Skip Navigation

OU Standard Award

A group photo of Standard Award recipients holding their certificates.

OU Standard Award


This award recognizes OU students who go above and beyond in the area of volunteerism. This award is in connection with the Oklahoma Standard, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum campaign, committed to promoting these three acts – service, honor, and kindness.

OU Standard Award Logo.

Please submit your service hours and your application for consideration no later than the Friday before dead week of the semester you are graduating to be considered for the award.

Submit your hours

Submit your application

Find detailed instructions below.

An OU student standing next to an OU light post banner with a green cord representing their Standard Award achievements.

The OU Standard Award recognizes OU Students who go above and beyond in the area of volunteerism. 

This award is in connection with the Oklahoma Standard, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum campaign, committed to promoting the following three acts: 

SERVICE means giving your time to someone in need. 

HONOR the victims and survivors of the 1995 bombing. 

No act of KINDNESS, no matter how small, is ever wasted. 

Students completing the designated number of volunteer hours will be honored with a graduation cord as a symbol for the impact they have made on the community. 

Green - a green cord will be awarded for those completing a total of 350 hours before they graduate or 100 hours within one year. 

Blue - a blue cord will be awarded for those completing a total of 450 hours before they graduate or 150 hours within one year. 

As an OU student, staff, or faculty, we encourage you to track your service hours, especially for future scholarships, awards, internships, and job applications.

OU values and encourages others to give back to the community. Acts of service done freely outside of academic requirements or work count towards The OU Standard Award.

Please submit your service hours and your application for consideration no later than the Friday before dead week of the semester you are graduating to be considered for the award.

  • Submit your hours by recording them on the OU GivePulse Platform.
    • You must describe your service in detail. Read the "FAQs" below for more information on what activities count toward your service hours. 
    • Your hours must be verified by the organization you volunteered with for each logged service activity 
    • Ensure that your service hours meet the university's service hour guidelines
  • Visit our GivePulse help page for troubleshooting and common platform FAQs. 
  • Once all service hours have been logged, described, and verified, submit your application for consideration for the award. 

Q: What if I am a student on the Health Campus?

A: The OU Standard Award is also recognized at the Health Campus. Students at the Health Campus log their hours through the GivePulse platform. Logging hours serves as the opt-in for the program on the Health Campus, so they do not need to apply for the award. Each semester, we pull the logs and filter the information by graduating students. Students who are eligible are then contacted about the award! The required number of hours varies, so for detailed information, please visit the OUHC Standard Award page. For HC, log volunteer hours.

Q: What counts as volunteer hours?

A: OU values and encourages others to give back to the community. Acts of service done freely outside of academic requirements or work count towards The OU Standard Award. Eligible service and more guidelines on what is and is not counted as service can be found by reviewing the university's service hour guidelines

Q: When will I be notified if my eligiblility for the award is approved? 

A: Award applicants will be notified if their eligibility for the award is approved by the Monday of finals week in the semester you submit your application. At this time, cord pick up instructions will be provided to those deemed elgible for the award. 

Any other questions? Please contact Leadership & Volunteerism.