The Dr. Zollie Stevenson, Jr. Award for Outstanding Mentorship in Research, Evaluation, and Accountability

 Call for Nominations

The Dr. Zollie Stevenson, Jr. Award for Outstanding Mentorship in Research, Evaluation, and Accountability recognizes an education researcher, evaluator, or practitioner who has made distinguished contributions in the field of education research, evaluation, and assessment in schools by mentoring a new generation of researchers and evaluators to further the work of bringing research to practice. This award is named in honor of Dr. Zollie Stevenson, Jr. (1953-2022), former Secretary and Vice President of Division H of the American Education Research Association, for his distinguished mentoring throughout his career. Nominations can be made for individuals who provide formal or informal mentoring and can include the mentoring of undergraduate and doctoral students, as well as the mentoring of junior researchers and evaluators. Preference will be given to individuals whose mentorship has brought new and diverse perspectives to the field of research, evaluation, and assessment in schools.

Eligibility Criteria:

Nominations can be made for individuals who provide formal or informal mentoring in the areas of research, evaluation, and accountability and can include the mentoring of undergraduate and doctoral students as well as the mentoring of junior researchers and evaluators. Preference will be given to individuals whose mentorship has brought new and diverse perspectives to the field of research, evaluation, and assessment in schools.

Nomination Process & Timeline:

This award will be given every three years in the final year of each Vice President’s term. The first award will be given at the 2026 AERA Annual Meeting. Nominations should come from any individual familiar with the mentorship role and impact of the nominee except current mentees of the nominated individual. No self-nominations will be accepted.

Nomination materials must include electronic copies of the following:

• A nomination letter describing the research contributions in this area and the reasons the candidate is uniquely qualified to receive the award;
• A copy of the candidate’s most recent curriculum vita; and
• Two letters of support from former formal or informal mentees.

Award Announced: At AERA 2025, in summer 2025 Division H newsletters, and on the Division Award page

Call for Nominees: Open from September 1, 2025 – December 1, 2025.

Awardee Named: February 15, 2026

Awardee Recognized with a certificate: AERA Annual Meeting