W.E.B. Du Bois Staff Mentor Award

W.E.B. Du Bois Staff Mentor Award

Category: University Staff

W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois was an American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author and editor.

The aim of the award program is to acknowledge those students who demonstrate a commitment to:

  • individual pursuits promoting expression of Black culture, history, and values.
  • academic excellence and advancement of scholarship.
  • cultivating community through service to improve quality of life for Black people at WashU, in St Louis, and globally.

Category of Award

University Staff


Award Criteria

Faculty ARE NOT eligible for this award. Nominee(s) for this award must have demonstrated a commitment to serve as a mentor, advisor, counselor, friend or parental figure.


Nomination Process

Only undergraduate and graduate students can submit nominations for the Staff Mentor Award.


Requirements for Students who Nominate Staff

Please submit the following document by Friday, March 29, 2024:

Student must submit:

Essay, 250 words or less, describing why their mentor is so important to them.

  • Describe an ongoing supportive relationship between themselves and their mentor
  • Describe a specific time when they were having a difficult time and were helped by their mentor
  • Describe what support was provided by mentor, etc.

NOTE: For the winning mentor, the student will present the award to their mentor after making a brief statement as to why their mentor has been so important to them.