University of Nevada, Reno Honors Convocation and Honor the Best Ceremony Records

The University's first Honors Convocation was held on May 12, 1966, giving recognition to Honor Roll students, students inducted into academic honor societies, scholarship recipients, and students awarded other academic achievement prizes. Through the years, honor societies have included: Alpha Epsilon Delta, Alpha Mu Gamma, Alpha Omega Alpha, Alpha Phi Sigma, Alpha Psi Omega, Alpha Zeta, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Cap and Scroll, Delta Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Pi, Delta Sigma Rho - Tau Kappa Alpha, Eta Kappa Nu, Gamma Sigma Delta, Golden Key National Honor Society, Kappa Kappa Psi, Kappa Omicron Phi, Kappa Tau Alpha, Nursing Honorary Society, Omicron Delta Epsilon, Omicron Epsilon Delta, Phi Alpha, Phi Alpha Theta, Phi Beta Delta, Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Epsilon Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Upsilon Omicron, Pi Delta Phi, Pi Mu Epsilon, Pi Sigma, Pi Sigma Alpha, Psi Chi, Public Relations Student Society of America, Residence Hall Honor Society, Semper Fidelis Society, Sigma Delta Chi, Sigma Delta Pi, Sigma Pi Sigma, Sigma Sigma Kappa, Sigma Tau, Student Ambassadors, Tau Beta Pi, and Tau Beta Sigma. In 1971, the scope of the ceremony expanded to include the Thornton Peace Award, for which non-students are eligible.

The name of the ceremony became the Annual Honors and Awards Convocation in 1973. The first Outstanding Teacher (faculty) award was included in the 1974 ceremony, honoring Professor F. Donald Tibbitts. This became the Distinguished Teacher Award in 1987. The Research Recognition Award for faculty was first included in 1975, becoming the outstanding Researcher of the Year Award in 1983. The first Classified Employee of the Year Award was included in the ceremony in 1986. The first Distinguished Faculty Award was included in the 1991 ceremony. In the early 1990s, the name became "Honor the Best," with the ceremony expanding to include recognition for emeritus faculty and Foundation Professors.