Employee Recognition Award Event and Honorees

 

From: Nariman Farvardin, President

 

To: Stevens Faculty and Staff
 

Yesterday, we celebrated the faculty and staff who make this institution go. This year’s annual Employee Recognition Awards ceremony was both heartwarming and inspiring—for the exemplary contributions of our colleagues, for the dedication and commitment they exhibit and for the collegiality and community spirit of all nominees and all who gathered to celebrate them.

I extend my sincere appreciation and congratulations to all nominees, to this year’s cohort of award recipients, listed below, and to all who were recognized for milestone service anniversaries. It is you who make Stevens a Certified Great Place to Work – as highlighted by our second designation this year!

The 2023-24 Stevens Employee Recognition Awards recipients comprise colleagues in two categories: those with service anniversaries in multiples of five-year increments and employees selected in one of several categories aligned with Stevens’ strategic values. For the excellence awards, a thorough selection process involving peer nomination and review by a committee of faculty and staff was used to select honorees in each category.

Congratulations to this year’s excellence awardees:

Creating a Connected Community:

  • Lainie Fefferman, Assistant Professor of Music and Technology, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
  • Jaquion Gholston, Director of Sponsored Accounting and Cost Analysis, Division of Finance

Excellence in All We Do:

  • Lindsey Swindall, Teaching Associate Professor, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
  • Natalie Lebert, Office Manager of Undergraduate of Academics and Special Programs, Office of the Provost 

Innovation Powered by Technology:

  • Sarah Goodman, Teaching Assistant Professor, School of Engineering and Science
  • Ashley Chillar, Associate Director for Student Affairs Operations, Division of Student Affairs 

Leading By Example:

  • Gregory Prastacos, Dean, School of Business 
  • Dawn da Silva, Associate Vice President for Development, Division of Development and Alumni Engagement 

Lifetime Achievement Award:

  • David Vaccari, Emeritus Professor, School of Engineering and Science

Stevens Brand Ambassador:

  • Matthew Libera, Professor, School of Engineering and Science
  • Harry Ortiz, Associate Director of Academic Multimedia Services, Division of Information Technology 

Student Success Champion:

  • Frank Fisher, Professor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, School of Engineering and Science 
  • Phil Gehman, Director of Disability Services, Division of Student Affairs 

Through Collaboration, Impact:

  • Hongjun Wang, Professor, School of Engineering and Science 
  • Rekha Manohar, Associate Director of External Affairs, School of Engineering and Science  

Transformative Teamwork:

International Education Month Committee

  • Susi Rachouh, Director of International Programs, Office of the Provost
  • Vicky Orlofsky, Head of Research Services, Office of the Provost
  • Courtney Walsh, Research and Instructional Services Librarian, Office of the Provost
  • Chloe Bergman-Ray, International Student and Scholar Advisor, Office of the Provost
  • Samaneh Jafari, English Language Communications Director, Office of the Provost
  • Nathalie Waite, Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Life, Division of Student Affairs
  • Jillian Ryan, Assistant Director Graduate Student Life, Division of Student Affairs
  • Zach Balog, Director of Foreign Languages, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

This was an incredibly competitive cycle for Stevens’ Employee Recognition Awards, with many deserving colleagues and teams. I look forward to having breakfast with these colleagues on February 20, 2024.

Lastly, I am deeply appreciative to the members of the Employee Recognition Committee who worked collaboratively to select this year’s honorees:

  • David Fernandez, Chief Risk Officer, Division of Finance, Chair 
  • Dan Buehring, Head Men's Volleyball Coach, Division of Student Affairs 
  • Edlyn Thompson-Mettle, Director of High School Enrichment Programs, Division of Student Affairs 
  • Jing Chen, Assistant Professor, School of Business 
  • Johannes Weickenmeier, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering and Science 
  • Kathryn Abel, Teaching Professor and Program Lead for Undergraduate Engineering Program/Undergraduate Industrial and Systems Engineering Program, School of Systems and Enterprises  
  • Kristyn Karl, Assistant Professor of Political Science, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 
  • Linda Beninghove, Library Director, Office of Academic Innovation and Faculty Affairs 
  • Michelle Crilly, Assistant Dean for Student Success, School of Business 
  • Rainer Martini, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, School of Engineering and Science 

Once again, congratulations to all who were recognized yesterday!

View this email online.