Yokley Awards
The Yokley Awards are recognition given to faculty and chapters with a lengthy time of service with the TriBeta Honor Society. The four Yokley Award categories are the following:
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Yokley Faculty Advisor Award for Outstanding Faculty Advisor
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Yokley Faculty Service Award for Advisors and District Directors
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Yokley Faculty Leadership Award for National Officers
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Yokley Outstanding Chapter Activity Award
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Click the following link to see the previous Yokley award winners: Yokley Award Winner​s
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The following outlines the criteria and guidelines for the four Yokley Awards.
"YOKLEY FACULTY ADVISOR AWARD" FOR AN OUTSTANDING FACULTY ADVISOR:
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The Yokley Faculty Advisor Award is presented annually to an "outstanding faculty advisor." The recipient will receive a plaque and pin at the National or District/Regional Convention. The selection of each years recipient will be determined by the Executive Council following the selection criteria listed below. Nominations will be made by the Regional Vice Presidents with input from the District Directors. It will not be possible for the same person to repeat as the winner until 5 years have elapsed. The award will be presented by Dr. Paul Yokley, or his designate, at the Biennial National Convention or by the Regional Vice President at the district or regional convention on alternate years.
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Criteria for the "Yokley Faculty Advisor Award"
1. Years of service as an advisor; minimum of 10 years as a faculty advisor.
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2. Historically stable working relationship with the National Office. All communications with the National Office are timely and accurate as determined by the National Secretary Treasurer.
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3. Demonstrated involvement in local, district or regional and national conventions.
A. Personal participation in conventions as a judge, organizer, or coordinator.
B. Students participation in district or regional and national conventions, including student poster or oral presentations.
C. Student recipients of the Johnson or Brook's Awards.
D Student applications and funded recipients in the undergraduate research grant program.
E. Chapter applications for the Bertholf Award; recipients of the Bertholf Award, or Outstanding Chapter Awards.
F. Student papers published in BIOS; students receiving the McClung Award.
G. Evidence of chapter growth and/or stability.
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"YOKLEY FACULTY SERVICE AWARD" FOR ADVISORS & DISTRICT DIRECTORS:
The Yokley Faculty Service Award will be awarded to selected faculty advisors or district directors. This award will consist of a service pin and a certificate. The criteria will be similar to the Yokley Faculty Advisor Award, but will emphasize performance and years of service as a faculty advisor. Nominations for the faculty service award will be made by members of the Tri Beta Executive Council and selection will require a majority vote. The award will be presented at a designated Tri Beta convention. Press releases announcing the award will be forwarded to the university administration and/or public relations office. Continued service bars may be added to the pins in 5 year increments after the initial recognition award.
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Criteria for the "Faculty Advisor Service Award":
1. Faculty Advisors with a minimum of 10 years of quality service as determined by effective communication with the National Office and participation in District-Regional and National Conventions.
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2. Student involvement in conventions, undergraduate research grants, donor chapters, and recognition of Tri Beta activities on campus.
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3. At the discretion of the Executive Council, "extended service recognition" may be made when a Faculty Advisor retires or is replaced in that position.
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"YOKLEY FACULTY LEADERSHIP AWARD" FOR NATIONAL OFFICERS
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The Executive Council may recognize individuals that have given long term service as National Officers with the "Yokley Faculty Leadership Award." National Officers that are recognized with the Yokley Faculty Leadership Award will receive a plaque and pin designating their current office. National Officers are elected to their positions by the delegates of each biennial convention and subject to peer review by the personnel committee.
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The following are suggested criteria to be used in nominating National Officers for the Yokley Leadership Award.
1. Extended service, with a minimum of 10 years in an elected capacity. The years of service are accumulative as long as the officer continues to serve as a Regional Vice President, National President Elect, National President, Immediate Past President, or Past President.
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2. Leadership demonstrated by involvement and efficiency in program development, committee activities, convention coordination, and other services sponsored by Tri Beta.
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3. The Yokley Service or Leadership Award may be extended to paid National Officers who have demonstrated exceptional merit in job performance and have fulfilled the time of service criteria. The award will consist of a plaque and pin and selection will be at the discretion of the National Executive Council. The award will be presented to the recipients when they terminate their duties with Tri Beta.
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"YOKLEY OUTSTANDING CHAPTER ACTIVITY AWARD"
The Yokley Outstanding Chapter Activity Award will be presented annually to a "chapter that has registered members and continuous activity for 25 consecutive years." The recipient will receive a plaque at the National or District/Regional Convention. The selection of each year’s recipient will be determined by the Executive Committee. Nominations will be made by the National Office based on yearly registration of members and communication with the National Office. The award will be presented at the Biennial National Convention or by the Regional Vice President at the district or regional convention on alternate years.
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Yokley Award History
In 1996 Dr. Paul Yokley, Jr., Chair of the Biology Department at the University of North Alabama, Beta Zeta Chapter Advisor, Southeast District Director, and Southeast Vice President of Beta Beta Beta and his wife Betty Yokely gave the society $5,000. Dr. Yokley was a dedicated educator for over 50 years felt a need to recognize distinguished, dedicated faculty members that served the local chapters bringing scholarly activity to the students at their universities. The Yokley Outstanding Chapter Activity Award was to recognize the collective efforts many faculty members in making a chapter a success.
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Originally, each year the interest from that money was used to purchase a plaque, a pin and a certificate to acknowledge the faculty advisors, district directors, and executive committee members for their dedication, devotion, and service to the society. Previously, all Yokley Award recipients were listed in the Faculty Honor Roll section of the BIOS.
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In 1998 at the 35th National Convention held in San Diego, CA the first Yokley awards were given. The first Outstanding Faculty Advisor award was given to Dr. Crosby Jones, Angelo State University. In 1999 the first Faculty Service Award was given to Virginia Martin, Queens University of Charlotte, Steve Ropski, Gannon University, and Sister Rose Bast, Mount Mary College. In 1999 the first Faculty Leadership Award was given to John C. Johnson, Jr., Lawrence Koehler, Keith Longpre, and Paul Yokley, Jr.
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In 2008 the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society Executive Committee recognized Chapters for 25 years of continuous activity and registration of new members. Since the founding of the organization in 1922 there were many qualified chapters in the first year. In 2008 there were 85 chapters that had 25years or more of continuous activity and students qualified and registered. After the first awards were given, there have been several awards presented each year.
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As of 2020, all Yokley award recipients will be announced in BIOS and the history of award recipients will be on the national website.