In 2023, the University made a reaffirming commitment to the people of SU, focusing on acknowledging our people and creating a sense of belonging.
Following the conclusion of another successful academic year, the University took time to celebrate the incredible people of this campus. Organized by SU’s Staff Senate and sponsored by the many units across campus, Employee Appreciation Day – held June 13 – was a recognition of the people who keep our University running, featuring a full day of events thoughtfully curated by Staff Senate to show SU’s appreciation for its people.
From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., the campus hosted activities for all employees to engage with: morning yoga, lunch at the Commons, photo booths, door prizes, ice cream sundae station, crafts at the Guerrieri Student Union, caricature artists, a petting zoo and even a cupcake decorating class.
During lunch at the Commons, SU made several special employee recognitions. All 12 of the University’s Employee of the Month recipients were honored for their hard work and achievements and Donna Knopf, executive administrative assistant in the Graduate Studies and Research Office, was named 2023 Employee of the Year.
Additionally, SU honored eight retired employees with its inaugural Meritorious Staff Awards, recognizing recently retired staff for their noteworthy contributions or extraordinary commitment during at least 10 years of service to SU. First-year recipients included Richard Culver, Melinda Khazeh, Jill Leisten, Joanna O’Neal, Tony Pasquariello, Kathy Pusey, Charlotte Rayne and Vaughn White.Events and honors like these are ongoing steps to acknowledge, recognize and celebrate the many special people at SU. More will continue to be done to show how much our people are appreciated.
SU’s faculty ranks grew by 33 in 2022-23 and those new scholars are benefiting from the newly created Center for Advancement of Faculty Excellence (CAFÉ), which is committed to supporting faculty excellence in areas of teaching, research, professional development and personal wellness.
Board of Regents’ Faculty & Staff Award Winners
The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents recognized three SU faculty and two staff members with one of its highest honors – the 2023 Board of Regents Award for Excellence.
Faculty Award for Excellence
Dr. Jeni Davis, associate professor of early and elementary education, earned the award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Corinne Pubill, professor of Spanish and chair of the Modern Languages and Intercultural Studies Department, was honored for Excellence in Public Service. Dr. John Wesley Wright, professor of music, received the honor for Excellence in Creative Activity.
Davis was nominated for her work to empower SU students to become strong, capable, engaged educators by weaving clinical experience into her courses, encouraging students to challenge their previous understanding of science education while also assessing their instructional decisions. Her expertise in curriculum development helps students make the necessary connections between SU’s Teacher Preparation Program and their clinical experiences.
Pubill was nominated for her service as an advocate and resource for the Delmarva’s growing Hispanic population. During the pandemic, she was on the front lines, offering translation and interpretation services for those with limited English proficiency. She worked with vulnerable populations in the community and encouraged her students to become involved in similarly impactful community work.
Wright was nominated for his use of music as a focus for illuminating and untangling social issues. For example, his Les Mis Projects afforded a creative outlet for prisoners at two correctional institutions in Ohio as he and SU students provided performances and vocal coaching, joining two men’s choirs comprised of inmates in a showcase of scenes from Les Misérables. Wright developed this repertoire exploring civic engagement around fundamental issues of race, equity, healing and resilience.
Staff Awards for Excellence
Phillip Brunecz Jr., administrative assistant for SU’s TRIO Student Support Services program, was recognized for Exceptional Contribution to the Institution and/or Unit to Which the Person Belongs. Brunecz’s accomplishments with TRIO have included innovative information technology and admissions partnerships, improving annual assessment report management, and creating a dashboard to better track communications, program demographics and U.S. Department of Education reporting requirements.
Brooke Church, academic program specialist in the Music, Theatre and Dance Department, was honored for Outstanding Service to Students in an Academic or Residential Environment. Church was praised for her efforts in ensuring that the show could go on – literally – in SU’s Peter and Judy Jackson Music Program as COVID-19 threatened arts programs around the globe. As the University joined others in recovering from the pandemic, Church turned her attention to shoring up the program’s enrollment, leading efforts to organize a Music Major for a Day event with local schools that was so popular that plans are being made for its return this fall at the request of area school administrators.
Inaugural SU Lead Cohort
With a goal of creating a pipeline of diverse leaders within the institution, SU Lead was created. A professional development initiative to foster engagement of talented, emerging staff with leadership potential, SU Lead was designed to provide staff members with a well-rounded view of what goes into running the campus, as well as mentorship from area leaders.
Ten SU staff members, representing a diverse cross section of campus, comprised the first cohort: Lacie Doyle, advising services coordinator in the Academic Advising Office; Jennifer Ellis, curriculum and academic specialist in the Academic Affairs Office; Cynthia Funkhouser, executive administrative assistant in the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts; Alexia Rawlings, academic program specialist at the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement; Rachael Faust, recycling coordinator in the Facilities Services Office; Colin Watson, support associate in the Information Technology Department; Jeff Westphal, University Police officer; Erin Smith, assistant director of alumni engagement in the Alumni Relations Office; Dawn Keter, training coordinator and counselor in the Counseling Center; and Mario Ramirez, office clerk in the Conference Services Office.
Each Friday throughout the spring semester, cohort members learned about each of SU’s divisions from members of the President’s Cabinet and interacted with other leaders on and off campus, including President Carolyn Ringer Lepre, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Salisbury Mayor Jack Heath, Greater Salisbury Committee President and CEO Mike Dunn, area business officials, and members of the University’s shared governance organizations.
In addition to gaining a better understanding of the inner workings of SU, they also networked and built relationships across campus and beyond, learning about the challenges and opportunities facing higher education and participating in self-assessment activities to leverage their unique strengths for personal and professional success.
After a successful inaugural semester, SU Lead will continue to serve as a professional development program and bring staff together from across campus, working with a new cohort each semester.