CSS Community Values Awards

 

CSS-MSE has created structures and symbols to reward both academic excellence and character.  Our core values as a community are exemplified in the CSS Community Values Awards, given at the year-end awards ceremony.  These awards are described below:

  1. SOCRATES AWARD

Awards a student who is willing to ask questions or offer a contrasting viewpoint even when it would be easier or more comfortable to go along with the crowd.

  1. PRUDENCE AWARD

Awards a student who inspires others by showing an ability to carefully think through all sides of an issue before acting.

  1. JUSTICE AWARD

Awards a student who shows the courage and judgment to stand up for what’s fair, and whose actions towards others demonstrate respect.

  1. FORTITUDE AWARD

Awards a student who does not give up when solutions don’t come easily. 

  1. TEMPERENCE AWARD

Awards a student who shows self-discipline in their habits, including a strong ability to listen to and consider the ideas of others.

  1. CARITAS AWARD

Awards a student whose kindness, open-mindedness, and honesty make them the best kind of friend.

Protocol for Awards:

Each award will have two winners:

  1. Strong commitment
  2. Emerging voice

Each hall will conduct a nomination discussion in which they review the meaning of each award (and Platonic virtue, generally) and provide students an opportunity to write their nominations for each award. 

Students may only nominate individuals NOT IN THAT HALL and must explain the reason for their nominations. 

Before sharing, the group should establish some “rules” for how to talk about fellow students.  Confidentiality and kindness should be critical norms.

After sharing, the group then seeks consensus around strong commitment and emerging voice nominees for that award.

The list of nominees from each hall will be brought to faculty meeting and staff consensus will be reached around the winners.

In any year, the same student may not win more than one award.

From year to year, a student may not win the same award in the same category consecutively.