Rob Buzaitis Outstanding Leadership Award

About This Leadership Award Purpose of the Award: In accordance with the United Students in Residence Halls’ goal, the purpose of the Leadership Award Program, as conducted by the Leadership Development Committee, is to publicly recognize a student who is a third year student, through a monetary award, who demonstrates his or her proven leadership abilities. Applicants should also describe their future leadership goals in the development and execution of, participation in, or contributions to organizations responsible for the enhancement of the experience of residence hall students.

History of the Award: In the spring of 1998, United Students in Residence Halls (USRH) dedicated a Leadership Award in honor of Rob Buzaitis. This award is specifically designed to recognize experienced student leaders in the residence halls at UWO.

Who is Rob Buzaitis? As a student at UW Oshkosh, Rob served as USRH Policies and Procedures Chair, Elections Commissioner, Vice President, as well as being designated the “pseudo-parliamentarian.” Rob graduated in 1998 with a degree in Math and a minor in Philosophy. His time at UW Oshkosh was clearly noted by those he worked with. Tom Fojtik, Director of Housing, remembers Rob: “I’d be willing to bet that Rob has been more involved in campus life than any other student I have known since I arrived here in 1982, and that is a lot of students!”

Where is Rob Buzaitis Now? Rob completed his graduate degree at Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. In September of 2000, he graduated magna cum laude and second in his class. Following the completion of his law degree, Rob passed the Wisconsin Bar Exam and began works as a law clerk for a federal judge in Michigan.

Selection & Requirements Application Requirements: . Must be a current resident of UW Oshkosh residence halls . Must currently be an enrolled student . Must currently be a third year student . Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 . Must at some point have been involved in a residence hall organization (Hall Government, USRH, NRHH, etc.) or have been elected to a hall government executive board . If currently a CA, only items ABOVE AND BEYOND the job description may be included . May not be a previous recipient of the Katie Kaczorowski or Tyler Feldkamp Leadership Awards

Criteria for Selection: . Activities, Honors, and Awards (50%) . Completed Essay (30%) . Two Recommendation Forms (20%) o One from a peer o One from UW Oshkosh faculty or staff

Selection Process: Applications will be scored according to the weighted percentages for each category listed above. The top three applications will then be pulled aside and the Leadership Award committee will select the winning application. Note: All applications will be blind (the names will be left off during selection).

Deadline: . Completed application should be submitted online by Tuesday, March 28th, 2017 at 5:00 PM to [email protected]. . The recipient of this award will be announced at the USRH Pre-Awards Ceremony on Thursday, April 27th, 2017 at 4:35pm. Instructions Please type the following information on a separate sheet and email to [email protected] when completed.

Personal Information: . Full Name . Campus Address . Phone Number . Major(s), Minor(s), Emphasis(es) . Cumulative GPA . Number of Credits Earned

May we post your personal essay? Yes No

Activities: Please list and describe all activities that you participated in at the college level. This may include but is not limited to: leadership positions, programs, community service, jobs, etc.

Honors and Awards: Please list any honors and/or awards that you have received at the college level. This may include but is not limited to: Resident of the Week, Dean’s List, NRHH of the Month, etc.

Personal Essay (please type on a separate sheet): Please compose a personal essay. This essay should be typed, 12 point font, Times New Roman, double spaced, one-inch margins, and 2-3 pages in length.

Think about your experiences and involvement as you address the following questions in your essay.

1. What has been the most enjoyable and/or rewarding part of being involved in student organizations?

2. What have you learned about yourself and leadership in general?

3. What are your further goals in regards to leadership in the halls and on campus?

4. What do you hope to contribute to the campus and the halls during your time here? Leadership Award Recommendation

Name of Applicant: ______

This student is applying for the USRH Rob Buzaitis Outstanding Leadership Award. To help choose the recipients, we ask that you complete this form and return it to [email protected]. Please type comments about the student. Thank you.

1. Briefly explain your relationship with the student and provide a character reference.

2. Planning and Organizational Skills: This criterion takes into consideration the skill and abilities the student uses in developing or implementing residence hall activities (for their position or planning programs). The following are a few examples: setting goals/timelines and communication skills.

3. Motivation: This criterion considers the enthusiasm and initiative in which a student approaches a new situation and carries work to completion. Some examples would be: possessing a positive attitude, motivation, and passion in pursuits.

4. Any additional comments that you feel the committee should know about the applicant.

Please email your reference for the applicant to [email protected] by Tuesday, March 28th, 2017 at 5:00 PM. Please type your name below that will verify your recommendation in order to serve as your signature.

Signed: ______Date: ______

Position/Title: ______