Michigan Botanical Society Awards

Distinguished Service Award

Each year one or two members are presented with the annual Distinguished Service Award.  The presidents of the MBC chapters constitute the selection committee.  The current MBC Vice President is usually the chair of the committee.   Each chapter may make one or two nominations.  Nominees need not be a member of their chapter, but must be a member of the Michigan Botanical Society.  Nominations are confidential and are not to be revealed to the nominees or to others.

Special Recognition Award

The Special Recognition Award was authorized by the MBC Board of Directors in 2016. It recognizes persons who have made important contributions to the appreciation, conservation, or understanding of botany in Michigan or the Great Lakes Region. Recipients of this prestigious award need not be members. Where appropriate, the institution(s) or other employer(s) of the recipient(s) will be notified of the award. The Special Recognition Award is not intended as an annual award.

Isobel Dickinson Memorial Award

This award goes to the best student generated paper for each volume of the Great Lakes Botanist as determined by the IDMA Committee. This award is aimed at college level students, although other qualified students have been sponsored. Membership in the Society is not required.  The award was created in honor long-term MBS member Isobel Dickinson.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award was authorized by the MBC Board of Directors in October 1997 to be awarded only on very special occasions.

Joan Robb Student Foray Award

Each year, on an ongoing basis, The Michigan Botanical Foundation (MBF) subsidizes the “Michigan Botanical Society Joan Robb Student Foray Award” (“Robb Award”) which provides funding for one (1) student (the “sponsored student”) from each Chapter to attend the Michigan Botanical Society Grand Foray. 

Covered Costs:  The Robb Award covers the registration fee, food, lodging (shared room), and any extra costs associated with specific Foray-sponsored activities for the weekend-long event.  If a sponsored student attends only part of the Foray, the Chapter will reimburse MBF the unused portion of the grant that covered food and housing.  If there was advance notice that a student was not attending the entire Foray, the Chapter should notify MBF so that appropriate adjustments to funding can be made. 

The mechanism of student selection, transportation to and from the Foray, and any other expenses not normally covered by registration to the Foray, are the responsibility of the sponsoring Chapter (and not supported by MBF). Further, it is expected that if there is a discounted registration rate for non-sponsored students, it is expected that sponsored students will be registered at that discounted rate. 

Any chapter wishing to sponsor two students to the MBS Grand Foray is expected to cover all costs of the second student through their own resources.  However, if a chapter wishes to sponsor three or more students, then applications to the MBF will be considered for any additional students beyond the second student.  These grants will be made at the discretion of the Michigan Botanical Foundation.  Chapters should apply for these additional student grants in advance of the Grand Foray.  When an advance is received it will be for the “maximum projected costs” and it must be reconciled after the Foray based on actual covered costs incurred and any over-funding shall be refunded to MBF.

To summarize: First Sponsored Student – paid for by the MBF “Robb Award.”

Second Sponsored Student – Covered 100% by the sponsoring chapter.

Third (or additional) Sponsored Students – Applications to MBF accepted and funded at the discretion of the MBF.

Grand Foray Hosting-Chapter Responsibilities: 

It is the duty of the MBS Grand Foray hosting-chapter to notify the MBF president (see https://michiganbotanicalsociety.org for current president) of the actual cost to sponsor a student to their sponsored Spring Foray.  Notification of the costs associated with specific foray events (such as tree-climbing workshops or canoe rental fees) is also expected as these will be covered if a sponsored student chooses to participate in the event.  Notification to MBF should be concurrent to when the hosting Chapter submits finalized foray costs and registration information to the Arisaema editor for publication.  This is about 3 weeks before the spring issue of Arisaema is received by the MBS membership. 

MBF Payments to Student-sponsoring Chapters 

The Michigan Botanical Foundation will 1) automatically pre-approve a "per student maximum amount" as recommended by the Foray-hosting Chapter for the first sponsored student, and 2) the student-sponsoring Chapters must request a check from MBF.  If the Student-sponsoring chapter would like the funds in advance of the Foray, it will need to request advanced payment and make an accounting to MBF for actual expenses incurred after the Foray.  It is expected that all unused funds will be repaid to the MBF.  Alternatively, a student-sponsoring chapter may request a check from MBF after the Foray for the exact expenses incurred. In either case reimbursement checks are written only to the sponsoring chapter treasury account and not to the sponsored student(s).

If a chapter wishes to sponsor a third student or more, a separate “Request for Funding” application to the MBF is required (See https://michiganbotanicalsociety.org for instructions).  These awards will be made at the discretion of the Michigan Botanical Foundation.  Therefore, it is strongly suggested that these requests be made in advance of the Foray registration for those students.

Honorary Life Membership Award

Life memberships are awarded to members that have provided an outstanding effort for the society.