Company-Hosted Awards

The Cognella Innovation in Teaching Awards for Family Science is an annual award that recognizes outstanding instructors in the Family Science who introduce cutting-edge teaching practices to their courses to better engage students and advance scholarship in the discipline. We’re proud to partner with the National Council on Family Relations to present this award each year.

Submissions for the 2026 Innovation in Teaching Awards for Family Science are now closed. We look forward to awarding deserving instructors this fall at the Annual NCFR Conference!

The Cognella Cares Student Scholarship Program awards students with academic scholarships for writing personal essays on timely and relevant topics, including college life, politics, social justice issues, and more. The program was designed to provide students with a platform to share their unique thoughts, experiences, and ideas for change. We’re proud to highlight the innovative voices of tomorrow and to recognize students for their creativity, vulnerability, and thought leadership.

We’re thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Cognella Cares Student Scholarship Program – Danita Barigye of Syracuse University, Diyora Zokirjon qizi Daminova of the University of Colorado Boulder, and Christina Jones of Ferris State University. Read their award-winning essays on the student scholarship award page!

In partnership with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award recognizes recently tenured faculty members in the criminology/criminal justice discipline who show a strong commitment to teaching, scholarship, and mentoring—individuals who model innovation, inspire students, and shape the future of the field.

We’re delighted to announce the 2026 recipient of the award, Sara Z. Evans. Visit the award page to read her winner profile!