University of North Texas

UNT faculty and staff members can nominate students who show extraordinary creativity for the 2016 Sherman/Barsanti Inspiration Awards, made possible by a $350,000 gift from donors Bob and Bette Sherman.

The awards are open to any full-time UNT student with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, regardless of their field of study. Any original student project, application, invention, musical or literary composition, or artwork in any media may be nominated.

Nominations, which must include a completed nomination form and essay as well as a sample of the student’s work, must be received by 5 p.m. Jan. 31, 2016. Student nominees will be notified via email and will then have an additional two weeks to fine-tune their submissions, with final projects due by 5 p.m. Feb. 15.

• Nominate a student online.

A panel of judges, including UNT President Neal Smatresk, will review all the submissions and narrow them down to a group of semifinalists. These students will then present their projects in person to the judges. Winners will be announced at an awards program in April. First prize is $10,000, second prize is $3,000, and third prize is $1,000.

The awards are named to honor the Shermans, longtime UNT supporters, and Bette Sherman’s late father, Maj. Gen. Olinto Mark Barsanti, whose historic military artifacts are part of the UNT Libraries archive.

“Students need to be encouraged to think outside the box,” Bob Sherman says. “Great ideas emerge when we give them freedom to explore and create. This award is designed to honor the pioneers of every discipline who are willing to take the kind of risks that lead to discovery and transformation.”

Only UNT faculty members and staff can nominate students for their work. Students cannot nominate themselves or others, but they may ask their advisors to nominate them.

• Learn more about the criteria and eligibility for the Sherman/Barsanti Inspiration Awards.
• Learn more about how philanthropic support is transforming UNT or to make a gift.

—Leslie Minton, News Promotions