The Millar Award is given annually to a tenure-related faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, instruction, university service, and public service, and whose performance in the area of scholarship and research is judged to be exceptional. Although tenure is not required for nomination nor selection, historically this award has been bestowed upon tenured faculty with many years of dedication to the university. The recipient will receive a citation and a $1,500 taxable honorarium. Only one award may be given each year.
Branford P. Millar, the second president of Portland State College, did his doctoral work in English literature at Harvard and came to Portland State from Michigan State University. It was during his presidency that the basis was laid for the change to Portland State University by the addition of masters’ degrees and the first doctoral programs. He was the first to recognize "the values of developing the connections between the College and the community," as Dr. Gordon Dodds pointed out in his history of the University. After leaving the presidency, Dr. Millar returned to his scholarly interests and joined the English department, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in English literature.
The award recipient will be chosen by a selection committee composed of several recent recipients of the Millar and Hoffmann awards. The committee, aware of all past award recipients, reviews and selects promising new candidates solely upon the documentation provided by the primary nominator. Incomplete nominations and/or nominations that disregard the nomination page limit of 25 pages total will disqualify deserving individuals.
For questions about this award, contact Jenny Carron (jcarron@pdx.edu), 503-725-5257.
Required Components for Millar Nominations
Nomination materials for all Excellence Awards must be submitted by the deadlines outlined below. The Nomination Google Form is required to initiate the submission process. Tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenured track faculty may nominate candidates. Documents required for the submission include
- Nominator’s Letter of Support: The primary nominator’s letter of support articulates the candidates demonstrated excellence (including appropriate publications, grants, awards or other evidence of inventive pedagogical endeavors and/or noteworthy public service pursuits), specific research contributions, and a description of the significance (and/or the potential future significance) of these contributions.
- Abbreviated Current Professional Curriculum Vitae:
A candidate’s abbreviated current professional curriculum vitae is required for application. Please remember that the entire nomination packet may not exceed 25 pages including the candidate’s abbreviated current professional curriculum vitae. - Additional Letters of Support: Three additional support letters are required. Faculty, students and administrators are eligible to author these letters of support to further bolster a candidate’s application. Extra support letters (beyond the primary nominator’s and the other required three) are permitted as long as the entire nomination packet (including the candidate’s abbreviated current professional curriculum vitae) does not exceed 25 pages.
- By Monday, January 6, 2025 (1/6/25), initiate your nomination by sending at least the Nomination Google Form.
- By Friday, February 14, 2025 (2/14/25), if you have not already, please re-submit the Nomination Google Form and all supporting documents to excellence-awards@pdx.edu to complete your nomination.
All complete nomination packages submitted by 2/14/25 will be considered for three Academic Years:
- 2024-2025
- 2025-2026
- 2026-2027