Wisherd Award for Outstanding Service to UNL

Nomination Form

Purpose 

Each year currently paid-up members of the UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association and all UNL administrators (departmental chairs and heads, directors, deans, vice chancellors, etc.) are asked to nominate members of the UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association (hereafter referred to as the UNL ERA) who have provided outstanding service to the university. Such service may include sharing time and talents with academic departments, mentoring students, serving on advisory boards and search committees, advising student organizations, serving as ushers or docents, and contributing in numerous other ways to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln through service to UNL academic programs or to UNL affiliated or support organizations such as the UNL Alumni Association, UNL friends organizations, Lied Center for Performing Arts and other UNL affiliated organizations, which have a positive impact on the mission of UNL. The Maude E. Wisherd Fund provides a $500 award to recognize outstanding volunteer service to UNL.  

Eligibility and Criteria

  • Nominee must have been retired from the University for at least two years. 
  • Only volunteer service provided since retirement shall be considered. 
  • To be considered volunteer service, there must be no compensation. 
  • Only volunteer service to governmental or tax-exempt organizations shall be considered. 
  • Members of the selection committee must recuse themselves if nominated for this award. 

Nomination Process 

  • During the first week of April each year, a call will be issued for nominations. . 
  • Any UNL ERA member or UNL Administrator may nominate a member of the UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association who has provided outstanding humanitarian service nationally or internationally for a sustained period. 
  • Nominator should complete and submit the nomination form. 
  • Deadline for submitting the nomination is May 15. 
  • The Awards Selection Committee will conclude its work by the end of May. 
  • Only the nominee chosen to receive this award will be notified of his/her nomination/selection in writing
  • The name of each award winner will remain confidential until a public announcement is made in September. 

 Recognition Process

The names of the Wishard award winners will be  announced at the UNL ERA  September Association meeting . Each awardee will receive a letter from the UNL ERA President underscoring the honor.

  • Each award winner will receive a certificate of congratulations during a Fall Semester Luncheon co-sponsored by the UNL ERA in collaboration with the UNL Chancellor’s Office, the University of Nebraska Foundation and the NU Alumni Association. The Chancellor will be asked to speak to the importance of the occasion and to the value of the work being celebrated.  
  • Each award winner will be profiled in a UNL ERA Newsletter following the public announcement of their awar
  • The UNL ERA will contribute $500 in honor of the recipient to the UNL Emeriti & Retirees Scholarship Fund. 
  • The UNL-ERA will broadly publicize the award in campus publications, community publications, the Association’s newsletter and website with a picture of the recipient and a brief description of the volunteer work that led to the recognition. 

Last revised July 2026