The time when Eastern students are given the opportunity to honor their professors that they feel have gone above and beyond their job description has arrived. The Student’s Distinguished Professor Award banquet will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the 1895 Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Jennifer Prillaman, the student vice president of academic affairs, said she received about 20 applications during the weeks the application was available.

“The Faculty Senate has a ceremony like this, but this one isn’t as rigorous- ours looks at it more from the student’s aspect,” Prillaman said.

Student Senate member Holly Henry, a sophomore political science major, is the chairwoman of the academic affairs committee.

The student government coordinated event will have an assortment of different finger foods and is open to all Eastern students who want to attend.

“We are going to have some refreshments,” Prillaman said. “It will just be light banquet food.”

Prillaman, a junior foreign language major, said she hopes this year will have a better turnout than previous years.

“I attended last years banquet and I want to say about 15 people showed up,” Prillaman said. “I want to have a higher number this year.”

Students that are considering attending the event are asked to dress in business casual attire, Prillaman said.

Craig Eckert, the chairman of sociology and anthropology, was last year’s recipient of the Student’s Distinguished Professor Award. In addition to being the chairman of the sociology and anthropology departments, Eckert was crowned this year’s Homecoming Faculty King and is also the mayor of Philo.

“One thing I try to instill in my students is a sense of involvement: being involved in your company, community, family and doing it to the best of your ability,” Eckert said, according to Jan. 17, 2008 edition of The Daily Eastern News.

During the banquet, nominators will have to read part of their application presenting why they think their professor should win.

“It’s a really good time (for students) to recognize what their professors do,” Henry said.

Elizabeth Edwards can be reached at 581-2812 or ovogunbodede@eiu.edu.