Sayers "Bud" Miller
Distinguished Educator Award

Candidate Criteria

No more than two awards may be presented annually. The award may not be presented if there are no candidates who meet the criteria. Individuals must meet the following requirements to be nominated for the award:

1. Current certified membership in the National Athletic Trainers' Association;
2. Recognition as a member of a teaching faculty in athletic training for at least 10 years;
3. Recognition for service at the state, regional or national level in professional organizations concerned with the field of athletic training;
4. A minimum of 10 years of contributions to the field of athletic training education;
5. Evidence of quality in published manuscripts and in formal oral presentations concerned with issues in athletic training.

Application Guidelines

• I. The nomination can be made by any certified athletic trainer, student, administrator, or faculty member of a college/ university. Please limit the number of support letters to three (3) per candidate.
• II. The nominator must send a detailed dossier of the candidate to the Education Council. The dossier must be in the following order:
  1. Academic background
  2. Research activity
  3. Course work taught
  4. Classroom teaching innovations
  5. Course work developed
  6. Impact on Athletic Training Education
  7. Professional memberships
  8. Positions (elected/appointed) held on state, district or national levels of the National Athletic Trainers' Association
  9. Positions (elected/appointed) held on state, regional or national levels of other professional organizations
  10. Educational consultant work
  11. Speaking engagements at the community, state, regional or national levels
  12. Community service, such as Red Cross of American Heart Association, etc.
  13. College/university service such as committee involvement, thesis advising, etc.
  14. Other appropriate material

• III. No more than two candidates will be selected in a calendar year.
• IV. Once nominated, the candidate's dossier will be kept on file for a two year period and considered both years if not selected in the first year.
• V. The award need not be given every year if no candidates are deemed qualified for the award.
• VI. The candidates will be judged on a rating scale relative to the criteria listed under Section II.
• VII. Advertisement for the award will be published in the NATA News and through a letter sent to each NATA district secretary for inclusion the in the district newsletter.
• VIII. All recommendations must be complete and submitted to the Education Council Office no later than January 7 of each year. Copies of the dossiers will be sent to members of the Awards Committee. This committee will recommend the nominee(s) to the Education Council Committee for final approval. The recommendation(s) of the Education Council will be forwarded to the NATA Honors and Awards Committee.
• IX. The NATA Education Council Executive Committee Chair is excluded from consideration during their term(s) of office.
• X. The award will be presented at the subsequent NATA Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposium