Award Programs

ACE Honor Awards

Entries for the 2021 program are closed.

Awards of achievement are presented to members of ACE and outstanding communicators in the following categories:

ACE Fellow (formerly the ACE Professional Award) 

The ACE Fellow is the highest recognition given by the Association for Communication Excellence to one of its members. The award recognizes sustained excellence and professionalism in a communicator. Recipients are role models in ACE who have had an enduring impact on the organization, their institution, the national land-grant system, and/or the profession or discipline of agricultural communications. The ACE Fellow is recognized during the ACE annual conference.

ACE Rising Star Award (formerly Pioneer Award)  

The ACE Rising Star Award honors communicators, instructors and researchers  who demonstrate exceptional leadership and technical skills in their communication field, to their institution, and service to ACE. Award winners are early in their career and/or ACE membership. The award was created in honor of Frank Jeter, an early ACE member from North Carolina, who made significant contributions to the communication field and to ACE.

Past recipients have revitalized communications at their institution, led innovative communication projects, served as learning community leaders for ACE, initiated and carried out new projects for ACE, and inspired communication excellence in their peers.

Award of Excellence 

The Award of Excellence recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence in the discipline or area of communications represented by a Learning Community as well as leadership and involvement in ACE. A recipient may be a current or a past member of the Learning Community. 

Retiree Award of Excellence 

The Retiree Award of Excellence recognizes an individual who has demonstrated excellence in leadership, service, and involvement with ACE retirees and life members or within the larger organization. 

ACE Service Award

The ACE Service Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service to ACE.

Reuben Brigham Award 

The award is reserved for a communicator, including a public relations or advertising person, who has made a major contribution in the field of agriculture, natural resources, or life and human sciences at the regional, national, or international level. The award can go to someone who is not a citizen of the United States.