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The University strives to promote the success of faculty and staff who contribute and support the University through their daily interactions, research, and commitment to JMU. In support of the Governor's Award program, JMU has established the President's Purple Star Awards to recognize the contributions to the University made by faculty and staff. The yearly recipients receive recognition at the President’s Opening Address ceremony and a certificate commemorating the award.

Awards

Agency Star

The employees nominated typically have been recognized within the agency because of their contributions to the overall mission, objectives, and values of the agency. Because there is such great variation from agency to agency in employee recognition programs, we refer to them generically as “Stars.” For instance, an agency may select an “Employee of the Year,” as well as employees that best represent each of their agency values.

Career Achievement

The employee nominated has a record of consistent achievement over time that has significantly improved the efficiency and effectiveness of Commonwealth operations. For instance you may have an employee who has demonstrated personal achievement and is frequently called upon for advice because of his/her expertise and experience.

Community Service and Volunteerism

The nominated employee volunteers his/her own time in non-profit community activities or serves as the “extra pair of hands” in agency activities. For instance, you may have an employee who helps build a house for Habitat for Humanity or who coordinates your Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign at your agency.

Customer Service

The employee nominated consistently provides a level of service to solve the customer's problem; communicates effectively with customers about services, policies and procedures; and treats customers with dignity and respect. For instance, you may have an employee who has received a letter of commendation from the public about customer service, or you may have already identified a specific employee who has rendered outstanding customer service throughout the year.

Innovation

The employee nominated produces results such as increased productivity, efficiencies, or cost savings through creativity and bright ideas that are implemented within the agency or state government.

Teamwork

The group of employees consistently exhibits the qualities that make teamwork essential to an agency’s success, including coordination of efforts to produce quality service or innovative results. As an example, an appropriate nomination would be a team that achieved substantial savings through re-engineering processes within an agency.

Workplace Health, Wellness and Safety

The nominated employee leads the way in promoting a safe and healthy work environment, suggests workplace improvements, and promotes and supports the importance of a safe and healthy work environment. For instance, you may have an employee who consistently suggests workplace improvements to reduce the risk to other employees or someone who has done particularly well in identifying ways to reduce workers compensation claims in your agency.

Previous Awardees

Agency: 

Lauren Allyene


Career Achievement:

David Taylor


Community Service and Volunteerism:

Karina Kline-Gabel


Customer Service:

Finance Office

Robbie Campbell

Jill Dean

Olivia Fulk

Christine Jones

Cindy Mathews

Kristi McDonnell

Danelle Ross

Barbara Shepherd

Randy Shiflet II

Sherry Willis 


Innovation:
Glenn Wayland

Teamwork:

Valarie Ghant 

Brent Lewis

Ritter Clevenger

Urs von Rotz

Angela Ritchie

Jonathan Stewart

Chervon Moore

DeAndre Powell

Gary Shears

Mike Derrow

Anna Campbell

Jared Combs

Sam Hottinger

John Khamphavong

Victor McManaway

Kirk Morris 

Agency Star: 

Residence Life

Laura Miller-Blazewicz

Hugh Brown 

Holmes Browne 

Michael Busch 

Sam Butler 

Kathleen Campbell 

Stephanie Carr

Jennifer Dodson 

Chris Ehrhart 

Emily Higham 

Jason Jones

Alicia Lamb

Mariea McNeill 

Kevin Meaney 

Dee Nilsen 

Liz Odermatt

Dawn Ohanessian 

Tripp Purks 

Karen Sampson 

Courtney Samuleu 

Brenda Smith 

Kelsey Snyder

Sam Squyars 

Jon Strine 

Garrett Suhr 

Justin Tarbell 

Jordan Todd 

Stephanie Williams 


Career Achievement: 

Glenn Hastedt 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Lisa Porter 


Customer Service: 

Whitney Sajko

Sheila Smith 


Innovation: 

Becky Davis 


Teamwork: 

