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On October 16, the 2nd Annual MIT Excellence Awards Ceremony was held in Wong Auditorium. Fourteen individuals and seven teams were honored, representing every job category at the Institute. The recipients were selected from over 130 nominations, and came from Haystack Observatory and Lincoln Laboratory as well as Main Campus.
Professor Wyn Kelley from the Department of Literature received an award in the category "Fostering an Inclusive Workplace" for her role as faculty advisor to the Women's Independent Living Group and to Let's Get Ready, a national non-profit organization that provides free SAT tutoring and college mentoring services to high school students. Professor Kelley was noted for her enthusiasm, resourcefulness and innovation, as well as her genuine concern for and commitment to the academic and personal enhancement of students at MIT. "It was just wonderful to be selected," she said, "and very surprising. I was particularly touched that students nominated me, and that it had to do with community issues, because that's a very natural extension of my teaching.".
Professor Emeritus Robert Hulsizer, along with Lecturers Craig Watkins and David Custer, received an award in the category of "Making a Difference in Our Communities." Together, these three individuals have devoted nearly 40 years of service to the Experimental Study Group (ESG), an alternative learning environment for MIT freshmen. Dr. Holly Sweet, associate director of the program and one of the team's nominators, explained that the team stood out both in terms of longevity of service and going beyond the call of duty, regularly staying after hours and helping create a welcoming and supportive home for students. "There are other awards given at the Awards Convocation in May," Sweet said, "but nothing for faculty and staff who are engaged in community building for students. Fostering a sense of community for students and staff in an academic setting is one of the most important aspects of ESG." "We were delighted to be honored," said Professor Emeritus Hulsizer. "It was amazing. I never thought that spending a night or two a week talking with, cooking for, and tutoring freshmen would warrant special recognition. By itself, it is its own reward."
Now in its third year, the Rewards and Recognition Program has become an important part of MIT's culture. Created as a way to recognize individuals and teams for exceptional contributions to their departments, schools, or the Institute as a whole, the Program provides an array of opportunities to acknowledge members of the MIT community.
Faculty members were involved both as nominators and nominees. In addition, Dean Robert Redwine was a member of the 13-person selection committee, which looked at all nominations and helped to choose the final award recipients. "I was very pleased to be part of the group a few years ago that designed the Rewards and Recognition program," said Dean Redwine. "It was especially gratifying to be able to serve this year on the selection committee and to see so many truly deserving individuals nominated by their peers and colleagues."
In addition to faculty award recipients, several faculty members also nominated staff members for this year's Excellence Awards. Professor John Vander Sande, director of the Cambridge-MIT Institute, nominated Associate Dean Peggy Enders, who received an award in the category "Leading Change." "It was easy for me to get enthusiastic about submitting nominations," said Vander Sande. "Peggy just came right to mind. She is so dedicated to the well being of undergraduates at this Institution and has applied herself to that in so many ways."
Professor Paul Lagace, Co-Director of MIT's Leaders for Manufacturing and System Design and Management Programs, nominated Finance Manager Jeff Shao, award recipient in the "Serving the Client" category. Said Lagace, "Until the establishment of this program, we simply did not have a way to properly recognize the contributions that staff members like Jeff make. These people are key to our work and help to make MIT what it is."
The Excellence Awards Ceremony is distinct from the Awards Convocation held each spring, which mainly focuses on students and faculty. "The MIT Excellence Awards complement beautifully those that are presented at the Awards Convocation in May," said Laura Avakian, vice president of Human Resources. "Both events demonstrate that there are many deserving people in the MIT community whose achievements merit celebration," she said. Dean Redwine noted, "While the focus of the Excellence Awards is clearly on staff, understanding and involvement by the faculty is important for the program to succeed in improving our community."
All members of the community are encouraged to recognize their outstanding colleagues and co-workers throughout the year through either the Appreciation or Infinite Mile Award programs. For more information on your area's local rewards and recognition program, go to http://web.mit.edu/hr/rewards/contact.html. A full listing of this year's Excellence Award recipients and their accomplishments can be found at http://web.mit.edu/hr/rewards/mitaward.html.
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