We're excited to congratulate the following nominees for the 2024 KSU Staff Awards! Their dedication and remarkable contributions have made a lasting impact on our university community, embodying the excellence and commitment to service that defines Kennesaw State University. Let's applaud these remarkable individuals and wish them luck in the selection process!
Innovation
Positive Impact
Ellen Lehtinen
Hayley Anderson
Jayne Kier
Jeremy Walts
Kellie Johnson
Lauren Cerny
Lawrence Gettemy
Mary Hiatt
Melinda Ross
Melissa Lappe
William Hargrove
Yvonne Perrino
Outstanding Leadership
Alejandro Cambron
Brichaya Shah
Greg Stacy
Krysta Fry
Leigh Ann Oder
Lexie Baker
Meghan Stoltzfus
Natasha Talreja
Steven Fuller
Susanne Rothery
Trudi Vaughan
Xiaoxiao Ji
Student Success
Audra Boyd
Blake Williams
Brandon Bedford
Brian Garsh
Hannah Stocks
Janessa Perez
Michael Tsukamoto
Sobia Mufti
Outstanding Owl
Anne Marie Thomas
Barbara Hair
Brant "Wes" Daggerhart
Caitlin Summer
Cammie Conn
Cindy Schmelzer
Danielle Avery
Danyelle Denham
David Bennet
Erin Steinmetz
Kaitlyn Nestor
Lindsey Jefferson
Lynn Kunkel
Marie Manuel
Milya Maxfield
Nate Mann
Opal Ojeda
Raquel Britt
Rhonda Nemeth
Ron Sullivan
Shawanda Daniel
Stephanie Carlson
Tina Russell
Todd Carper
Complete and submit the below nomination form by Friday, March 15, 2024. Please note: At the time of submission you must upload a minimum of two letters of support from others who can also speak to the merit of the nomination. The financial incentives for the Staff Awards range from $4000 to $7000.
Please be sure to include the nominee’s name as well as the name of the particular award it is supporting. Additional supporters may be supervisors, colleagues, internal or external customers, outside vendors, or any other KSU community member who can speak to the merit of your nomination. Please share the award criteria with your fellow supporters as they should use these elements to:
Positive Impact/Service to the Community
KSU Value: Delivering a difference – impacting individuals and communities for positive change.
Staff member that engages in activities that help and positively impact others internal and external to the KSU Community.
Describe how the individual has exhibited the specific behavior and how the efforts and approaches impacted others and brought positive impact or recognition to KSU.
This award will be presented to a staff member or an academic professional (acting in an academic support role) who:
Nomination Requirements:
Awardee: Individual nomination
Service Requirements: A minimum of one (1) year KSU service
Nominate a staff member now!Outstanding Owl Award
This award recognizes individuals who, in their time at Kennesaw State University
have contributed to the mission and goals of the university, as well as exemplified
its values. Their hard work and dedication have positively impacted the university
and they are put forth as positive role models to the campus community.
This award will be presented to a staff member or academic professional (acting in an academic support role) who:
Nomination Requirements:
Awardee: Individual nomination
Service Requirements:
OR
Excellence in Innovation Award
KSU Value: Innovation - We translate meaningful insights or vision into creative outcomes to enhance and advance the KSU Brand.
The Excellence in Innovation Award recognizes a KSU staff member who is committed to the belief that there is always room to rise higher and successfully navigate an initiative to take on the next challenge by addressing “what’s next.” This Award focuses on a staff member who has either shown innovation by creating a new process, procedure, or system, or taken initiative to implement lasting improvements to an existing process, procedure, or system when faced with a challenge in their area of service.
The KSU staff member selected will regularly exhibit the following characteristics:
Nomination Requirements:
Awardee: Individual nomination
Service Requirement: A minimum of two (2) years of KSU service for an individual award
Nominate a staff member now!Outstanding Leadership Award
KSU’s Outstanding Leadership Award will be given to a staff member who exemplifies the qualities most effective in moving their unit forward. This involves demonstration of collaboration, competition, creativity and control, while fostering appropriate balance of these opposing values.