Office of Financial Aid

Shari Arehart 

Brad Barnett 

Claire Bergan 

Anne Callahan 

Jessica Cortes 

Steven Cox

Brandon Crenshaw 

Andrea Dyjak 

Rick Gardner 

Judy Hensley 

Jessica Hopkins 

Brice Hostetler 

Ashley James 

Brooklyn Kier 

Christi Knight 

Colleen McAvoy 

Donna Marie McMillian 

Susan Moyers 

Adrianna Penn 

John Michael Schott

Klaudia Sheffer 

Timley Simmons 

Shana Smith 

Amber Weaver-Shifflett

Workplace Safety and Health: 

Olivia Hale

Jon Leonard 

Agency Star: 

Andy Guertler 

Kristina Blyer 


Career Achievement: 

Marilou Johnson 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Covid PPE Response Team

Carlson Jenkins

Kevin Hegg

Eric Stauffer 

Amy Russel Yun 

Dave Wang 

Kathleen Conery 

Laura Atkins 

Laura Lambert 

Rebecca Field 

Jordan Brink 

Jamie Calcagno-Roach 

Gover Saunders

Dan Easley 

Art Pekun

Kirsten Mlodynia 

Laura Taalman 

Adrienne Hooker 


Customer Service: 

Admissions Office 

Freshman/Transfer Recruitment 

Visitation Team 

Telephone Reception/Correspondence Team 

Application Processing Team 

Admissions 


Innovation: 

University Recreation 


Teamwork: 

Libraries 

Center for Faculty Innovation 

Office of Disability Services

Information Technology 


Workplace Safety and Health:

Housekeeping

Frankie Lucas 

Carolyn Armentrout

Chrissy Estep 

Cynthia Harris

Diana Taylor 

Heather Baker 

Kay Lam 

Kim Collier 

Debbie Morris 

Vickie Raynes

Yolanda Morris 

Melissa Gaylor 

Russell Gambino 

Tiffany Mayhew 

Holley Carter 

Bryan Falls 

Steven Brubaker 

Terry Lindsey

Agency Star: 

RJ Ohgran

 

Career Achievement: 

David Onestak

 

Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Jennifer Taylor 

 

Customer Service:

Print Services Team

Heather Wilharm

Lisa Rhodes

Connie Fulk

Sherry Brooks

Laurie Brinkley

 

Innovation: 

Williams Yates

 

Teamwork:

Green Dot Campaign

Lorie Miller 

Holly Bailey

Destiny Savage

Elizabeth Chenevey 

Sarah Blackstone

Jamie Williams

Jessica Weed

Tiffany Brutus 

David Chew 

Jennifer Principe 

Megan Driver

Misty Newman

Jacqueline Hieber

Arianna Sessoms 

Jordan McCann

Paige Hawkins 

Angela Ritchie

Ann Simmons 

 

Workplace Safety & Health

Matthew Lovesky 

Agency Star: 

Debbie Pine


Career Achievement: 

Sharon Gasser 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Carlos Aleman 


Customer Service: 

Kimberly McGivern 


Innovation: 

Nick Swayne 


Teamwork: 

Human Resources Benefits Team 

Julie Byers

Tiffany French

Gina Holloway

Raven King

Kristi Moon

Tara Roe

Meghan Schaeffer


Workplace Safety and Health: 

University Health Center 

Kristina Blyer

Deborah Darrell

Halea Fansler-Rexrode

Betsy Gentry

Dr. Andrew Guertler

Brandon Hereford

Morgan Keplinger

Kristin Kirwan

Katy MacDonald

Barbara Mahaffey

Jordan McCann

Lisa Mongold

Angela Ritchie

Becky Schaeffer

Arianna Sessoms

Julie Shiflet

Katelyn Shiflet

Ann Simmons

Dr. Lee Ward

Anna Wyse

Agency Star: 

Dawn Knight


Career Achievement:

Joe Urgo  


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Delo Blough 


Customer Service: 

Jill Staley Wade 


Innovation: 

Joan Fahrney 


Teamwork: 

East Campus Power Plant 

Steven MacRae 

Kenny Stickley

Thomas Burkholder

Aaron Carper

Cody Warlitner

Deland Morris

Alfred Miller

Randal Alger

Mark Hess

Steve Rains

Glen Smith

Brian Moshier

Reginald Lawson

Homer Whetzel

Dennis Hart


Workplace Safety and Health:

Dr. Mary Thompson

Agency Star: 

Frank Lucas Jr.


