Nominations for the fourth annual President’s Excellence Award will be accepted beginning today (Aug. 13) through Sept. 14. The award program recognizes staff members who demonstrate their daily commitment to carrying out the strategic goals of the university.
In the first three years of the President’s Excellence Award, 31 recipients were recognized and each received a check for $1,000 after taxes. Past recipients have come from diverse areas of the university and include custodians, residence hall workers, academic advisors, administrative support staff, a police officer and a head coach from Intercollegiate Athletics. You can view a list of past recipients on the President’s Excellence Award website.
Full-time classified and unclassified employees at all Kent State locations who have been employed by the university for a minimum of one year and are in good standing are eligible to be nominated. Past recipients are not eligible to be nominated for a minimum of two years following their award and faculty are not eligible.
Kent State President Lester A. Lefton says he established the award program in 2009 because of the “countless members of our university community who excel at trying to make each day better for themselves and for our students."
“There are many examples of the dedication our staff members bring to their jobs. Sometimes this is demonstrated through work on a major initiative, and sometimes it comes through the employee’s daily, and often special, interactions with students, their colleagues and others,” Lefton says.
A nominee must demonstrate exceptional performance in advancing the strategic goals of the university during the previous fiscal year (July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012). This includes actions, initiatives or projects related to:
- Collaboration
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Effectiveness and Efficiency
- Excellence in Customer Service
- Serving as an Ambassador for the University
- Student Success
Nominations may come from peers, supervisors or other divisional leaders, faculty or students. The nomination period runs through Sept. 14. Nominations will be reviewed, and a final list will be submitted to the Office of the President. The final decision resides with the president; award recipients will be announced in December.
The nomination form, along with detailed information on the award criteria and the nomination process, is available on the President’s website. The nomination forms may be printed and mailed or submitted electronically. If you have questions, contact Carla Wyckoff, HR communications and events manager, at 330-672-5857 or cwyckof1@kent.edu.