CHASS Staff Awards 2013

The college held its annual Awards of Excellence luncheon on April 29, 2013, to recognize and honor CHASS staff, whose efforts, competence, and enthusiasm keep the college humming. Nominations for the Awards for Excellence are based on achievement in outstanding service, innovation, public service, safety, heroism, and human relations. This year’s CHASS nominees demonstrate commitment to service, quality of work, and dedication to excellence.

CHASS IT staff member Carrie Bekerman received the CHASS SPA award for excellence. Carrie is a web and applications developer. Since she joined the college in 2009, she has exemplified outstanding service and innovation. She addresses challenges of all shapes and sizes that are thrown her way, often in extremely short timeframes. Invariably, the requirements around her projects have constantly evolving requirements, and Carrie has often had to create full systems from scratch that enable the college to streamline processes. While on-the-fly changes would fluster many competent programmers, Carrie adapts and implements revisions in quick fashion and with an amazingly calm and professional demeanor.  Those who have had the privilege to work with her say Carrie consistently goes above and beyond to meet all system requirements and to anticipate other needs before they arise. She exhibits a “can do” attitude in finding creative solutions and is  diligent in addressing problems that pop up.

Other SPA nominees for the CHASS Award for Excellence were similarly outstanding: Cristina Carrillo, Psychology; Lillie Kirby, School of Public and International Affairs; Melonie St. John, Institute for Nonprofits; LaTonya Tucker, History; and Faye Walker, Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Betty Byrum, Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration, received the CHASS EPA award for excellence. Betty’s has built an outstanding record of innovation in our college and on our campus. Her business innovations have become a model for campus-wide improvements in business services. She has led dramatic restructuring and consolidation of office services, saving the college more than $225,000 in recurring costs and helping us meet state-mandated budget cuts while maintaining (and in some areas, improving) the effectiveness and efficiency of our business services.  She leads by example, encouraging her colleagues to create time- and energy-saving innovations that reduce the time and effort needed to get things done while increasing  accuracy and speed.  Betty is extremely insightful and maintains a calm demeanor as well as an infectious sense of humor that permeates our office culture. She was nominated for her selflessness, leadership, innovation, and exceptional service to the college.

Other well-deserving CHASS 2013 staff nominees for the EPA Awards for Excellence were Christina Hobbs, Psychology, and Marianne Latz, Center for Family and Community Engagement.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners.

Many thanks are due to the program committee (left to right): Julia Matthews-McClain, Jamarian Harris, Crissy Williams-Brown, Missy Seate, Justin Daves, and Ken Peters.