Career Achievement:

Rich Harris 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Pete DeSmit


Customer Service: 

Julie Byers


Innovation: 

Jon Jarvis


Teamwork: 

JMU Transfer Team 

Adam Anderson

Regina Admas

Jennifer Jackson

Kate McDaniel

Shannon Mercer

Laika Tamney

 

Workplace Safety and Health:

Seth Arnold 

Agency Star: 

Karen Gerard


Career Achievement:

Joan Houff


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Sgt. Rodney McCarter


Customer Service: 

Darlene Quackenbush


Innovation: 

Bill Hartman 


Teamwork: 

Kevin Carnago 

 

Workplace Safety and Health:

Marcella Mullenax

Agency Star: 

Debbie Pine 


Career Achievement:

Nina Stenby-Hurst 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Gerri Rigney 


Customer Service: 

Laura Brinkley 


Innovation: 

Alvin Chao 


Teamwork: 

Kara Kiblinger

Kelly Miller-Martin

Elizabeth Thompson


Workplace Safety and Health:

Ronald Phillips 


Environmental Stewardship:

Holmes Browne

Career Achievement:

Judy Anderson


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Tracy Hakala

Amy Sirocky-Meck


Customer Service: 

Diana Little 


Teamwork: 

Carrier Library Cataloging Team 

Judy Anderson

Mark Purington

Debbie Ryman

Cindi Sandridge

Darlene Newman

Joan Bowlen (Honorable Mention)

Glenn Huffman (Honorable Mention))


Workplace Safety and Health:

Brett Sinclair 

Agency Star: 

Robert Reid


Career Achievement:

--- 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Charles Blake 


Customer Service: 

Wanda Layman 


Innovation: 

Anna Lynn Bell 

Alvin Chao 

Susan Reid 


Teamwork: 

Leslie Beam

Courtney Hidges

Sheila Hopkins 

Wesley Elyard 


Workplace Safety and Health:

Leslie Bellavance

Agency Star: 

Chris Gatesman 

Michael Walsh


Career Achievement:

Jackie Ciccone 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Anne Stewart


Customer Service: 

Julie Love 


Innovation: 

Rick Orebaugh 


Teamwork: 

Media Resources Technology Team 

Vince Drumheller

Doug Gimbert

Jeff Roadcap

Olen Siron

James West

Jackie Woolf

Agency Star: 

Dr. Newell Wright 


Career Achievement:

Fred Hilton 


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Pete DeSmit


Customer Service: 

Betty Reedy 


Innovation: 

Interprofessional Services for Learning Assessment
Dr. Tim Schutle 


Teamwork: 

The Science and Mathematics Learning Center Coordinators and Tutors 

 

Workplace Safety and Health:

Dennis Hart

Agency Star: 

Jennifer McCabe


Career Achievement:

David Taylor


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Don Hobbs
Bill Baker

Frank Viscomi
Albert Buracker
Ronnie Rhodes

Sidney Monroe
Daniel King
Gregg Chevalier
Ken Fox
Jeff Smallwood
John Ventura
Frankie Lucas


Customer Service: 

Diane Puffenbarger


Innovation: 

Rinn Siegrist



Teamwork: 

Jane Beach
Tyra Berger
Cathy Goldsborough
Diane Nash

Workplace Safety and Health:

Heather Armstrong

Agency Star: 

----


Career Achievement:

Shirley Cobb


Community Service and Volunteerism: 

Suzanne Vance


Customer Service: 

Phyllis Funkhouser


Innovation: 

---


Teamwork: 

Summer Orientation Registration Working Group

Violet Allain

Anna Lynn Bell 

Jill Card

Steve Grande

Linda Halpern

Rene Harrell

Sherry Hood

Lisa Kiracofe

Catherine Mahoney

Joe Manning

Trisha McCoy

Karyn Sproles

Lee Ward

Michele White

Nomination Process

Nominations may be submitted anytime throughout the year. The lengthy nomination period provides nominators with the opportunity to submit nominations after performance evaluations are completed each fall, when employee accomplishments are still top of mind.

View the nomination guidelines and procedures.

 

Recipients are selected as the result of a review by the Purple Star Awards Committee, which consists of employees and leaders from across the university.

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