Jokes, dance moves, and plenty of accolades to go around made for one of California State University, Dominguez Hills’ (CSUDH) most entertaining Staff Awards ceremonies in years.
CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham brought his boundless energy to set the stage in the Loker Student Union Ballroom for the 2018 Staff Service Awards on Oct. 23. He was followed by a jovial stream of top administrators who fed off each other’s witty remarks as they shared their appreciation for staff members in their divisions who were being honored for their years of service and offered praise for three employees who received the Staff Awards of Excellence.
The annual Staff Awards of Excellence honors staff members who have gone beyond in their normal job responsibilities to improve the CSUDH community. A winner is selected for each of the award’s three categories: innovation, student success, and customer service.
The Innovation Award was presented to Ellie Perry, who arrived in August 2017 as CSUDH’s first sustainability coordinator and assistant energy analyst. The award honors those who “use creativity and innovation to streamline and/or improve business processes and services for students and the campus community.”
Perry was applauded for helping CSUDH’sscale up its sustainability program. Through her focused efforts, the campus recently earned its first statewide Best Practices Award at the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference. Some examples of Perry’s work include meeting with faculty to discuss principles of sustainability that can be incorporated into their curriculum, bringing in more recycling containers with color coded instructions for more efficiency, and she contributed to the formation of the university’s new Urban Farm.
Penny Roebuck White, academic adviser in the College of Arts and Humanities, received the Student Success Award for “creating and supporting an environment of teaching and learning that assists in the recruitment, transition, retention, and graduation of students.”
During the ceremony, Roebuck White was celebrated for being proactive, her skill in detecting potential problems and roadblocks for students, and her patient and meticulous nature. She was also commended for her “extraordinary and inspiring” dedication to students, who see her as a trustworthy ally and someone with a wealth of knowledge about academic programs and the inner-workings of the university.
Leslie Bayless, administrative support coordinator in the Department of English, was awarded the Customer Service Award. The honor recognizes staff who “demonstrate exemplary customer service for students, employees and/or guests.”
Bayless was honored for her willingness to go the extra mile, and for her high degree of skill and competence, which is complimented by her good humor. Bayless supports more than 50 full- and part-time faculty members, handling everything from scheduling issues and queries, to book orders and faculty contracts. She was also recognized for providing students with excellent advice and guidance, and always treating them with respect and kindness.
Years of Service Honorees
This year, 95 staff members had reached milestone years at CSUDH. While many were celebrating five, 10, 15, even 20 years, nine members of the staff marked 25 years or more at CSUDH and were given special recognition for their dedication to the university.
50 Years
Antoine (Tony) Flint, library services specialist, CAPS & Digital Initiative.
35 Years
Will Henderson, kinesiology equipment manager, Kinesiology & Recreation.
30 Years
Linda Brown, office manager, Loker Student Union; Constance Chambers, analyst/programmer, Student Information Services; Helen Palad Remigio, analyst/programmer, Student Information Services; Raymond Montoya, lead plumber, Building Maintenance; John Mendoza, light auto equipment operator, Grounds Maintenance; and Jose Robledo, recycling coordinator, Physical Plant.
25 years
Dr. Hiawatha Harris, physician, Student Health Services; Tony Lawson, sergeant, University Police; Miriam Neal, library services specialist, Collection Services & Systems; and Lorena Raymundo-Yusef, manager, Accounting Services.
