Penn State Mont Alto Penn Stater Awards

Purpose       

To annually recognize outstanding service by Mont Alto staff, faculty, and tech service employees

Eligibility

Any Penn State Mont Alto full-time staff, faculty or tech services employee who has been employed at Mont Alto for a period of at least 12 months and has not been the recipient of the Award within the past two academic years

Criteria

• Competency in, and enthusiasm for, one’s job
• Loyalty to the University and the profession
• Sensitivity to diverse populations
• An advocate for students to internal and external constituencies                           
• General contribution to the campus
• Active participation and leadership
• Has gone “above and beyond the call of duty” to the campus

Philosophy

The Mont Alto campus places a high value on the creation and maintenance of a productive, diverse, and supportive community.  Therefore, it is appropriate to encourage and recognize outstanding contributions.  Contributions from employees vary greatly in scope, yet each employee has the potential to positively impact the lives of many individuals.  These awards recognize outstanding efforts by individual full-time staff, faculty, and tech services employees.

Administration

The awards will be administered by the Chancellor’s office.  The five previous recipients will make up the awards selection committee for each area:  faculty, staff, and tech services.  The chair will be selected each year as new awardees are added to the committees. 

Award nominations will be made via the campus Awards website and each committee will make the final selection.  If a committee member is nominated for the award, they will be excused from the committee and a replacement will be named.

Selection

At the beginning of March the Chancellor’s office will announce the Penn Stater Awards and solicit nominees from the campus community.  All Mont Alto campus employees will have an opportunity to nominate a colleague in any department.  The deadline for receiving nominations will be April 1st.  No nominations will be considered after this deadline.  The Chancellor will forward all nominations to the Chairperson of each committee.

The committee’s decision must be limited to one selection or to recommend that no award be given.  The award will be presented to the individual who best meets the criteria as determined by the voting ballot.

Each Awards Selection Committee will notify the Chancellor of its decision on or before April 21st.  Presentation of the awards will be made by the Chancellor at the End-of-Year event in May.  A press release and photo will be sent to the appropriate news media after the announcement.

Awards

An individual plaque will be given to each recipient and a centrally-located plaque will be placed on campus.  Each recipient will receive a cash award of $300 and will have a designated parking place of his/her choice in an established lot for one year.

Deadline

April 2nd

Past Recipients

2018 Tech Service:  Karen Bingaman

Karen is a shining example of caring and positivity. Although she is seldom seen by most members of the campus community because she works 3rd shift, her wonderful attitude affects the whole team. She comes to work every day knowing she will make a difference, and she lifts the spirits of those around her.

2018 Staff:  Sophia McCleaf

In all of Sophia’s interactions, she demonstrates that the student is her priority. In every task she completes, she develops strategies, conducts referrals, and helps the students set plans/goals that will lead to their success.  Whenever there is an issue that Sophia feels she has the knowledge/qualifications necessary to resolve that need, she is willing to take on the additional duties/responsibilities in order to positively contribute to the campus operations and ensure students’ needs are met.

2018 Faculty:  Jackie Schwab

Jackie takes on tasks at high levels of the university to benefit the campus and her colleagues.  Jackie Schwab works tirelessly to support the University at all levels, from NSO advising to leading promotion and tenure committees at the campus and college. She is a leader within the HDFS department both on campus and across the University College.  She has articulated a vision of the campus as a true collegium, with faculty working across disciplinary lines and providing students, faculty, and staff with an all-encompassing community.

Nomination Form

All nominations are confidential.