The Ron Maxwell Leadership Award is given to a professional in the organization who has contributed with distinction to undergraduate student development through promoting collaborative learning among peer tutors in writing.

Such leadership may be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including but not limited to:

    * the individual's record in bringing peer tutors to present at the Conference

    * service to the organization through hosting the Conference, serving as program chair, leading in the search for future sites, etc.

    * aiding students in the assumption of increasing responsibility for their learning

    * fostering leadership skills among peer tutors

    * showing evidence of leadership in collaborative learning on one's home campus

    * developing innovative peer tutoring programs in the home community

    * in general, welcoming and meeting new challenges in leading a center guided by a collaborative learning philosophy

A small awards committee consisting of several recent hosts of the Conference, Jon Olson and Ron Maxwell, solicits nominations, reviews the candidates, and chooses an annual recipient. The Penn State Center for Excellence in Writing, directed by Jon Olson,  serves as administrator of the award. Annual expenses of the award--a plaque and a modest cash prize for the recipient--are covered by Ron and Mary Maxwell through the endowment.

The recipient of the 2007 Maxwell Leadership award is Susan M. Dinitz of the University of Vermont.