UTLB Swing-Out Awards

Download the Swing Out Awards application.

History

The Swing Out tradition began in 1922 as a ceremony to honor outstanding women students on campus and to pass on UT traditions from one generation to the next. Cap and Gown, a senior women's organization, originally sponsored the Swing Out Awards, which became an annual tradition as part of the University Senior Week. The ceremony was extended to honor men's and coed organizations in 1955. The 1958 Daily Texan editor wrote that "Swing Out, one of the University's finest traditional events... a ceremony for recognition of student leadership, and, more important, a symbol of the transferring or that leadership from the old order to the new order." Unfortunately, the Awards fell victim to the rebellions of the 1960's, and were discontinued in 1963.

In 1989, the University of Texas Leadership Board revitalized the tradition, broadening the scope of the Swing Out Awards to include all student organizations on campus. They continue today to honor outstanding student organizations, and the students that drive them, for their commitment, leadership and excellence at the University of Texas.

Categories

Each organization must apply for one of the 9 primary categories: Academic/Departmental, Cultural, Political/Activist, Professional, Recreational, Artistic, Service, Social, and Spirit. (The categories are unrelated to the SALD classifications.) In addition, there are 3 Special Categories: Best New, Most Improved, and Most Outstanding.

Organizations may choose what category to apply under. They must apply for only one primary category and may apply for any or all of the 3 special categories. The category an organization applies for should reflect the strengths and accomplishments members feel their organization has demonstrated in that year. Referring to the separate category questions in the application may help determine how to best present an organization.

Choosing the Swing Out winners

UT Leadership Board considers how organizations use the resources available to them. We consider such aspects as the dedication of an organizations membership, the scope and success of the events and activities an organization participates in, how the organization enriches the experiences of its members and others, and how organizations go beyond the scope of their normal activities and categories. Through an application and interview process, the UTLB familiarizes itself with student organization activities to select Swing Out Award winners.

Each member of UTLB signs a pledge to remain objective and ethical throughout the Swing Out process. UTLB members represent a diverse splice of campus involvement. However, if organizations they are involved in or feel connected to apply for Swing Out Awards, UTLB members agree not to collaborate on, answer questions about, or consider applications for their own organizations or any other organizations applying under the same category. Members take no part in judging or interviewing organizations they are associated with. The Swing Out process is also not discussed with anyone outside of the Board.

2008 Swing Out Winners

All categories receive $300
Most Outstanding receives $1000

More About Swing Out Awards

The University of Texas Leadership Board hosts and presents the annual Swing Out Awards each spring to recognize outstanding registered student organizations. Because all registered student organizations are welcome to apply, a Swing Out award is one of the highest honors an organization can receive at UT Austin. The awards are given in nine organizational categories: Cultural, Spirit, Departmental/Academic, Political/Activist, Professional, Recreational, Service, Social and the newly added Artistic category.

Awards are also given in three special categories: Best New Organization, Most Improved, and Most Outstanding on campus.

All registered student organizations at The University of Texas at Austin in good standing with Student Activities and Leadership Development (SALD) are eligible to apply. Each student organization has the option of placing itself into the category it feels best represents the strengths of the organization, regardless of the type of organization it is registered as with SALD. For example, a group registered as "Spirit" may apply in the "Service" category for the purpose of the Swing Out Awards.

An organization can only apply in one of the eight organizational categories, but may also apply for all three special categories. These special categories are Best New Organization, Most Improved, and Most Outstanding. There are separate applications for each organizational category and additional questions for each of the special awards. If you are uncertain about the category, you may wish to look closely at the questions that are specific to each category. When reviewing your application, the University of Texas Leadership Board will only consider those activities that your organization participated in that fulfill the organization's mission statement and the scope of the category.

UTLB supports the concept of "doing what you can with what you have." Thus, organizations with small memberships and few financial resources will not be penalized when compared to larger organizations with more financial resources in the same category.

For the purpose of the Swing Out Awards, a new organization is defined as an organization that initially registered with SALD within the previous four long semesters.

The past winners of Swing Out Awards are prominently displayed plaques in the Student Services Building, near the Student Organization Center (SSB 4.102A).