This leader will champion the importance of developing others, cultivating innovation, examining outcomes, and producing results. Nominations for this award should reflect the candidate’s understanding of the difference between leading and managing as well as their desire to guide a high-performing team.
Measurable Qualities of an Outstanding Leader will include, but are not limited to:
Nomination Requirements:
Completed nomination form (providing details that highlight the behaviors and/or project
details)
A minimum of 2 letters of support (providing specific activities and/or behaviors
that support the nomination)
Awardee: Individual nomination
Service Requirements: A minimum of two (2) years of KSU service
Nominate a staff member now!Student Success Impact Award
The Student Success Impact award recognizes KSU staff members who have made significant contributions to the development of KSU’s student population. Ideal candidates are those who contribute to the personal, professional, or academic development of a student or group of students above and beyond the expectation of their position. Nominators should provide specific examples and evidence of meeting the award criteria.
Criteria
Nomination Requirements:
Completed nomination form (providing details that highlight the behaviors and/or project
details)
A minimum of 2 letters of support (providing specific activities and/or behaviors
that support the nomination)
Awardee: individual nomination
Service Requirement: A minimum of two (2) years of KSU service
Nominate a staff member now!Exceptional Customer Service Award
Michael Redd – Exceptional Customer Service Award ($2,500)
Michael is truly an unsung hero at KSU, having faithfully served this University for well over 20 years. He is the “go to” person that is always willing to take the time to help. He probably has no idea just how many people he has helped through the years. He would say, “I am just doing a job that I love.” Each one of us, though, who have worked with him, appreciate his caring, funny, and dedicated spirit.
Michael demonstrates exceptional willingness to manage changes in work priorities to ultimately provide better service to his customers. He is truly dedicated to the KSU students and is a valued employee with a strong commitment to customer service.
Donys Callado – Exceptional Customer Service Award ($2500)
Donys always has a positive and lightweight attitude, and she is always able to help quickly and with as little stress as possible. She consistently and substantially demonstrates an ability and willingness to work positively, respectfully, and effectively with others. She often goes beyond the scope of her job. For example, she increased customer satisfaction in distance learning for faculty across KSU by preserving videos and faculty created content from a legacy campus system.
Donys is willing to take on additional responsibilities, and she is eager to learn new things that allow her to further her customer service capabilities. Nevertheless, perhaps the single most noteworthy trait is Donys’ innate ability to anticipate the needs of the department and to take action before anything is ever asked of her. She truly deserves this award.
Students' Appreciation Award
Diedre Brown - Students’ Appreciation Award ($1500)
One of Diedre’s student nominators state, “Deidre demonstrates an ability to be positive and work respectfully and effectively with others. Through her leadership, I have great customer service skills and I am growing in my ability to use these skills and apply them to my schoolwork. Anyone who knows Diedre never has anything negative to say. She simply has a positive spirit and demeanor.”
Another nominator notes, “Deidre has become like a mentor to me, always giving me positive feedback and helping with difficult life situations.” Another states that “because Diedre took a chance on me and afforded me the opportunity to work on campus, I have experienced all the campus activities and blossomed as a student. I have Diedre to thank for that”.
Outstanding Supervisor Award
Stephanee Stephens – Outstanding Supervisor Award Nomination ($2000)
One of Stephanee’s great attributes is that she somehow manages to make a team of over 60 people feel like family. She does this by encouraging and fostering community and teamwork. Even though most of our unit is spread out, we never feel isolated or alone because Stephanee encourages us to remain connected via face-to-face and online events. Every month we have a team retreat and weekly meetings. These meetings often include “shout outs” where Stephanee publicly acknowledges those folks who go above and beyond. She encourages us to be self-sufficient but to also help each other.
Distinguished Staff Award
Nicole Densmore – Distinguished Staff Award ($5000)
Nicole is described as “a driving force in many ways at Kennesaw State University including capacity building, activism, fundraising, and morale building.” She shows uncompromising dedication to our students, staff, and faculty, by maintaining a positive attitude, serving as an adroit listener and shoulder when needed, and maintaining the utmost confidentiality, professionalism, and sensitivity when dealing with difficult circumstances and issues.
