The NSPE Board of Directors established the Fellow recognition program to honor those licensed members who have demonstrated exemplary service to the profession, the Society, and the community. A complete listing of the NSPE Fellows is available.

Involvement in NSPE must include holding at least one office at the chapter, state, or national level and must also include service at the national level of NSPE in order for candidates to be considered. It is desirable that candidates exhibit continuing effort over years in NSPE involvement, professional activities, and community involvement.

Nominations must be submitted to the NSPE Council of Fellows Executive Committee through a state society of NSPE, or through a member of the NSPE Board of Directors with NSPE Board endorsement.

Each state society is allowed to make one nomination for each 1,000 voting members on its rolls rounded to the next higher number of nominations. Each state is allowed at least one nomination per year. State societies are allowed to submit more nominations in any one year than the single year limit, provided that the total number of nominations does not exceed the sum of the yearly limit for the current year plus any unused nominations from the previous year. Nominations have a life of one year. Persons not selected for Fellow status in a particular year may be re-nominated in subsequent years. Each subsequent nomination will count as a new nomination.

State society nominations must be accompanied by at least three (3), and no more than four (4), letters of recommendation from NSPE members familiar with the candidate's qualifications.

Each letter of recommendation shall not exceed one (1) page in length. One of the letters of recommendation must be from the candidate's state society stating that the recommendation has been approved by the state society's board of directors. In addition, one of the letters of recommendation must be from a current NSPE Fellow.

Candidates may not submit a letter of recommendation on their own behalf.

Complete nomination packets shall not exceed 14 pages in length, including the letters of recommendation. 

New for 2007–08: Nine (9) copies of the nomination packet must be submitted to NSPE headquarters.

The deadline for receipt of a candidate's complete nomination packet at NSPE headquarters is February 1. Any nomination packets received after the deadline will be returned to the state society. Incomplete packets will not be sent to the NSPE Council of Fellows Executive Committee for review. There will be no exceptions to the deadline requirement.

State society submission deadlines vary; check with your state society for specific dates.

The NSPE Board of Directors votes final approval of those candidates recommended for Fellow status by the NSPE Council of Fellows Executive Committee.

State Societies are to submit nominations to:

NSPE Fellow Nomination
ATTN: Nancy Oswald
1420 King Street
Alexandria , VA 22314

Download a nomination form (Microsoft Word document)

Notes on Completing the Fellow Membership Grade Nomination Form

1. The key to providing a successful application is for the submitting state to take ownership and "add value" in presenting the accomplishments of the candidate. Merely listing activities without showing the significance of the accomplishments may leave the Council of Fellows Executive Committee with insufficient information for a positive response.
2. Fellows must show prominent accomplishment in all three of the criteria established by the Board: the engineering profession, the Society, and the community. A lack in one or another area can lessen a candidates chance.
3. Since Fellow status may be recognition of more than NSPE activities, consideration of national engineering accomplishment and activity are important (i.e., either with NSPE or with other engineering societies).
4. While not absolutely necessary, it is desirable that candidates have achievements in all six (6) areas identified in the nomination form.
5. Remember that the Council of Fellows Executive Committee does not generally know the candidate. The Committee can judge the candidate only by the strength and completeness of the application.