CSA Mary D. Doering Guardian Honor

The honor will recognize an individual who will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Membership in CSA or having aided an institution that is an institutional member or employs a standard member.
• Long-term efforts in collecting, rescuing, conserving, and/or finding appropriate long-term homes for objects, and facilitating and promoting their proper use
• Making these objects available for research, study, exhibitions, websites, and/or donations to museum collections
• Promoting the importance of studying extant objects for primary research
• Honorees can include collectors, collection managers, conservators, dealers, or others who serve as guardians of these objects

Each nomination for the Mary D. Doering Guardian Honor requires a sponsor, or several people serving as co-sponsors; the nominating sponsor must be a member of the Costume Society of America. To nominate a candidate, sponsors must contact the potential nominee and secure his or her consent to be nominated. Then, by October 15, 2026, sponsors must use this online submission form (available in summer of 2026) to submit an official nomination letter (including a statement from each sponsor if more than one), including:

1. Nominee’s name and contact information

2. Brief overview of how the sponsor knows the nominee, including in what capacity and how long

3. Brief statement of how the nominee meets the specific eligibility criteria, including specific contributions that led to the sponsor’s support of the nominee

4. Brief description of why the nominee deserves the honor, including specific examples of contributions to the field of fashion history and dress studies and long-term efforts in studying and collecting costume

The Costume Society of America Mary D. Doering Guardian Honor Committee Chair verifies the eligibility of each nominee and notifies the sponsor(s). Sponsors of eligible nominees are then responsible for assembling the nominating packet to be submitted by November 15, 2024 via an online form that will be supplied to the sponsors.

Nomination packets must include:

1. The sponsor(s) letter of support, which serves as a cover letter

2. The nominee’s résumé/C.V.

3. A list of the supporters whose letters are included

4. A summary of highlights mentioned in the supporting letters

5. Three (3) letters of support from CSA members, and optional additional letters of support from non-CSA members. These letters, addressed and sent to the sponsor and preferably typed, should include:

6. Brief overview of how the supporter knows the nominee, including in what capacity and how long

7. Brief description of why the nominee deserves the honor, including specific examples of contributions to the field of fashion history and dress studies and long-term efforts in studying and working with collections, conservation

Please see the rubric tab for more information.

Each criterion is rated according to the following scale: 

5 = excellent, 4 = good, 3 = average, 2 = fair, 1 = poor

1. Nominee is a CSA Member or has aided an institution that is an institutional member or employs a standard member
2. Nominee demonstrates competence and integrity in collecting, rescuing, conserving and/or securing long-term homes and archival materials storage for artistic, historic and socially significant objects of dress and appearance
3. Nominee encourages and assists in the research and study of objects and makes them available through exhibitions, websites and/or donations to museum collections
4. Nominee promotes the importance of studying extant objects for primary research
5. Nominee actively contributes to the knowledge and recognition of artistic, historic and socially significant objects of dress and appearance
6. Resume and Letters of Recommendation

The deadline for nominations has been extended to November 1, 2026. The Mary D. Doering Guardian Honor Committee will notify all sponsors and nominees of the outcome of the selection process by mid-January,  2027. Honoree(s) are announced at the CSA National Symposium and presented with a certificate.