CCCDA Awards

CCCDA aims to recognize and honor individuals in the state of Connecticut for their commitment and dedication to career development. Annual awards will be presented at the CCCDA conference.

Please review the descriptions of each award below and follow all instructions in the award nomination form. All nominations are due by March 7th. 

You may submit a nomination for any of the award categories below (self-nominations are permissible). The CCCDA Award Form must be completed for each awards, unless otherwise noted. The CCCDA Awards Committee will use the stated criteria to select recipients for each award. One winner will be selected per award category unless otherwise noted in the description.

Questions may be addressed to the Awards Committee Chair, Emily Canto (emily.canto@ctstate.edu). 

Award Descriptions:

Outstanding New Career Professional (less than 5 years)

This award recognizes new career professionals for outstanding performance and best practices in the day-to-day services they provide. Recipients of the Outstanding New Career Professional Award have:

1. contributions to career development theory/scholarship, education/training/mentoring and/or practice clearly demonstrated throughout all the components of the nomination submission.
2. service to, and leadership within, the career development profession. Leadership is broadly defined to include such activities as chairing professional committees, serving on journal editorial boards, being an elected leader or an ongoing, active participant in CCCDA/NCDA or other related professional organizations that promote the practice and science of career development, developing new programs in career services, and providing locally, regionally, nationally and/or internationally recognized innovations.
3. active engagement in advocacy at the local, regional, national and/or international level for career development.

Outstanding Career Professional (5 years or more)

This award was established to recognize practicing career counselors and career providers for outstanding performance and best practices in the day-to-day services they provide. The criterion for this award is based on NCDA’s Outstanding Professional Award. Recipients of the Outstanding Professional Award have:

1. sustained and significant contributions to career development theory/scholarship, education/training/mentoring and/or practice clearly demonstrated throughout all the components of the nomination submission.
   
2. strong and sustained service to, and leadership within, the career development profession. Leadership is broadly defined to include such activities as chairing professional committees, serving on journal editorial boards, being an elected leader or an ongoing, active participant in CCCDA/NCDA or other related professional organizations that promote the practice and science of career development, developing new programs in career services, and providing locally, regionally, nationally and/or internationally recognized innovations.
   
3. active and sustained engagement in advocacy at the local, regional, national and/or international level for career development. 

Diversity Initiative

The Diversity Initiative Award promotes and recognizes an individual or team who through their initiatives and commitment, have demonstrated a high degree of cultural responsiveness and inclusive practices within the domain of career-related activities. The criterion for this award is based on NCDA’s Diversity Initiative Award. Recipients of the Diversity Initiative Award have:

1. significantly enhanced our understanding of and appreciation of the complex career development needs of diverse populations and historically marginalized groups.
2.  contributed to the professional growth of culturally competent and sensitive career counselors/coaches/professionals able to demonstrate equitable and inclusive practices.
   
3. provided inclusive mentorship for graduate students and professionals from historically marginalized groups in the field of career counseling.
4. successfully advocated for systemic changes that lead to the elimination or reduction of barriers impacting the career development of diverse and/or historically marginalized individuals.

Outstanding Graduate Student 

**Two award recipients: Master’s and Doctoral student (please indicate this in your nomination of the student). This award recognizes a graduate student who has excelled throughout their program in a variety of areas and who: