Eastern Mennonite University presented four Royal Awards for Staff Performance during spring semester 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 at EMU.
The award comes with a golden EMU [insert fist pump here] and a gift certificate of one’s choice. There’s also a giant trophy. But you know we all work a little harder in hopes of that golden EMU (see how happy Tim is below).
The awardees for January/February were Beth Good, director of intercultural programs, and Tim Stutzman, vice president for finance and operations.
Beth’s nominations noted the important role she has played this year as lead COVID contact tracer, while still serving as director of intercultural programs and teaching in the nursing program.
Beth has been amazing in her willingness to step into the role of contact tracer, which has quickly evolved into an adviser/leader to EMU on most things COVID related. This includes answering calls and advising those who show symptoms on their daily tracker, and working directly with students who require isolation or quarantine. EMU would be less prepared if not for Beth.
Tim’s nominations highlighted his strong leadership of the university’s finances and operations, and his leadership of the university’s Crisis Management Preparedness Team.
Tim is on top of things 24/7 in regards to EMU finances and operations. In these heightened COVID crisis times, he is in charge of securing our federal stimulus dollars and doling them out appropriately, securing quarantine and isolation spaces for our students, appointing risk assessment auditors to examine our cyber-security threats – and that’s just before noon!
Awardees for April/May were Tyler Goss (left), assistant director of student programs in Student Life and Joshua Lyons, web developer and analyst in Marketing and Communications.
Joshua’s nominations highlighted his amazing website talents, video editing and curating, general versatility, and his leadership in morale-building.
Joshua is an incredible web developer. He can take ideas and brainstorms and turn them into beautiful web pages, like the new Forward Together page for the development campaign. He also created a platform for displaying our ever-expanding video content and curating it for undergraduate recruitment. Joshua has also enthusiastically stepped in to help with video editing. He brings the same energy and passion to this new task as he does to his regular work of web developing. Finally, he cares for our team morale by sending regular brain teaser puzzles, encouragement notes and planning quarterly staff hikes.
Tyler’s nominations noted his imaginative abilities to deliver entertaining programming amidst COVID constraints.
Tyler has been amazing. He has shepherded and developed a great team of student leaders and together they have produced consistently creative and engaging programming despite the fact that we can’t really be together. Student Programs have often taken a “bigger-is-better” approach to programming and this year we’ve had to totally revamp to take a “smaller-virtual-distanced-is-safer” approach. This is completely counterintuitive to us as Student Affairs practitioners. Tyler has led the development of programming with wisdom, wit, and winsomeness through multiple events each week: CAC Virtual Trivia; Pinterest Plant Painting Party; Campus-Wide Capture the Flag; Screaming Bingo; Low-key Laser Tag and Lemon Tarts; Choptober Fest; and on and on! Not only that, he writes hilarious emails.
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.