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Every year at the Annual Conference, NASWVA recognizes professionals who make a difference! The Association honors those who are steadfast in their pursuit of professional excellence and commitment to the values of social work. We are currently accepting nominations for the 2023 awards. Awards will be presented at the Annual Conference Awards Ceremony, which will be held March 23-25, 2023. If you are looking for the NASW-Metro DC Award Nomination page please click here.

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Award categories include BSW Student of the Year, MSW Student of the Year, Social Worker of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

If you have questions about the awards or the nomination process, please reach out to Debra Riggs, Executive Director, at driggs.naswva@socialworkers.org.

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Requirements for BSW & MSW Student of the Year Award

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To be nominated, the nominee must:

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• Demonstrate outstanding academic work

• Demonstrate outstanding accomplishments and work in the Social Work field during an internship or field placement

• Demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities

• Be a member of NASW

• Be enrolled in a CSWE-accredited social work program in Virginia

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To submit a nomination, the nominator must: 

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• Complete the online form below

• Upload a one-page minimum summary document which describes the nominee's... 

  • Academic achievements, leadership roles, and accomplishments in the area of social work​

  • Volunteer activities (academic or otherwise) that promote a positive image of social work, benefited a population at risk, or demonstrated leadership

  • Awards, scholarships, honors or other recognition not previously mentioned

• Upload a letter of support​

• Upload at least 3 high resolution photos (jpg format preferred) 

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Requirements for Citizen of the Year Award​

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To be nominated, the nominee:

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• Cannot be a member of the social work profession

• Must have made contributions to the public's knowledge and positive image of social work

• Must have made a substantial contribution which benefited the community

• Must have made specific outstanding accomplishments in the human services field

• Must have personally represented ethics compatible with those defined in the NASW Code of Ethics

 

To submit a nomination, the nominator must: 

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• Complete the online form below

• Upload a one-page minimum summary document which describes... 

  • What the nominee has accomplished

  • What risks the nominee took to achieve results

  • Who the beneficiaries were

• Upload a letter of support​

• Upload at least 3 high resolution photos (jpg format preferred) 

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Requirements for Social Worker of the Year Award

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To be nominated, the nominee must:

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• Be a social worker and member of NASW

• Demonstrate service beyond their job requirements

• Take risks to achieve results

• Have made contributions to the public's knowledge and positive image of social work

• Demonstrate leadership qualities

• Have made volunteer contributions

• Have made a demonstrable difference in the field of social work in areas such as:

  • Advocacy for clients​

  • Impact on social policy

  • Exceptional practice

  • Program development

  • Administrative leadership and innovation

  • Noteworthy applied research

  • Education and publications

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To submit a nomination, the nominator must: 

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• Complete the online form below

• Upload a one-page minimum summary document which describes... 

  • What the social worker has accomplished

  • What risks the social worker took to achieve results

  • Who the beneficiaries were

• Upload a copy of the nominee's Curriculum Vitae​

• Upload a letter of support​

• Upload at least 3 high resolution photos (jpg format preferred) 

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Requirements for Lifetime Achievement Award

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To be nominated, the nominee must:

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• Be a social worker and current or past member of NASW

• Meet all requirements of the Social Worker of the Year award, above

• Demonstrate repeated outstanding achievements over an entire career

• Have received recognition from organizations other than professional social work organizations

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To submit a nomination, the nominator must: 

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• Complete the online form below

• Upload a one-page minimum summary document which describes... 

  • What the nominee accomplished

  • What was outstanding about the nominee's action(s)

  • What risks the social worker took to achieve results

  • Who the beneficiaries were

  • What long-term effects were achieved

• Upload a copy of the nominee's Curriculum Vitae​

• Upload a letter of support​

• Upload at least 3 high resolution photos (jpg format preferred)