Eastern Mennonite University presented three Royal Awards for Staff Performance during May and June 2021. The awardees are selected from nominations of staff or administrators who have shown exceptional performance, and/or gone above and beyond the regular focus of their work to improve EMU.
The awardees were (below, from left) Amy Springer Hartsell, executive advisor, President’s Office; Ronda Rittenhouse, executive assistant, Provost’s Office; and Marcy Root, executive administrative assistant & testing center coordinator, Lancaster.
Each of these EMU staff members led with vigor, imagination and distinction in advance-planning, facilitating teams, and executing our numerous COVID-safe commencement ceremonies this spring, according to the announcement.
The duo of Hartsell and Rittenhouse co-led the Harrisonburg campus’s events. Here are words from two nominations:
Amy and Ronda exercised heroic co-leadership of the commencement committee. What a never before undertaking for EMU, six commencements in 14 days. These two directed planning for five of them–the three “walking ceremonies” and the two all-university virtual ceremonies for the class of 2020 and 2021 … EMU is indebted to their exemplary service in this most important day in the life of the university. Finish Together, indeed!
All year, we have been pivoting here and pivoting there, but Ronda and Amy did the ultimate pivot when we decided to have an in person walking ceremony for our 2020 and 2021 graduates. To plan and execute not ONE, but THREE ceremonies with such a short notice was nothing but super-heroic. Of course, they had a team of support, but they went way above and beyond!
Marcy Root’s nominations pointed out the quick adaptations she made to changing logistics for the Lancaster Commencement and the way in which she worked diligently and tirelessly to ensure all the details and communications were accounted for and attended to with grace, efficiency and excellence. One example:
Marcy went above and beyond to lead the charge in planning Lancaster’s Commencement. While she is quick to say it “was a group effort,” it would not have been possible without her leadership.
Marcy coordinated through changing COVID guidelines, assembled team members both in person and virtually, communicated patiently to graduates who were coming, then weren’t coming, then were coming (again – COVID). In the end, a VERY special commencement is a memory our grads will have forever. Thank you, Marcy Root!
Congratulations to the winners. And also to those on the Royal Award committee for their work in appreciation of staff: Stephen Farrar, Lori Gant, Sarah Gant, Ericka Gingerich, Bill Goldberg, Marcia Myers, Jon Styer.
The Royal Awards take a summer hiatus and begin again with the fall semester. Look for round-up coverage for the fall semester awardees in January.
Portraits by Rachel Holderman and Catherine Stover
Cheers for Marcy! I taught at EMU Lancaster for 24 years, and Marcy was always available with ready answers and a cheerful smile