Division of Student Affairs

• Undergraduate students who have completed at least 60 credits (30 of those must have been earned at WCU) at the time their application is submitted
• Must be in good standing with regard to personal and academic conduct
• December graduates are welcome to apply and return for the spring award ceremony
• Students who have already recieved the award are not eligible to reapply

• Academics (GPA): 25%
• Leadership: 25%
• Community Engagement: 25%
• Career Readiness: 25%

View the 1871 Award selection criteria rubric here

• Personal information (e.g., name, contact information, major)
• Responses to the following short-answer questions (each should be answered in 500 words or less):
  • Please describe your leadership experiences during your time at West Chester University. How would others describe you as a leader? 
  • Describe your most significant accomplishments as a student leader, or a challenge you overcame to add value to your organization/field/department, the University, or the community at large. 
  • Describe how you have engaged with the community (locally, nationally, and/or internationally) during your time as a student at WCU, and reflect on what you learned as a result of that engagement. 
  • How has your community engagement impacted your attitudes, beliefs, values, priorities and/or life choices? Please provide examples. 
  •  What are your career goals? Describe the skills and knowledge you have gained through your curricular (academic) and co-curricular (outside the classroom) experiences, and how they apply to these goals. Please identify areas for continued growth. 
• Resume
• Two letters of recommendation:
  • One must be from a WCU faculty or staff member, the second an individual of their choice (e.g., supervisor, mentor, advisor).
  • WCU students should not write recommendation letters for their peers unless they directly supervise another student.
  • These letters should be submitted to the student who will upload them to the application.
  • You are encouraged to give recommenders a MINIMUM of two weeks notice to complete the letters.
• Click here to complete the application [the application will be available in fall 2026].

Applications will be evaluated by a committee of WCU faculty and staff, as well as one student, representing the following areas:

• Student Affairs senior leader (chair)
• College of Arts & Humanities
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Business & Public Management
• College of the Sciences & Mathematics
• College of Education & Social Work
• Division of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
• Division of Student Affairs
• Division of University Advancement & External Affairs
• School of Music
• Student 
• University College

• 1871 Award honorees will be recognized at a spring award ceremony that will be attended by WCU senior leadership.
• They will receive a certificate and a special “1871 Award” pin.
• They will receive a special designation next to their name within the commencement program.
• Their names will also be published and archived on the WCU website.

• September 21, 2026: Application opens
• November 2, 2026, 12 noon: Deadline to apply
• December 2026: Selections finalized
• January 2027: Applicants notified
• March 3, 2027:  Recipients honored at an award ceremony