The Omicron Delta Kappa Leader of the Year program is named in memory of Gen. Russell E. Dougherty, United States Air Force. Gen. Dougherty was one of the Air Force’s best thinkers and planners and served as NATO’s Allied Command Europe headquarters chief of staff, commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command, and executive director of the U.S. Air Force Association.
The National Awards Committee (NAC) will present the Dougherty National Leader of the Year award to the candidate they judge to be the most outstanding leader of all applicants. The recipient will receive a $4,000 award. The NAC will also recognize the top individual in each of the five phases of campus life. These recipients will receive a $1,000 award. All recipients are featured in The Circle magazine.
2020 National Leader of the Year Recipients
Past Recipients – Dougherty National Leader of the Year Award
National Leader of the Year Process
- A circle advisor submits the Circle Leader of the Year nomination form.
- Once the official Circle Leader of the Year nomination is received, the O∆K Headquarters notifies the nominee that they are eligible to apply for the National Leader of the Year Award. The application includes a series of essays, two letters of recommendation, an unofficial transcript, and a resume.
- The National Leader of the Year application will open on December 1, 2020.
- The deadline for all National Leader of the Year application materials is 11:59 p.m. (Eastern), March 1, 2021.
- The National Awards Committee will review all applications and make the final selections.
- The six national finalists will be notified that they will receive an award. They are not informed of which award.
- All awards will be presented at the National Awards Program (TBA)
Please contact Timothy Reed ([email protected]) if you have questions.
