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2025 Awards of Excellence
The NCMC Award of Excellence is intended to honor those exhibits, publications and programs that exemplify excellence in the museum field. This competition showcases the best in our profession and in doing so promotes excellence and professionalism across the state. There is now a category within the Award of Excellence to reflect excellence in online programming through exhibits, programs, and other web-based offerings. Up to three awards will be presented for outstanding programs at the conference.
Awards of Excellence Nomination Formhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrlJ3VxA3bGRio4KJSCXq3Y8rf8uRilDcGfTGAQo30SqgONw/viewform?usp=header
2025 Awards of Special Recognition
The NCMC Award of Special Recognition honors an individual, group, or business affiliated with a museum in North Carolina who has demonstrated significant interest and support in the programs, goals, and policies or made significant contributions of time, money, or ideas to a museum in the state.
Special Recognition Award Nomination Form
2025 Emerging Museum Professional Award
The NCMC Emerging Museum Professional Award recognizes an outstanding individual who has worked in the museum industry for fewer than seven years. Nominations of early-career museum professionals are welcomed and encouraged. Nominees must be either an NCMC individual member or employed by a member organization.
A complete nomination package, including the nomination form and all requested supporting documents and materials as specified are required for review and evaluation. Nominations that are incomplete may be returned, requesting missing information, or may be excluded from consideration, depending on the timeframe and other factors.
Emerging Museum Professional Nomination Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPD-UsooOIizR5j9ZUz5eCAoYYWRl7zORn6bG4lbZsIGYjZg/viewform?usp=header
2025 Karl McKinnon Professional Achievement Award
The NCMC Professional Service Award shall be presented to any individual currently employed at a North Carolina museum that has distinguished themselves in the museum field and/or have professionally advanced the role of museums or that of the North Carolina Museums Council. The committee will grant one "Professional Service" award each year.
Professional Service Award Nomination Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsyu7wVSSU5GvnOBeYaces9Qehcf557NxbQzLtLTinQWbV4A/viewform?usp=header
2025 William T. Alderson Lifetime Achievement Nomination Package
The William T. Alderson Lifetime Achievement Award is established to recognize retired (still living) museum professionals for a lifetime of service to demonstrate NCMC's respect and admiration for the body of work they accomplished in their career. This award may be presented to one individual each year. In addition to standard award recognitions, Alderson Award winners will receive a special gift.
Lifetime Achievement Award Nomination Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7NJvamfyzrJEAAB3vIezSy5BdVwUne9UueXqsWamvoF0Dhw/viewform?usp=header
2025 Dennis T. Lawson Memorial Award
The Dennis T. Lawson Memorial Award honors deceased members and supporters of the museum profession in North Carolina. The award was created in 1987 in honor of Dennis T. Lawson, director of the High Point Museum and Historical Park, a respected and admired colleague who died suddenly and unexpectedly during the preceding year. This award may be presented in memorial to one individual each year.
Lawson Memorial Award Nomination Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXIqFD36kcWA60lce3LgjlWAHFGdnklzqD1u0vSVn4Kh5Yww/viewform?usp=header
Student Awards
2025 NCMC Student Travel Award
The Student Memorial Award supports students who wish to attend the NCMC Annual Conference. One winner will receive free conference attendance and a free student membership for one year. Up to two additional awards may be given to provide financial support for conference attendance and travel.
Student Travel Award Application Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexidWPslFqxjL39sKKpMqilfu70BzBQvAHzSPmTjRXZ1rhnQ/viewform?usp=header
NCMC Summer Internship Award
NCMC will provide one institution $1,500 to pay an intern for summer 2026. Applicants must be NCMC Institutional Members at the time of application. Requirements: The museum selected to host the summer 2025 intern agrees to publicly advertise the internship position for at least one month, and to hold an open application process. The advertisement must be emailed to the Student Affairs Chair so that it can be disseminated and posted on the NCMC website.
Summer Internship Award Application Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScmn6CJAJOgCifeTKenqss0IL864TtUrTMRUMvm6H52fNZ4bg/viewform?usp=header
For more information on our Awards programs, please email our Awards Chair at awards@ncmuseums.org.