The winning essay will receive a total of $3,000 plus additional gifts.

• $1,000 to the student author, $1,000 to the faculty/staff/administrator featured in the essay, and a complimentary 2011–2012 NISOD membership to the student’s community college
• Complimentary 2011 NISOD conference registration for the student, faculty/staff/administrator featured in the essay, and the student’s college president
• Complimentary lodging at a 2011 NISOD Conference area hotel for the student, faculty/staff/administrator featured in the essay, and the student's college president (hotel arrangements to be made by the NISOD staff; travel is at the college's expense)
• The student essay published in Community College Week and the photos of the student and the faculty/staff/administrator featured in the essay and the logo of the student’s community college will be included in the 2011 NISOD Conference Program
• The student essay published in Community College Week
• The student, faculty/staff/administrator featured in the essay, and the president of the student’s college introduced during the Sunday general session at NISOD’s 33rd annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence (May 29, 2011, at the Austin Convention Center, in Austin, Texas)

• Top 10 essays published in NISOD’s monthly e-newsletter