Dear Colleagues, I am writing on behalf of the Committee on Honors and Awards to request that faculty and staff members (e.g., student advisors, athletics coaches, other staff from student-centered offices) send letters of recommendation for college-wide awards on behalf of their students who are graduating seniors. Letters should be emailed to QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu<mailto:QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu> by Monday, March 16. You may also email QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu<mailto:QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu> if you have inquiries regarding a student’s graduation status. Approximately 40 awards will be granted at the Baccalaureate ceremony on May 26. Some of these awards come with substantial scholarships that provide significant assistance to students going on to graduate and professional schools. In order to be eligible for a college-wide award, students must have taken at least 45 credits at Queens College and (in most cases) have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better. Because of the large number of students who meet these basic qualifications, letters from faculty and staff members who know the students well are critically important elements of the committee's decision-making process. It is not necessary to nominate students for specific awards, nor is it necessary to write separate letters of recommendation for these awards. If you are writing a letter of recommendation for a student's application to law, medical, or graduate school, or if you have written a letter in the past, you can send a copy of the letter to QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu<mailto:QCSAwards@qc.cuny.edu> and it will be added to the student's file. Several awards have been created to recognize extracurricular contributions to the college and wider community, so letters that describe such activities are particularly useful. We are especially interested in students with a strong record of work for social justice, civil rights, or other service to the community. Unfortunately, it is the case every year that some students with the most outstanding academic records are not considered for college-wide awards because we lack the kind of information about them that can only be provided through letters from faculty and staff. The Honors and Awards office has sent to department chairs a list of students who have graduated in Summer and Fall 2025 and who will graduate in Spring 2026 who are eligible to receive college-wide awards. Please contact your chair to request the list. Thank you in advance for your cooperation! Best wishes, Dan A. Lee Professor of Mathematics Chair, Committee on Honors and Awards Rebecca Baron (she/hers) Scholarships & Fellowships Specialist Honors & Scholarships Department Queens College, CUNY Remote on Thursdays In Person Walk In Hours: Monday & Wednesday 11AM - 12PM Tuesday & Friday 1PM - 2PM Call Honors & Scholarships: 718-997-5502 Email: rebecca.baron@qc.cuny.edu