Staff Recognition
Employee recognition acknowledges employeee for exemplary performance or service. Recognizing your colleagues goes a long way in creating a positive working environment. At Smith, we have a few formal ways of recognizing and appreciating our employees.
Some benefits of practicing employee recognition include:
- Increased productivity
- Job satisfaction
- Better employee retention
- Better networking opportunities
- Positive employee-employer relationship
- A healthy, positive environment
The Staff Spotlight Award recognizes employees for going above and beyond the everyday scope of their responsibilities. Smith employees can nominate colleagues for recent accomplishments that reflect contributions in the following areas:
- Service excellence
- Process improvement/development
- Problem solving
- Fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment
- Other (to be described by nominator)
Employees are encouraged to nominate colleagues—inside or outside of their departments—by submitting a Staff Spotlight Award nomination form. Human Resources will review all nominations.
Please note:
- Nominations for this year’s spotlight awards will run from December 10, 2021 until March 31, 2022. All nominations should be for accomplishments that take place during the nomination cycle of December 10 – March 31.
- Employees may receive a maximum of one award per year.
- Employees may not nominate their supervisors.
- Students are not eligible to participate.
What is a Staff Spotlight Award?
The Staff Spotlight Award recognizes staff for going above and beyond the everyday scope of their responsibilities.
Why is it important to have a Staff Spotlight Award?
Employees feel more connected to the workplace culture when they receive recognition for service excellence. Through a nomination system, the Staff Spotlight Award celebrates achievements and reinforces values and behaviors. Recipients receive a monetary gift shortly after their nominations and are invited to a special Staff Spotlight Award celebration in the spring.
How will nominees be categorized?
Nominees will be categorized by the following:
- Service excellence
- Process improvement/development
- Problem solving
- Fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment
- Other (to be described by the nominator)
How many awards can an individual receive in a year?
Employees may be nominated multiple times throughout the course of the program year, but each employee is only eligible to receive one financial award.
Who is eligible to receive this award?
Full- and part-time staff are eligible to receive the award.
Describe the nomination process.
All Smith College employees are encouraged to nominate a staff colleague by submitting a Staff Spotlight Award nomination form. Employees may nominate staff members from any department on campus but cannot nominate their supervisors. Human Resources will review and approve nominations based upon the contribution areas and timeframe of accomplishments.
What is the Spotlight Award cycle?
Nominations are accepted December through March for the current fiscal year. All nominations should be for accomplishments that take place during the nomination cycle of December 10 through March 31.
Cathy Amarante
Lauren Anderson
Allison Avalon Duke
Amy Avard
Michael Baird
Mandy Bellavance
Daelyn Bentley-Gottel
Dan Bridgman
James Burbidge
Maureen Callahan
Jamie Cavanaugh
Sanford Cluett
Rachel Cook
Jonathan Diaz
Aaron Dowd
Ashavan Doyon
Hannah Durrant
Emily Fitzgerald
Jess Flynn
Rhonda Fowler
Stefanie Frazee
Donna Gingras
Maya Gounard
Melanie Gulow
Cat Hannula
Lauren Harvey
Edna Howe
Becca Jacobson
Valerie Joseph
Carol Kelly
Jennifer Kennedy
Jeremy Kenneson
Rania Kfuri
Michael Kuilan
Keli M. Kuklewicz
Deborah Lacasse
Marjorie Latham
Oeuy Lip-Ross
Kate Long
Amanda Lopez
Gerri Manley
Matt Martindell
Lindsey McGrath
Emily McNally
Heather McQueen
Steaphan Mish
Marc Nichols
Allison Page
Nicole Pellaton
Jamie Pfisterer
Larry Picard
Emily Prabhaker
Esther Roth-Katz
Kathy San Antonio
Elizabeth Secchia
Claire Seely
Eric Sergel
Brian Stoffer
Natasha Tauscher
Tracy Tien
Katey Tobin
Molly Twarog
Jessica Vallone
J Vaughn
Elizabeth “Lulu” Walsh
Laurie Wildhagen
Elaine Zach
Timothy Zima
Smith College recognizes and honors employees who have reached certain service milestones. Awards are presented to employees in recognition of years of service beginning at 10 years and every five-year milestone through 35 years and beyond. In the fall, a special luncheon is held in their honor.
After addressing the honorees, the president presents 25-year pins to staff reaching their 25th year of service with the college, thereby inducting them into the Twenty-Five Year Club.
All honorees are presented with a certificate signed by the president of Smith College.
Besides these formal way of recognizing people, here are some examples of Informal recognition that you can use to share your appreciation for a colleague’s contributions to your team:
- Email on a job well done
- Treat the department to lunch
- Bring in a special treat ( fruit dish, cake, donuts) “just because”
- Coordinate a team event ( bowling, ect) gift card for lunch at the campus center
Take the time to acknowledge your colleagues today and tomorrow for a stronger future!