The Mike Covell Award is an honor presented at the Big Muddy Film Festival, recognizing an alumnus of Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale whose film showcases passion, engagement, and an original perspective. Mike Covell, for whom the award is named, founded the Big Muddy Film Festival in 1979 after joining SIU in 1975. The festival, one of the nation's oldest university-affiliated film festivals, is known for strong documentaries that highlight social issues.