2006 Awards for Excellence

On Friday, April 7, the College celebrated the annual EPA/SPA Awards for Excellence. Each year, we honor CHASS EPA and SPA employees whose efforts, competence, and enthusiasm for their work keep our college functioning and help us achieve our mission.  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 the very best in commitment to service, quality of work, and dedication to excellence.

Our EPA winner is Dr. Karen Young of the Department of Psychology; and our SPA winner is Sara Reese of the Department of Communication. Karen and Sara will represent CHASS at the University-level Awards for Excellence celebration in May.

Congratulations to all of our outstanding nominees:

EPA

Dr. Karen Young, Department of Psychology

Karen joined the Psychology Department in 2004 as its first Coordinator of Advising.

In just one year, Karen reshaped the entire advising operation, and sees to nearly 700 students’ individual advising needs. Karen and three teaching assistants she has trained run the advising program. Karen also teaches the equivalent of four classes and serves as program chairman for a Human Factors and Ergonomic Society technical group.

SPA

Sara Reese, Department of Communication

Sara is the Communication Department’s Program Assistant and Scheduling Officer, a newly created position when Sara started three years ago. Sara carries out her diverse and complex responsibilities with extraordinary efficiency, professionalism, and ease. She handles everything from the logistics involved with the department’s schedules, class sizes and room sizes, to the logistics around faculty searches, and all the paperwork—and sensitivities—involved with hiring and rehiring lecturers.  Her work has enabled the Department of Communication to teach hundreds more students, schedule more sections, and provide more benefits while requesting fewer dollars from the University.

Erik Dahlgren, CHASS IT

Erik serves as a Systems Programmer with CHASS IT. Since December, he has had an additional job as interim managing director of the CHASS Laundry & Harrelson Computing Labs.  He was a contributor for the CHASS web site re-design, as he envisioned, designed, and implemented a dynamic back-end design for the web site that provides valuable information about CHASS web visitors. For the CHASS Computer Labs, Erik has developed a logging system to help measure usage accurately in the labs and in the multimedia classrooms.

Ashley Duncan, Department of Social Work

Ashley is the Processing Assistant for the NC Family-Centered Meetings Project in the Department of Social Work.  As such, Ashley is the primary contact for North Carolina child welfare workers and community partners receiving training in family-centered meetings.  She handles hundreds of registrations from around the state, lines up training sites, and prepares multiple training packages.

Neko Everett, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Neko is the bookkeeper for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. For the last academic year, she has taken on many new HR and personnel responsibilities in the absence of a departmental administrative assistant, and in the presence of one very grateful new department head, Ed Kick.  As many of you know, our Sociology and Anthropology Department has one foot in CHASS and the other in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Neko was nominated in both Colleges, and also received a staff award for excellence from CALS.

Candace Jacobs, Department of Psychology

Candi runs the front office in the Psychology Department. You can find her doing everything from repairing office equipment to training new office personnel to supporting the Psychoeducational Clinic.  In her seven years here, she has shown tremendous growth, personally and professionally, juggling school work (she is working towards her undergraduate degree in Communication), her job, her family and community responsibilities creatively and enthusiastically.

Amy Jinnette, Dean’s Office

Amy is the Executive Assistant to the Dean.  As such, Amy handles multiple priorities and requests that come through the Dean’s office, often with creative solutions.  Amy’s organization, dependability and professionalism keep the Dean’s Office running smoothly.  In addition, Amy is a mentor and role model for other staff members.

Beverly McTaggart, Department of Communication

As Office Assistant, Bev is the first person you meet when you enter the Department of Communication offices. Few among us have ever known anyone as consistently upbeat as Bev.  Whether it’s copying exams for faculty, ordering books for Communication courses, or helping faculty keep up with deadlines, Bev makes sure faculty members, staff, and students get what they need when they need it.

Anne White, Department of Social Work

Anne has a demanding job as the student services assistant in the Department of Social Work. She has the skills and the disposition to address the gamut of services related to students. She is a great troubleshooter and is empathetic to students as well as faculty.