The Awards Committee for The University of Alabama is looking for its next junior, senior and non-student recipients for its highest honors. Applications for the University’s Premier Awards are due Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.

Sara Hartley, assistant to the vice president for External Affairs, explained the basis for the awards.

“Many of the awards are endowed in honor of individuals who embody various characteristics in which the University hopes to celebrate,” Hartley said. “These awards are meant for any student who exemplifies the ideals in which the various awards represent, such as selfless service, collaboration among diverse groups or an appreciation and gift with the arts.”

The awards include the William P. Bloom Award, The Morris Lehman Mayer Award, The Catherine J. Randall Award, The John Fraser Ramsey Award, and The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.

Though each award has its own qualifications, the recipients must be a junior or senior if they are a UA student; their class is determined by their graduation date instead of their hours earned. The GPA range of the awards is similar, with the lowest requirement a 3.0 and the highest a 3.9 on a 4.0 scale. Other requirements include a written essay, recommendations from faculty/staff and further information related to the award’s criteria.

Applicants must also tell about their contributions to the University and their academic record as well, Hartley said.

The William P. Bloom Award highlights a student who has improved relations among different groups. Emma Fick, a senior majoring in English, was the 2012 recipient of the William P. Bloom Award and explained how it benefited her personally.

“The award encouraged me to think about other prestigious scholarships I’d never thought to pursue before, and I decided to apply for national scholarships like Fulbright and Rhodes,” Fick said. “The Bloom is also a nice perk on my resume – after all, I get to describe it, according to the Premier Awards website, as one of the five ‘highest honors given by The University of Alabama.’”

In addition to the bragging rights that come along with being awarded the University’s highest honor, students are also exposed to other benefits that are not as obvious. Students can earn monetary gifts, nationwide recognition and even a trip abroad.

“To a student aspiring to win a Premier Award, spend a lot of time on your essay, as that is the main way reviewers will get to know you,” Fick said. “And think carefully about who you ask for your letter of recommendation; favor someone that knows your character over someone that knows your academic strength – ideally someone that knows both.”

More information for those interested about the Premier Awards or applying can be found at premierawards.ua.edu.