Student Handbook:

Walden Awards and Honoraria

Students who present papers or posters at conferences or publish papers journals based upon their doctoral capstone research at Walden are eligible for a $300 honorarium. Students are eligible to receive the honorarium only once per academic year (September 1–August 31).

The criteria for awarding research publication and presentation honoraria are:

• The publication/presentation must be based upon research conducted by the student.
• The research must have been published in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at local/national/international conference that was referred or peer-reviewed.
• Walden must be the only academic institutional affiliation for the student listed in the publication or presentation.
• The student must personally make the presentation or appear as the author on the publication.

The procedures for applying for an honorarium are as follows:

Publications

1. Once the article has been published (in circulation and available to the public), students should email their request for a student honorarium for a research publication to the academic support team for your college.
2. Include the full name, address, and Walden student ID number.
3. Provide the APA-style citation for the article.
4. Provide the link to the article at the journal website. If the article was not published online, or information about the publication is not available online, please provide a copy of the publication abstract.
5. Provide evidence that affiliation with Walden appears on the publication via the website link to the title page or the “about the author” page of the publication. If the article was not published online, or information about the publication is not available online, please provide a copy of the title page or the “about the author” page of the publication.
6. Complete and submit an Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. The form may be obtained from the academic unit’s administrative assistant.
7. Once this information has been received, the college dean will review the honorarium request. Upon approval from the dean, the college administrative support team will process the payment.

Presentations

1. After the presentation has been given, students should email their request for a student honorarium for a research presentation to the academic support team for their college.
2. Include the full name, address, and Walden student ID number.
3. Provide the APA-style citation for the presentation.
4. Include the name, date, and location of the conference at which the presentation was given.
5. Provide the link to the abstract for the presentation on the conference website. If the abstract is not available online, please provide a copy of the presentation abstract.
6. Provide evidence that affiliation with Walden is associated with the presentation via the website link to the conference program, which lists the student’s Walden affiliation. If the conference program was not published online, please provide a copy of the page(s) of the conference program that lists the Walden affiliation.
7. Complete and submit an Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. The form may be obtained from the academic unit’s administrative assistant.
8. Once this information has been received, the college dean will review the honorarium request. Upon approval from the dean, the college administrative support team will process the payment.

Honor Roll for Undergraduates    

An Honor’s List for undergraduates will be calculated and generated twice a year to coincide with the end of two consecutive terms: the combination of winter/spring quarters and summer/fall quarters. Matriculated undergraduate students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher in each quarter will be recognized as follows:

• Honor’s list: 3.75–4.00

A minimum of 10 GPA quarter credits must be taken at Walden in each of the two consecutive quarters.

Undergraduate Honor Society

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to join Walden’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, a national honor society for adult learners. Honor society invitations are extended to eligible students twice a year. Students are not required to join. Once students have opted in to the chapter, no further academic reviews are required to maintain their membership.

To qualify for an invitation, undergraduate students must meet the following requirements:

• A minimum of 45 institutional quarter credits earned at Walden
• Active enrollment during the most recent past two quarters
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75

Undergraduate Latin Honors

Latin Honors are awarded to graduating seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher:

• Cum laude: 3.500–3.749
• Magna cum laude: 3.750–3.899
• Summa cum laude: 3.900 and above

The Latin Honors type will appear on a student’s Walden transcripts and in the commencement program. Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours at Walden University to qualify.

Note: GPAs are not subject to rounding and must be exact.

Presidential Commendation for Undergraduate Academic Achievement

Walden University recognizes the significant accomplishment of undergraduate students who achieve a perfect cumulative grade point average in their undergraduate work. Students with a perfect (4.0) GPA at the time of graduation will receive a Presidential Commendation for Academic Achievement. Recipients will wear a presidential medallion throughout the graduation ceremony and will be recognized in the commencement program.

Nominations for Honorary Degrees

Any Walden faculty, staff, student, or alumni can make recommendations for an honorary doctorate to the Office of the President, but only the University President can submit a nomination to the board. The nominator may submit a letter of recommendation to the Office of the President with or without additional supporting materials. The university president submits a letter of recommendation to the Walden Board outlining the background and accomplishments of the proposed recipient of the honorary doctorate. Nominations may be made to the board at any time. The Walden Board will then approve the recommendation at a board meeting or by electronic vote between meetings.

Guidelines for Using Honorary Degrees

Honorary doctorates are listed as an honor or award on the résumé or CV, rather than part of education with earned academic degrees. Thus, the honorary degree should come after one’s name on the résumé or CV, for example, Paula Singer, LHD (Honorary). Holders of honorary degrees do not sign documents to external recipients with “Dr.” By convention, recipients of honorary doctorates do not use the title “Dr.” in general correspondence, although in formal correspondence from the university issuing the honorary degree, it is normal to address the recipient by the title.

More detailed information about these awards is provided on the Walden Awards page. For more information, please send an email to awards@mail.waldenu.edu.