To salute the accomplishments of our outstanding teacher candidates the College of Education is awarding an "Outstanding Teacher Candidate Award Pin" to successful nominees at the COE Graduation Reception held each semester immediately preceding graduation.  This lapel pin is COE's gift to students who possess exceptional knowledge, skills and dispositions for teaching and a willingness to continue a lifelong pursuit of learning as a reflective practitioner.  The pins can be viewed on the pin page. Graduate nominees will receive the pin with the black band and the undergraduates will receive the one with the maroon band.

Eligibility of Nominators and Nominees

As was with the Centennial Pin, all members of the PEU are eligible to nominate candidates for these pins. All initial and advanced professional education students who will be graduating from Missouri State University, including students enrolled in the MAT, SEACT and MSED/Certification programs are eligible to be nominated to receive these pins.

Recipient Nomination and Selection Process

Click here for the Pin Nomination Form.  PEU members wishing to nominate a student for a pin are to complete this form and return it to their departmental office.  Departments are responsible for screening, selecting AND notifying recipients that they are to receive these pins at the COE Graduation Reception.  NOTE: This is a change from the Centennial Pin process where a COE committee did this work.

The reception is held every Fall and Spring semester on graduation day beginning two hours before the COE commencement.  Students who will graduate in the summer should be nominated and honored at the Spring Ceremony.  It is normally held in one of the PSU 3^rd floor ballrooms.  Please check with the Dean's office at 65254 for each semester’s location and time.  All of this information, including updated deadlines and times and locations of the receptions will be available at the Deadlines and Ceremonies site each semester for your convenience.  Nominators are expected to be present at the reception to have their pictures taken with the recipients.

Department Heads or their designees are to send their lists of pin recipients to the Office of Student Services by the deadlines, in order for programs and pins to be prepared on time.  The deadline for receiving departmental recipient lists for Fall 2007 semester is Friday November 9, 2007.

You are encouraged to participate in this special award process to recognize your outstanding teacher candidates.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Student Services at 417-836-5253.