Nicole provides unwavering support of and advocacy for our students in the Ph.D. program. She is incredibly efficient and very approachable, which is of particular importance to international PhD students who might not be aware of 'how things are done' in the US. She regularly goes above and beyond in helping with everything from paperwork to gathering program swag for trips abroad, to making the front office a welcoming environment.
Exceptional Customer Service Award
Lindsey Seipel – Exceptional Customer Service Award ($2,500)
Lindsey has been a consummate professional. She inspires confidence and has clearly gone the extra mile (she has undoubtedly done significant night and weekend work) in making sure these transitions are efficient and transparent. Even though she is working on a number of university-wide projects that undoubtedly are consuming a great deal of her time, but she never makes her customers feel that less than her #1 priority. She supports her departments in a way that makes them truly understand what it means to have an HR partner.
Lisa Kessler – Exceptional Customer Service Award ($2500)
Lisa’s commitment for our University and heart felt dedication, is regularly displayed as she goes above and beyond, accepting phone calls, text messages, and e-mails after hours and on weekends to ensure all employees receive their hard-earned paychecks. Along with the above dedicated service, Lisa does all of this with a smile, even if we know she must be exhausted from the hours she has put in each week. Lisa not only has a remarkable work ethic, but she is a joy to be around. She takes time to encourage others. She assures those around every effort will be made to correct any issues that arise and, best of all, she makes sure to follow through until the action is completed. Whatever Lisa tells you she will do, she does.
Students' Appreciation Award
Marcela Cadavid - Students’ Appreciation Award ($1500)
Marcela’s passion for creating a program that provides support for Latino students at KSU is an inspiration. She pours all of her heart and soul into what she does to honor and give appreciation back to the students she loves so genuinely. Her drive for creating a space for Latinos to flourish, grow as a community, and feel safe and supported gives hope and inspires others to continue giving back to my community.
Outstanding Team Award
Project Management Office – Outstanding Team Award (shared $5000)
Successful projects are a result of project managers developing and nurturing high-functioning teams for the duration of the project. This mix of tangible and intangible skills and responsibilities are critical to the overall success. The Project Management Team is a group that is easy to work with, diligent in their responsibilities, and effective when working with multiple individuals with competing priorities. No matter the size of the project, their collective ability to understand and articulate their customers’ needs is without equal.
Outstanding Supervisor Award
Maureen Patton – Outstanding Supervisor Award Nomination ($2000)
Maureen encourages her team to share ideas, believes that success is derived from teamwork, connects with employees on a personal level because she truly cares, and is a believer in activities that encourage working together as a team and critical thinking. Maureen is always the first to arrive and the last to leave. She is highly responsible and holds herself accountable for providing feedback and guidance to help everyone in her department succeed. Maureen is fair but firm, leads by example, is compassionate but unyielding and above all else, the glue that holds our department together.
Outstanding Administrator Award
Iyonka Strawn-Valcy - Outstanding Administrator Award Nomination ($2000)
Iyonka is an amazing leader and a true "team player." She works collegially and collaboratively with dozens of other offices and campus leaders to find creative solutions for that help all of us be more impactful in our work. She has a deserved reputation for integrity and excellence and has helped KSU lead forward in the quality, consistency and compliance of its international programs. Iyonka is able to consistently exceed expectations in an ever-changing environment, one that easily overwhelms even the most experienced leaders. This is often done while delicately balancing requests from passionate faculty members and enthusiastic students.
Distinguished Staff Award
David Tatu – Distinguished Staff Award ($5000)
Not only is David Tatu is one of the most respected staff leaders in the College of the Arts, his respect within the industry has built many positive relationships outside the University. These valuable contacts have helped him create numerous internships and professional opportunities for our students in prestigious professional dance companies. David's students are sought after by professional companies immediately upon graduation! Not surprisingly, David has been recognized in graduate surveys every year since his arrival as "Making a difference in the life of a graduate."