Dolphin Awards

Last modified by Michelle Hall on 2023/04/10 17:45

The public information for the Dolphin Awards is available on the Apereo website at: https://www.apereo.org/content/apereo-awards.

The content here is the authoritative source, and the website should reflect the below information.

General Information

Each year, the Apereo Foundation celebrates the many volunteer efforts, innovations, and success stories of our open source community. Starting in 2022, the Open Apereo Planning Committee reviewed the awards and updated the programs to:

  1. recognize the broad community within Apereo, by adding the "Enterprise Solutions" award and the IAN award for leadership, and
  2. recognize founding Apereo Executive Director, Ian Dolphin, by naming the awards in his honor.

Apereo will continue support for Apereo Fellows and Teaching and Learning Innovation. The four categories of the Apereo Dolphin Awards and Fellowships are:

  • Dolphin Fellowships: These awards recognize exceptional service and contributions by individuals to the Apereo open source community. From development to project management to other acts of service and support, Apereo's Dolphin Fellows make important contributions to the projects within the foundation.
  • Enterprise Solutions: This is a new award that seeks to recognize academic institutions, project teams, or others in the development, deployment, and/or implementation of open source software that supports the operation of higher education.
  • Innovation, Advocacy, and Networking (IAN): This is a special honor to recognize an individual champion or leader, although this award can go to an organization as well. The recipient of this award promotes, propels, and transforms open source initiatives to meet the diverse and evolving needs of higher education.
  • Teaching and Learning: These awards recognize innovation in teaching and learning using open source software, promoting excellent pedagogy, sharing new practices in teaching, and encouraging more faculty involvement in software evolution.

Apereo's Dolphin Fellowships

Anyone within the Apereo Community may apply for one of the four annual fellowships. Applications should be merit-based, describing how the applicant has contributed to one of the many areas of Apereo's mission and community, and how the support from a fellowship will contribute to future development activities and objectives.

Eligibility

The focus of a fellowship application should be on what the applicant has accomplished in the community already, and what they propose to accomplish during the fellowship period. Past contributions are not required, but evidence of prior commitment and contributions is often a good indicator of future engagement.

The Fellows Program recognizes individual contributors, not organizations. Fellows are not required to work at or be associated with an Apereo Foundation member organization (e.g., university, commercial affiliate, etc.).

Possible areas of contribution include:

  • technology activities such as software development, user experience (e.g., interface design, accessibility), implementation and administration, project or product management, etc.,
  • community management around conference planning, advocacy, evangelism, governance and planning, leadership, etc., and
  • teaching and learning, such as pedagogy, course and content development, program management, etc.

Contributors participating actively in any of the various Apereo software communities and communities of interest, as well as those working on projects under Apereo incubation are eligible to apply subject to the following limitations:

  • Those who have received an Apereo/Sakai Fellowship within the past three years will not be considered for a fellowship.
  • Apereo Board members and Apereo staff are also not eligible.

Selection

The Apereo Board of Directors shall review and award four fellowships annually. The Board decision is final.

Awards

Recipients of an Apereo's Dolphin Fellowship shall receive:

  • A certificate of recognition presented during the program ceremony at Open Apereo.
  • A special "swag bag" related to the award.
  • A cash award of US $599.00 (Non-US based recipients will be subject to Federal US tax withholding of 30% unless all requirements are met, according to our Vendor Policies page. Contact accounting@apereo.org with any questions.)
  • Registration to the following year’s Open Apereo conference.
  • Up to US $1,500 toward Apereo-related conferences and event travel expenses, such as:
    • Travel and accommodation for the following year's Open Apereo Conference (airfare/baggage, taxi/bus/train/mileage, hotel, per diems for meals, visa fees).
    • Registration fees, travel, and accommodations to other, pre-approved, Apereo events (airfare/baggage, taxi/bus/train/mileage, hotel, per diems for meals, visa fees).

Expiration

If an award recipient has not accepted their award within 6 months of written notification, the award expires. All funds must be used within eighteen months from the date of the award.

Additional Recognition

During their tenure, fellows will be asked to speak at Apereo conferences, and will have their work featured on the Apereo website and through other channels of Apereo outreach and education. Fellows who wish to publish or offer white papers on their activities are encouraged to do so. Such whitepapers will be prominently displayed.

The activities of the fellows will be largely self-directed, although the Foundation Executive Director and/or Foundation staff will help coordinate fellows' activities and help with twice-yearly report-outs of their activities.

Commercial and/or Foundation support for this program will be considered. Initial support will come from the Apereo Foundation.

Schedule & Activities

  • January 10: The application period opens.
  • January 10 through March 31, monthly on the first Monday of each month: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that applications for fellowships are open now through April 30th.
  • April's first Monday: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that applications for fellowships are open now through April 30th.
  • April's third Monday: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that applications for fellowships are open now through April 30th.
  • April's last Monday: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that applications for fellowships are open now through April 30th.
  • April 30: Application period closes
  • May 1: Applications forwarded to Apereo Board for review and selection.
  • May's Board Meeting: Apereo Board selects fellows.
  • June's first Monday: General Manager/Executive Director notifies recipients of selection.
  • Open Apereo / mid-June: Announcement of new Apereo fellows.

Open Issues

Communications

Resources

Apereo's Dolphin Awards

In 2022, as part of the Open Apereo, the planning committee suggested honoring founding Executive Director of the Apereo Foundation, Ian Dolphin, by naming the annual awards given to the community, "The Dolphin Awards." The Dolphin Awards were to include the existing Apereo Teaching and Learning Award (ATLAS) as well as two new awards for Enterprise Solutions and Leadership or "The I.A.N."

Enterprise Solutions

The Dolphin Award for Enterprise Solutions recognizes individuals, academic institutions, project teams, or others in the development, deployment, and/or administration of any Apereo software project in support of higher education.

Innovation, Advocacy, and Networking (The "I.A.N.")

The IAN Award recognizes creative and visionary community members who promote and propel open source initiatives to meet higher education's diverse and evolving needs. While not a specific requirement, particular consideration is given to those who have shown significant contributions over years of service.

Teaching and Learning

The Dolphin Award for Teaching and Learning recognizes innovation in the use of open source software for academic purposes, delivering excellent pedagogy through Apereo tools, sharing new/best practices in education, and encouraging greater faculty and/or student involvement in the improvement or advancement of Apereo's portfolio of open source resources.

Eligibility

Recognition through a Dolphin Award is based on the contributions to the Apereo community, projects, and initiatives.

The nomination form asks for detailed examples highlighting the candidates experience, expertise, and initiative. The complete nomination form must be completed in order to be considered.

Anyone may nominate candidates (including themselves) for any or all of the Dolphin Awards.

Candidates for the Enterprise Solutions and Teaching and Learning awards must have experience working with at least one Apereo project (active or in incubation) or special interest community related to the activity(ies) supporting their nomination.

Recipients are not required to work at or be associated with an Apereo Foundation member organization (e.g., university, commercial affiliate, etc.).

Those who have received an Apereo/Sakai Fellowship within the past three years are not eligible to apply.

Apereo Board members and Apereo staff are also not eligible to apply.

Selection

The Apereo Board of Directors shall review and award the four Apereo Dolphin Fellowships annually. The Board decision is final.

Awards

Recipients of a Dolphin Award shall receive:

  • A certificate of recognition presented during the program ceremony at Open Apereo.
  • A special "swag bag" related to the award.
  • A cash award of US $599.00 (Non-US based recipients will be subject to Federal US tax withholding of 30% unless all requirements are met, according to our Vendor Policies page. Contact accounting@apereo.org with any questions.)
  • Registration to the following year’s Open Apereo conference.
  • Up to US $1,500 toward Apereo-related conferences and event travel expenses, such as:
    • Travel and accommodation for the following year's Open Apereo Conference (airfare/baggage, taxi/bus/train/mileage, hotel, per diems for meals, visa fees).
    • Registration fees, travel, and accommodations to other, pre-approved, Apereo events (airfare/baggage, taxi/bus/train/mileage, hotel, per diems for meals, visa fees).

Expiration

If an award recipient has not accepted their award within 6 months of written notification, the award expires. All funds must be used within eighteen months from the date of the award.

Additional Recognition

Dolphin Award winners will be asked to speak at Apereo conferences, and will have their work featured on the Apereo website and through other channels of Apereo outreach and education. Award recipients who wish to publish or offer white papers on their activities are encouraged to do so. Such whitepapers will be prominently displayed.

The activities of the award recipients will be largely self-directed, although the Foundation Executive Director and/or Foundation staff will help coordinate  activities and help with twice-yearly report-outs of their activities.

Commercial and/or foundation support for this program will be considered. Initial support will come from the Apereo Foundation.

Schedule & Activities

  • January 10: Nomination period opens.
  • January 10 through March 31, monthly on the first Monday of the month: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that nominations for Apereo's Dolphin Awards are open now though April 30th.
  • April's first Monday: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that nominations for Apereo's Dolphin Awards are open now though April 30th.
  • April's third Monday: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that nominations for Apereo's Dolphin Awards are open now though April 30th.
  • April's last Monday: Announcement via Apereo mailing lists, social media, and newsletter that nominations for Apereo's Dolphin Awards are open now though April 30th.
  • April 30: Nomination period closes
  • May 1: Nominations forwarded to Apereo Board for review and selection.
  • May's Board Meeting: Apereo Board selects Dolphin Award recipients.
  • June's first Monday: General Manager/Executive Director notifies recipients of selection.
  • Open Apereo: Announcement of Apereo's new fellows.

Open Issues

Communications

Resources