Call for GCCI Award Nominations: Celebrating Collaborative Innovation at York College
Recognizing the Power of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
At York College of Pennsylvania, innovation thrives when diverse perspectives come together. The Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation (GCCI) is excited to announce the call for nominations for the inaugural GCCI Awards for Collaborative Innovation. These awards celebrate the remarkable achievements that emerge when teams from different disciplines and college offices unite to create meaningful impact.
Three Distinct Categories for Recognition
The GCCI Awards feature three categories designed to honor collaboration across the York College community:
- Faculty Award: Recognizes cross-disciplinary teams that advance research or teaching excellence through joint projects, innovative pedagogical approaches, or artistic collaborations
- Staff Award: Celebrates cross-unit teamwork that drives institutional excellence, whether streamlining administrative processes, engaging in community projects, or establishing initiatives that enhance employee or student experiences
- Undergraduate Student Award: Highlights the promise of the next generation by honoring students from different majors who collaborate on research, business ventures, or student-led programming
What Makes These Awards Unique
The primary focus of these awards is celebrating “uniqueness” in partnership. Priority will be given to teams composed of individuals from programs, disciplines, or units that don’t typically work together. The emphasis is on how collaboration leverages different skills and perspectives to support York College’s mission and the broader landscape of higher education.
“One of York College’s greatest strengths is bringing people together—faculty, staff, students, and industry partners—to create opportunity and solve challenges,” says Jeffrey Vermeulen, Chief of Staff & Vice President for Community Engagement. “These awards celebrate teams whose collaboration demonstrates the power of partnership in action.”
How to Submit Your Nomination
Nominations are open through April 1, 2026, and we encourage deans, chairs, unit heads, faculty, colleagues, and students to submit entries. Self-nominations are also welcome. Interested parties should prepare a nomination document of no more than two pages that describes:
- The initiative or project being nominated
- The need it addresses
- The uniqueness of the team and/or approach
Submissions are encouraged to include at least one piece of supporting material, such as photos, syllabi, or project documents.
Benefits for Award Recipients
Selected teams will receive $1,500 to support the external promotion or sharing of their innovation/collaboration. This funding can be used for open-access publications, presenting at professional conferences, or hosting a community event or workshop. Additionally, all winners will be invited to showcase their achievements as a poster presentation at the upcoming April 16th Celebration of Collaboration event, hosted by the CCE and GCCI.
Take Action Today
Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize the collaborative spirit that makes York College exceptional. Whether you’re part of a groundbreaking faculty research team, a staff group that’s transformed campus operations, or students who’ve launched an innovative project, your work deserves recognition.
Learn more about the GCCI Awards and access the nomination form:
Join us in celebrating the power of collaboration at York College of Pennsylvania. Your innovative partnership could be the next to receive this prestigious recognition!
