The SQA Distinguished Mentor Award is intended to recognize a career commitment to mentoring quality assurance professionals. The award is to be presented to a Mentor within SQA who nurtures intellectual growth, provides professional guidance and career development for SQA members, and serves as a positive role model within the field. One recipient is chosen for this award each year. The recipient shall be recognized with complimentary registration to the next SQA Annual Meeting; presentation of an engraved award during the Annual Meeting; a digital badge for use in email signatures, websites, or social media; recognition in the SQA newsletter and on the SQA website.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Nomination is open for anyone who has served as a Mentor in the SQA Mentoring Program.
- Mentors must be nominated by one or more of their past or present Mentees; self-nomination is not permitted.
- A Mentor is not eligible to receive the Distinguished Mentor Award in two consecutive years.
Selection Process:
- The selection committee shall initially be comprised of the members of the Mentoring Program Committee who have not been nominated for the award themselves. Past recipients of the award will be invited to participate on the selection committee, and it is hoped that, eventually, the Mentoring Program Committee will not need to participate as the selection committee will be comprised entirely of past award recipients.
- The selection committee can only judge the candidate by the strength and completeness of the nomination.
Nominations are due by Wednesday, 28 October 2026. Please visit the SQA Distinguished Mentor web page for more information and a list of past recipients and nominees. Contact mentor@sqa.org with any questions.