Each spring we hold an award ceremony to acknowledge the special accomplishments of our students and alumni. This event is a tribute to the success and hard work of NIU sociology and criminology students.
The award provides modest financial assistance toward education expenses of an undergraduate major in sociology and criminology who has obtained junior standing with a current GPA of at least 3.0 and completed at least 12 credits in sociology. Depending on the funding, this can go to more than one undergraduate student.
This is awarded to the graduate student with the highest grade-point average who has also met the following criteria: a GPA of 3.5 (or higher) based on completion of at least 24 hours of credit at the end of the fall semester. The student must also have completed a master's degree in the Department of Sociology and Criminology in the fall or be expected to receive the degree at the end of the spring or summer semester.
This award can go to multiple recipients and provides modest funds to support academic scholarship, research, and/or writing of a master's thesis. Funds for research expenses are generally given much greater priority than funds for summer salary.
This is awarded to a graduate student or undergraduate senior in good standing who has majored or minored in sociology and who is actively involved in social justice and community activism. Eligible students must have actively participated in organizations, institutions, or communities in order to enhance the climate of social justice and equality on campus or beyond.
In 1970-71, the college office established an annual Deans' Award to give recognition to seniors who made outstanding contributions to their major departments. The criteria established for these awards are:
Past recipients include:
Our alumni make important contributions to their fields, improve their communities, and much more. The exceptional graduates selected to receive these awards not only reflect positively on NIU but also serve as inspiration for current students.
In 2018, we established two awards to recognize the achievements of sociology alumni.
The Esteemed Alumni Award has been presented to the following graduates, who have made significant contributions to the community and/or academia:
The following recent graduates have received the Emerging Alumni Award for displaying potential to have a major impact on the community and/or academia:
As alumni of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, sociology graduates are also eligible to receive CLAS Distinguished Awards. These awards honor alumni, faculty, and staff for professional success, civic or charitable service, or other contributions to the college.
Many sociology alumni have been selected for these awards over the years: