Civil Citizen Communicator Award
Dr. Elesha L. Ruminski, professor of Strategic Communication at FSU, created the annual Civil Citizen Communicator Award to recognize students annually through the Communication Leadership Lab and FSU's Leadership and Engagement award nomination process and ceremony.
This award is given to a Frostburg State University student who has demonstrated communication leadership or a commitment to civility and constructive change within an organization or community over the past year. This person should have demonstrated:
- communication competence,
- leadership competence, and
- an awareness of and responsiveness to matters of civility that impact others.
This award aligns with the mission of our programs and FSU to support the oral communication competency and leadership development of our students, and it supports regional development through recognition of efforts linking the campus and local community partners.
Nominations
Do you know someone (or a group) committed to changing our university, another organization or society for the better? If so, submit a nomination for the Civil Citizen Communicator Award. Nominations will be accepted each Spring semester through the Leadership and Engagement Awards nomination process available online.
Nominations should include:
- full name, major(s)/minor(s), and intended graduation date of nominee(s)
- if not a self-nomination, your name, role, and relationship to the nominee(s)
- a brief rationale (1000 words or less) explaining why the nominee(s) fits the criteria of this award
- Reference to additional support for the nomination (examples of communication messages, campaigns or strategies)
- A professional headshot of the nominee(s)
Each award winner’s name is etched on the Civility Cup plaque, which is displayed on campus. In addition to the public announcement in May, a formal certificate of acknowledgement will be given to the student who receives this honor. Winners will also receive an honorarium, which can be supported through the Civil Citizen Communicator Award fund.
Previous Honorees
2026: Nicholas Mullen, MBA program, and Ava Rankin, Accounting major.
2025: Chris Parris, Jr., Strategic Communication major, with minors in Public Relations and History.
2024: Hailie Toro, Social Work with minors in Women's Studies and Sociology.
2023: Rachael Michalski, Criminal and Legal Studies and Spanish majors.
2022: Max Hancock, Economics major and Geography and Sustainability minors.
2021: Cassie Conklin, Geography major.
2020: Tyler Bauer, Political Science and Criminal Justice majors, Sociology minor.
2019 & 2018: Benjamin D. Forrest, Math and Political Science majors.
2017: Madison Lawrence, Ethnobotany major, Biology, Forestry, and Cultural Anthropology minors.
2016: Trevor T. Jones, Communication Studies and Philosophy majors.
2015: Sophia Cooper, Mass Communication major.
If you have any questions regarding the award or nomination process, please contact Dr. Elesha L. Ruminski, Professor of Communication Studies and Coordinator of Leadership Studies and the Communication Leadership Lab, at elruminski@frostburg.edu.