This award is presented to an individual in the field of higher education who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to fraternities and sororities. The individual should have demonstrated a commitment to fostering positive change on college campuses through the advisement of the fraternity/sorority community, building partnerships in higher education and the interfraternal community, had positive and lasting impact on both campuses of employment and the profession of fraternity/sorority advising, and mentoring new and seasoned professionals. Strong candidates for this award have 15+ years of professional experience.

This award was created in 1985 and re-named for AFA’s second Executive Director, Sue Kraft Fussell, in 2006. The purpose of the award is to recognize individuals who have exhibited outstanding achievements in one or more of the following areas: service to the fraternity/sorority industry; AFA; programming and/or service which reaches beyond the recipient’s campus/organization and scope of role; development and research activities; and/or service to the college and fraternity/sorority communities. Sue Kraft Fussell Distinguished Service Awards will be presented to no more than five members of the Association each year. Strong candidates for this award have 10+ years of professional experience.

This award was established in 1990 and re-named for AFA’s first Executive Director, Gayle Webb, upon her retirement in 1999. The purpose is to annually recognize outstanding contributions to the field of fraternity/sorority advising by one AFA member who is a campus-based professional and one AFA member who is an inter/national organization staff member during the individual’s first three years of Association membership (not inclusive of time as a graduate student or inter/national organization consultant). Nominees will be judged on achievements in their professional experience and impact at either a college/university or as part of an inter/national organization staff, contributions to the field of fraternity and sorority advising broadly including Association service, and outstanding projects/program/initiatives implemented during their professional experience. Two awards may be given each year, one to a campus-based professional, and one to a headquarters professional.

This award was established in 2003 and re-named for Shelley Sutherland upon her retirement in 2011. The purpose is to annually recognize outstanding volunteer service by an Association member in an official AFA volunteer role. The individual has devoted consistent and impactful contributions to Association initiatives or efforts through their volunteer role, no matter the length of time they have been a volunteer. They are consistent and reliable, communicative, and committed to the values and mission of the Association as demonstrated through their service. A panel of previous Sutherland award winners selects the recipients each year.

This award, established in 2019, recognizes an AFA Foundation volunteer that has gone above and beyond to advance the mission of the AFA Foundation and encourage others to do the same. It may be given to multiple volunteers, regardless of years of service or the nature of the role.