Edwin Crawford Award for Innovation

The Edwin Crawford Award for Innovation recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement, quality and effectiveness of state relations on behalf of a higher education institution or system. Recipients are relatively new to the profession and have shown great effort, initiative and innovation in achieving the legislative goals of their institution or system.

The award is named in honor of the late Edwin Crawford, who exemplified excellence in state relations and public affairs during more than 40 years in state government relations at Auburn University, the University of Virginia, the Ohio State University and the University of California System.

The award recipient receives a crystal award at the annual Higher Education Government Relations Conference.

The 2021 Service Awards in Government Relations nomination has been suspended. If you have any questions please email Brian Flahaven at [email protected].

Judges look for an extraordinary individual who has demonstrated initiative and innovation in a state government relations office. Nominees must have:

  • Worked for a maximum of 10 years as a government relations officer representing a higher education institution or system.
  • Demonstrated an approach to state government relations that is recognized by peers and policymakers as exceptionally innovative and creative, regardless of the end result.
  • Effectively mobilized others to help meet the institution's legislative goals, for example, creating coalitions between other colleges and universities, higher education associations or other groups sharing similar goals.
  • Used all resources of the campus to achieve legislative goals.
  • A record of demonstrated and recognized success.

The 2021 Service Awards in Government Relations nomination period is now open. The nomination period closes on September 29, 2021. 

All nomination information and materials are submitted online by someone at a CASE member institution. Include in the nomination package:

  • A complete entry form by the official nominator (self-nominations and nominations by students will not be accepted) answering entry questions. Each question has a 500 character limit.
  1. How long has the nominee worked as a government relations officer at a higher education institution or system?
  2. How has the nominee demonstrated an approach to state government relations that is recognized by peers and policymakers as exceptionally innovative and creative?
  3. How has the nominee effectively mobilized others to help meet the institution's legislative goals? (for example, created coalitions between other colleges and universities, higher education associations or other groups)
  4. How has the nominee effectively used resources to achieve legislative goals?
  5. Please provide any further information on the nominee's qualifications.
  • A curriculum vitae that provides a concise summary of the individual's education, government relations experience, relevant awards, publications and other significant contributions (information may be summarized using a biographical format but should focus on state government relations experience).

The awards committee reviews all nominations and selects finalists.

2019 Emma Kallaway - Portland Community College
2018 Dr. Robert Amler - New York Medical College’s
2017 Tim Farley - Saint Mary's College of California
2016 Meredith V. Turner - University of California
2015 Lynn W. McGee - University of South Carolina, Beaufort
2014 Jeneane Beck - University of Northern Iowa
2013 Bridget Burns - Oregon University System
2012 Frances Teves - California State University, Fullerton
2011 Ryan McPherson - University of Buffalo, State University of New York
2010 Erin Cowser - Southeastern Louisiana University
2009 Justin Lonon - Dallas County Community College District
2008 Claire Rosacco - Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio
2007 Donald Payton - Seminole Community College
2006 Joseph Bryce - University System of Maryland
2005 Angela Leidinger - Clemson University
2004 Leslie Smith - City College of San Francisco
2003 Matthew Hargrove - University of California, Davis
2002 Bryan Boehringer - Oregon Health & Science University
2001 Owen Holmes - California State University, Fullerton