2022 - No Recipient

2020 Recipient – Bridget A. Walsh, Ph.D., CFLE

Purpose

The Family Life Educator award honors Margaret E. Arcus who made a remarkable contribution to family life education (FLE) during her long, productive career. Margaret Arcus helped create the NCFR Certified Family Life Education program, setting standards for the field. A prolific author and dedicated teacher, Dr. Arcus is widely recognized as one of the best Family Life Educators the world will ever see. This award is meant to:

• encourage a tradition of excellence and scholarship by recognizing family life education scholars and practitioners who advance the field; and
• increase the visibility and credibility of family life education scholarship and practice.

Award

The award recipient receives a $1,000 cash award, up to $500 in travel allowance, and a plaque. The award is presented biennially (even years) at the beginning of a plenary session. The recipient also is invited to present a family life education update for practitioners at the NCFR Annual Conference in the year which the award is presented (even years).

Criteria

The award is given to an individual or a small group of collaborators. This is not intended to be a lifetime achievement award. Nominees may be early, mid or late career professionals. Membership in NCFR or the Family and Community Education (FCE) Section is not required.

To qualify, the nominee should have made significant contributions to the field of family life education through research, theory, publication, practice, program development, and/or training of professional. Specifically, contributions may include, but are not limited to:

• theoretical scholarship that addresses a significant issue related to FLE;
• research or evaluation that provides new insights or directions for FLE;
• innovative FLE program development based on solid theory and/or research;
• innovations in higher education or training of family life educators;
• innovations in program delivery and/or marketing that make an enduring difference to the field of FLE; and
• leadership in the area of policy that significantly impacts opportunities for FLE.
   

Nomination/application process

Nominees may submit their own work or may be nominated by others.

A nominating committee will identify appropriate highly qualified individuals/groups as potential recipients of this award. The committee members will contact those identified and encourage applications for the award. This committee also will be available to nominees and those recommending potential award recipients for questions regarding the nomination process.

Each nomination should include:

• a one-page nomination letter;
• an abbreviated vitae that includes a listing of major contributions to the field of FLE (3-4 pages);
• no more than two samples of work; and
• no more than three letters of support from individuals who can speak to the nominee's contributions to FLE.

Deadlines

May 1: Application deadline. Submit all materials to Membership.
July 31: The recipient is notified by this date.

The application form is downloadable here.