Thursday, May 16, 2019

Biology lab coordinator Andy Miller is the recipient of the 2019 UNCW Staff Award for Excellence. Miller was honored at the May 15 ceremony at the Burney Center, along with 19 other employees.
 
The staff members, representing numerous divisions across campus, were nominated by colleagues for their exemplary work ethic in the categories of customer service, efficiency and innovation, human relations and outstanding state government service.
 
“Our nominees were recommended by their peers, a recognition that speaks volumes about their dedication to our students and this university,” said Chancellor Jose Sartarelli. “It has been a challenging year for our university. Hurricane Florence touched every corner of our community in one way or another, and staff across campus have played a critical role in our recovery thus far.”
 
Miller was nominated by Heather Koopman, Department of Biology and Marine Biology chair, for his efforts to maintain laboratory space following Hurricane Florence. Dobo Hall was badly damaged by the storm. Miller single-handedly kept labs going for more than 900 students through his creativity, flexibility, determination and pure hard work, the nomination stated.  
 
Miller found innovative online sources to deliver labs, trained the teacher assistants and personally communicated with students by going to their lectures. He also persuaded the selected company to provide the materials to donate the online lab modules, saving the university tens of thousands of dollars. Miller also helped with planning the interim spaces to best meet the teaching needs of the department and the instructional needs of students.
 
“For Andy, it’s all about the students – making sure that they receive high-quality, clear and engaging instruction in our labs,” Koopman wrote. “And for me, that says it all about him. I couldn’t feel more strongly about the need to recognize the contributions of this incredibly hard-working, determined and dedicated individual.”
 
After a thorough review of the nominees, the selection committee submitted five individuals, including Miller, to be considered for the Governor’s Award of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed on a state employee. The other employees submitted for consideration were:

• Yvonne Marsan, Laboratories Manager, Earth and Ocean Sciences and Physics and Physical Oceanography (Customer Service)
• Tom McCarley, Director of Project Management, Office of Facilities (Outstanding State Government Service)
• Diana Perez, Administrative Associate, World Languages and Cultures (Human Relations)
• Woody Sutton, Space Planner, Space Planning and Management, Academic Affairs (Efficiency and Innovation)

Other Staff Award for Excellence nominees were:

• Kerri Fowler, Administrative Associate, Watson College of Education (Human Relations)
• Olivia Harvey, Business Services Coordinator, College of Arts and Sciences (Efficiency and Innovation)
• Dali Hiltebeitel, TAC Manager, ITS (Customer Service)
• Michael McQuery, Networking Analyst, ITS (Customer Service)
• Kristen Nice, Business Services Coordinator, University College (Human Relations)
• Jarrett Piner, Project and Process Manager, ITS (Customer Service)
• Susan Smith, Office Manager, Campus Recreation (Customer Service)
• Barbara Snyder, Simulation Lab Consultant, Simulation Learning Center (Efficiency and Innovation)

A nomination was submitted for a group of College of Arts and Sciences staff in the human relations category. They were:

• Debbie Whiting, Administrative Associate, Communication Studies
• Meghan McPhail, Administrative Associate, Communication Studies
• Diana Perez, Administrative Associate, World Languages and Cultures
• Donna Treolo, Program Associate, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
• Lorenda Heathcock, Administrative Associate, Earth and Ocean Sciences
• Sue Wilder, Administrative Associate, Theatre
• Jennifer Royal, Administrative Associate, Environmental Sciences
• Lauren Babson, Administrative Associate, Film Studies

 
-- Venita Jenkins
 
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UNCW Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli presents the 2019 UNCW Staff Award for Excellence to Andy Miller, biology lab coordinator. 

 

Twenty UNCW staff members, representing numerous divisions across campus, were nominated by colleagues for their exemplary work ethic in the categories of customer service, efficiency and innovation, human relations and outstanding state government service.