Innovation of the Year Awards

See the 2023-2024 Innovation of the Year Award-winning innovations below!

The 2024-2025 Innovation of the Year Awards will be open January 6-April 4, 2025.

Established over 35 years ago, the League’s Innovation of the Year Awards were devised as a way to recognize significant innovations at Board and Alliance member colleges. These innovations reflect significant achievements and the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded. The award honors faculty, staff, and administrators at member colleges who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community. Participation in these awards is a League membership benefit.

Selection

The League does not facilitate the selection process. Participating institutions announce the Innovation of the Year Awards competition internally. It is recommended that each member college or district* create a committee to establish local eligibility criteria and selection protocol. Applications should be encouraged from all areas of the college: full- and part-time instructors, student services staff, administrators, and support personnel. (While we recognize that industry partners, community representatives, and students may be involved in college efforts, these awards are strictly for college employees.)

The designated Innovation of the Year Award contact at each institution is responsible for administering this award and submitting a winning innovation online; district-based contacts may also email finalist information as indicated below.

  • Winning Innovations: After choosing a winning innovation, each member college/district's award contact submits the selection via the online portal. One winning innovation will be accepted from each college/district.
  • Local Finalists: Districts or systems with multiple colleges or campuses are also encouraged to email information about college-based finalists for the district award to Kelly Dooling, subject line "IOY Award Finalists." (College-based finalists for district awards are included on the League’s website and invited to submit manuscripts to League publications.)
*A district may hold League membership for all the colleges in the district; the overall winner selected from among the district colleges is the Innovation of the Year winner and the remaining college winners are local finalists. Similarly, a college may hold League membership, which extends to all its campuses; the overall college winner is submitted to the League and the remaining campus winners are the local finalists.

Learn more via the links below:

Award FAQ

Award Recipient Recognition

Award Requirements

To find out more about this award and how your college can participate, contact Kelly Dooling.

 

Winning Innovations by Year

2023-2024 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2022-2023 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2023 League Awards Program

2023 League Awards Slideshow

2021-2022 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2022 League Awards Program

2022 League Awards Slideshow

2020-2021 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2021 League Awards Program

2021 League Awards Slideshow

2019-2020 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2020 League Awards Program

2020 League Awards Slideshow

2019 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2018 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2017 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2016 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

2015 Innovation of the Year Award Winners

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