/or community-based performance work.

Application Process

Graduate students (M.A. or Ph.D. level) in performance studies who are members of NCA at the time of application are eligible. A completed application will include:
  1. A 500-word Statement of Performance Accomplishments and Goals written by the applicant
  2. The applicant’s curriculum vitae
  3. A letter of nomination from a faculty advisor. Additional letters from faculty and/or support materials deemed appropriate by the applicant are welcome.

Complete applications should be submitted to the Chair of the Awards Committee of the Performance Studies Division of NCA. The deadline for applications will be posted with the committee’s annual call for nominations for Division awards

Leslie Irene Coger Award for Distinguished Performance

This award is given to directors, producers, teachers or performers who have contributed an outstanding body of live performances. The award will normally be given for a body of work or an outstanding career in performance. It may, in exceptional cases, be given to performers of a single or a smaller body of performance.

For more information on this NCA Award, click here.

2006
Ron Shields
2005
Paul Ferguson
2004
Mercilee M. Jenkins
2003
Ruth Laurion Bowman
2002
Joni Lee Jones and Patricia S. Pace
2001
Donna Marie Nudd and Terry Galloway
2000
M. Lee Potts
1999
Linda M. Park-Fuller
1998
Judy E. Yordon
1997
Paul C. Edwards
1996
Annette Martin
1995
Joanna H. Maclay
1994
Raymond Schneider

Lilla A. Heston Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Interpretation and Performance Studies

Lilla A. Heston Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Interpretation and Performance Studies The Heston Award was created to honor outstanding scholarship in interpretation and performance studies.

For more information on this NCA Award, click here.

2006
Mike Brunner
2005
Shannon Jackson
2004
E. Patrick Johnson
2003
Kristen Langellier
2002
Lisa Merrill
2001
Paul Edwards
2000
Ronald J. Pelias
1999
Kirk W. Fuoss
1998
Della Pollock
1997
Judith A. Hamera
1996
Mary Frances Hopkins
1995
Mary S. Strine
1994
Award Not Given
1993
Elizabeth C. Fine
1992
Dwight Conquergood
1991
Beverly Whitaker Long
1990
Frank J. Galati