2019 Franklin College Staff Excellence Awards

The Franklin College held our annual Staff Appreciation Reception and Awards ceremony on May 14 in the North Rotunda of the Miller Learning Center. The event is always a great occasion just after the Spring semester to social and recognize our colleagues for their excellent work.

The college recognizes staff who have reached milestones in years of service at 10, 15, 20, 25 and this year we celebrated James Griffith, a research professional who spent many years in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology and now on staff in genetics, on his 30 years of service to the Franklin College.

Dean Dorsey introduced the Franklin College Staff Excellence in Service Awards designed to honor staff members for their excellent performance and their outstanding contributions to units in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Nominees are evaluated and selected based on five criteria: their excellence in fulfilling job requirements; their ability to demonstrate initiative and creativity toward improving the operation of their unit; their motivation to promote a positive morale in their workplace; and their dedication to improving the image and performance of their unit. 

The 2019 Staff Excellence in Service Award recipients and their presenters:

 Gretchen Bowen, presented by Lisa Donovan, Department Head, Plant Biology

 Melissa Leizear, presented by James Coverdill, Professor, Sociology

 Joelle Szendel, from the department of genetics

 Jill Talmadge, presented by Mihai Spariosu, Department Head, Comparative Literature

The 2019 award for Staff Excellence in Diversity Leadership Award was presented by Associate Dean Kecia M. Thomas to Kate Daley-Bailey, an undergraduate advisor from the department of Romance Languages. Nominated by Diane Miller, Director, Office of Student Academic Services

The 2019 IT Professional of the Year Award was presented by IT director Beth Woods to Lauren Blais, web developer specialist who was nominated by the Franklin College Office of Informational Technology

The 2019 Academic Advisor of the Year Award was presented (in absentia) to Annemarie Hitchcock, who was nominated by the Franklin College Office of Student Academic Services.

Congratulations to these extraordinary colleagues for their invaluable service to the college, their fellow staff members and the UGA students who depend on their knowledge and expertise.

Image: from left, Franklin College Office of Informational Technology director Beth Woods, IT Professional of the Year Lauren Blais, and web services manager Stephanie Lynn.