Chapter of the Year Award

Purpose of the Award

To recognize outstanding PLS chapters that demonstrate excellence in leadership, innovation, and impact within their institutions, communities, and the profession of pharmacy. 

Number of Awards & Recognition

Chapter of the Year: One (1) chapter from each division is selected annually (total of three awards). Each chapter will receive an engraved plaque recognizing their achievement and a $500 award. 

Lead the Way Awards: Multiple chapters may be recognized across designated focus areas each year.  Recipient chapters will receive a certificate recognizing their achievement. 

Finalist chapters will be invited to attend the annual PLS Awards Ceremony, where award recipients will be formally recognized and winners announced. All award recipients will be recognized and featured in official PLS communications, including the annual awards booklet. 

Eligibility

All Phi Lambda Sigma chapters in good standing are eligible for both Chapter of the Year and Lead the Way recognition. Annual Chapter Reports submitted after the published submission deadline will be ineligible for Chapter of the Year award consideration. Selections are made by the Awards Committee based on the content and quality of the submitted Annual Chapter Report.

To promote broad recognition across the Society, priority is given to recognizing as many unique chapters as possible. Chapters selected for the Chapter of the Year Award will not also be selected for a Lead the Way Award.

Application & Submission Procedures

Consideration for both the Chapter of the Year and Lead the Way Awards is based on submission of the Annual Chapter Report. No separate award application is required.

Chapters must submit one completed electronic submission form through the Annual Chapter Report process by the published deadline to be eligible for award consideration. The submission form can be accessed on the Chapter Report webpage linked below.

Chapters are encouraged to provide thorough and detailed responses that highlight the impact, innovation, outcomes, and leadership development efforts of their chapter initiatives throughout the reporting year.

Additional information regarding the Annual Chapter Report process, reporting expectations, and submission materials can also be found on the Chapter Report page in the members only portion of the website.

Scoring & Evaluation

Chapter of the Year and Lead the Way Awards are evaluated by the Awards Committee using a standardized review process based on the Annual Chapter Report.

While the complete scoring methodology is not publicly available, chapters are encouraged to review the evaluation framework and categories used to guide scoring. These categories reflect the core areas of impact, leadership, and engagement that define excellence within Phi Lambda Sigma.

To learn more about the criteria we are using to evaluate award submissions please review the criteria listed here: Chapter of the Year Rubric.

Deadline

The deadline for submission of the Annual Chapter Report for award consideration is August 31 at 11:59 PM PT annually.

The Phi Lambda Sigma Awards Committee strives to notify finalist chapters by early February following the submission deadline. Finalist chapters will be invited to attend the PLS Awards Ceremony, where award recipients will be announced.  

Questions

Questions regarding the Chapter of the Year and Lead the Way Awards, eligibility requirements, or submission procedures may be directed to the Phi Lambda Sigma Awards Committee at awards@philambdasigma.org