The career development of students does not rest solely on the Toppel Career Center. We are fortunate to partner with amazing career champions across and beyond the University of Miami campus. The Toppel Awards were created to honor and recognize the significant achievements of others including students, student groups, administrators, faculty, employers, and recruiters.
Nominations for the 2024 Toppel Awards are open! To nominate an individual/group for a Toppel Award select the corresponding award category from the list below. Read on to learn more about the eligibility requirements for each award category.
#BreakThru Award
Student of the Year (Graduate and Undergraduate)
Student Organization of the Year
Distinguished Administrator
Distinguished Faculty
Employer of the Year
Recruiter of the Year
Alum of the Year
Program of the Year
On-Campus Internship of the Year
#BreakThru
The Toppel Career Center introduced the #BreakThru award in 2020, which represents overcoming obstacles. It's about pushing past barriers for yourself or removing barriers for others when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
The #BreakThru Award will be presented to an individual, student organization, faculty/administrator, or employer who has demonstrated - through a program, initiative, event, or their breakthrough - a commitment to overcoming obstacles for themselves and/or for others.
To nominate click here.
Student of the Year 2024 (Graduate and Undergraduate)
The Student of the Year Award will be presented to a graduate or undergraduate student who is nominated by themselves/staff/faculty/employer for their achievements, contributions to their organization/work site, demonstrated personal and/or professional growth, evidence of leadership, and academic records.
To be eligible, students must have participated in at least one semester of experiential education: internship, practicum, clinical, fieldwork, research, organizational leadership, or student teaching in the 2023 calendar year.
To nominate a student click here.
Student Organization of the Year 2024
The Student Organization of the Year Awards will be presented to one student group for their support of the mission and values of the Toppel Career Center within the 2023 calendar year.
To be eligible, student groups must be Registered Student Organizations or Registered Greek Organizations at the University of Miami who have exemplified professional development and/or career awareness in the programming/philanthropic efforts.
To nominate a student group click here.
Distinguished Administrator 2024
The Distinguished Administrator of the Year Award will be presented to an administrator for making a significant, positive contribution to the university and for promoting professional and career development among University of Miami students through collaborative efforts.
To be eligible, administrators must be full-time employees, who have worked for the University for more than one year. All administrators who have engaged in helping students in their career explorations and job search process, whether it is formally part of one's job or not, are eligible.
To nominate an administrator click here.
Distinguished Faculty 2024
The Distinguished Faculty of the Year Award will be presented to a faculty member who actively supports the development of the University of Miami career community and the Toppel Career Center.
This may occur through the following:
- Incorporating career development and career advising into their teaching and student advising
- Seeking out partnerships with employers, graduate/professional programs, Career Services, and others who may provide internship, job, or graduate/professional school opportunities for students
To be eligible, faculty must be full-time employees, who have worked for the University for more than one year. All faculty who have engaged in helping students in their career explorations and job search process, whether it is formally part of one's job or not, are eligible.
To nominate a faculty member click here.
Employer of the Year 2024
The Employer of the Year Award will be presented to two organizations, one corporate and one government/non-profit, for making significant contributions to the University of Miami community through support of career programs, sponsorship of events, and recruitment of our students and alumni.
To be eligible, employers must have posted a job/internship position and have participated in at least one Career Center event within the 2023 calendar year.
To nominate an employer click here.
Recruiter of the Year 2024
The Recruiter of the Year Award is presented to one individual for making significant contributions to the University of Miami community through support of career programs, sponsorship of events, and recruitment of our students and alumni.
To be eligible, the recruiter must have participated in at least one Career Center event within the 2023 calendar year.
To nominate a recruiter click here.
Alum of the Year 2024
The Alum of the Year Award will be presented to one alum of the University of Miami who is achieving outstanding professional success in their career and/or making significant contributions to enhance current students' career development.
To be eligible, the nominee must have obtained at least one degree (undergraduate or graduate) from the University of Miami.
To nominate an alum click here.
Program of the Year 2024
The Program of the Year Award will be presented to an individual, student organization, or faculty/administrator who has successfully implemented a career-focused program. The program must have made a significant impact on the professional development and career readiness of University of Miami students.
A program that you nominate can fall under any of these categories but is not limited to conferences, events, initiatives, or presentations. Example career programs would be, "Dress Codes, Hairstyles, Tattoos, and Piercings in Today's Ever-Evolving Workplace", "Frost Preparatory Program", and "NanoFlorida 2020".
To nominate a program, click here.
On-Campus Internship of the Year 2024
The On-Campus Internship of the Year Award is presented to a University of Miami department and/or leader for offering a robust internship during the 2023 calendar year, focused on developing essential skills, mentorship, and guidance, and bolstering the professional advancement of students.
To be eligible, the internship must be an on-campus experience. In addition to the responses below, nominations must include at least one testimonial from a student who has participated in the internship program (one-page maximum).
To nominate a department and/or leader, click here.
Patricia Toppel Award
The Patricia Toppel Award was introduced in 2017 to recognize individuals, both on and off-campus, who have consistently made a positive impact on the work of the Toppel Career Center. Recipients of the Patricia Toppel Award are selected by Toppel staff based on their long-term support and collaboration in Toppel's services.
