Dale Rice Award for Academic Innovation in AS-L and Community Engagement This prestigious award is designed to recognize a Faculty or Staff member who has created and implemented the most innovative and rich work being done in Academic Service-Learning and Community Engagement on EMU’s campus. This exemplary work can be in AS-L classes, projects, community connections, trips, presentations, partnerships, etc. This award is in honor of EMU AS-L innovator, Dale Rice. Dale Rice Award for Outstanding AS-L Community Partnership Awards will be presented to both Faculty and Community Partners for their model partnership in Academic Service-Learning. This award is in honor of the founder of EMU’s Office of AS-L, Dale Rice. Engage @ EMU Award (Community & University Collaboration Award) An award given to an individual or an organization dedicated to high levels of collaboration with various areas of the University community. About Dr. Dale RiceAs a professor of special education for over 30 years, Dale Rice has always believed in the importance of community service and engaged his students in such activities long before the concept of service-learning gained national attention. Dr. Rice established the Office of Academic Service-Learning at Eastern Michigan University in September 1994. Dale retired from EMU in 2002 and continued to be a consultant and friend of the Office of Academic Service-Learning until his passing in 2011.