WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor's

Distinguished Employee Excellence Award

Established in 2020, The Distinguished Employee Excellence Award recognizes an employee with outstanding contributions to WSU Tri-Cities in one or more of the following areas of focus; Student Success, Research and Scholarship, Accessibility and Equity, Regional and Community Engagement, Campus Culture & Environment, and/or Institutional Effectiveness.

learning communities
undergraduate research
service learning
diversity equity and inclusion

Objective

The Distinguished Employee Excellence Award recognizes an employee with outstanding contributions to WSU Tri-Cities in one or more of the following areas of focus.

Student Success

  • Fosters an inclusive environment supporting academic achievement and the essential life skills that lead to personal growth and development of students.

Research and Scholarship

  • Elevates research and creative work as a public land-grant, R1 WSU institution.

Accessibility and Equity

  • Actively reduced barriers to employee and student success by providing support and promoting enhanced engagement, access and representation.

Regional and Community Engagement

  • Demonstrated WSU TC value to the community and leveraged the distinctiveness of the region through engagement with students, faculty, and staff.

Campus Culture & Environment

  • Promotes a vibrant culture of pride and an inclusive environment that fosters both collective and personal achievement.
  • Empowers and actively supports others to achieve results that support their department or campus goals.

Institutional Effectiveness

  • Prioritizes the strategic and efficient stewardship of resources.
  • Generates valuable ideas that help to develop new or improved processes, methods, systems, programs, or services for their team, department, or the campus.
  • Demonstrates professional behavior through their willingness to cooperate, work, and communicate with others in the workplace.
  • Demonstrates exceptional service to the campus and/or community at large (e.g., voluntary participation in community groups, boards, or charitable organizations)

Eligibility

  • Nominees may be recognized once every three years
  • All WSU Tri-Cities employees are eligible

Nominations

  • Nominations are submitted by current employees of WSU Tri-Cities using an electronic fillable nomination form
  • Nomination submissions will open February 1, 2023 – March 3, 2023
    • Candidates will be evaluated on their contributions and accomplishments for the calendar year 2022.
  • The awards committee will review applicants and evaluate them based on the identified criteria. Up to three candidates will be recommended for the chancellor’s review.
  • The chancellor may select a recipient of the award and may announce their selection at the fall update.
  • Recipients will be presented with a keepsake to commemorate their distinguished honor.
  • Self-nominations will be considered.

Committee

The Awards Committee consists of a diverse set of individuals appointed by the Chancellor that represents the campus community.

2023 Committee Members:

  • Dick Pratt, Chair
  • Tracy Jordahl, Vice Chair
  • Timothy Baker
  • Yonas Demissie
  • Judy Morrison
  • Janet Peters
  • Laura Sanchez

Questions

  • Have questions regarding the WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor’s Distinguished Employee Excellence Award please contact Tracy Jordahl at tracy.jordahl@wsu.edu.

Nominations are Open

The Distinguished Employee Excellence Award recognizes an employee with outstanding contributions to WSU Tri-Cities in one or more of the following areas of focus; Student Success, Research and Scholarship, Accessibility and Equity, Regional and Community Engagement, Campus Culture & Environment and Institutional Effectiveness.

  • Previous Winners

    • 2022 | Eadie Balint | Academic Support Staff, College of Arts and Sciences
    • 2021 | Laurie Malecha | Student Services Office Assistant, Office of Academic and Student Affairs
    • 2021 | Maegan Murray | Director of Marketing and Communication