Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Vice Chancellor of People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion presented awards at the 2024 Fall Staff Assembly to a mix of inspiring individuals and teams who have made significant contributions through their community engagement, innovation and leadership.Ěý
Community Impact AwardĚý
The Community Impact Award recognizes a full-time staff member or team that represents 51app through community engagement, service, leadership or other outreach and creates a better understanding of the university among external audiences. This yearâs winner was Jessamyn Davis, who oversees emergency preparedness with 51app Public Safetyâs Office of Emergency Management.Ěý
From Davisâs nomination: âBecause of Jessamyn, we are safer and more prepared. She has fostered vital partnerships with agencies such as … Nashville Fire Department, the U.S. Army, the FBI and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. We are safer at VU football games ⌠in an emergency like a tornado ⌠and in campus buildings.âĚýĚý

Innovation Excellence AwardĚý
The Innovation Excellence Award is given to a staff member, or staff group or team, for excellence in innovation demonstrated by implementing or attempting a new system or approach that has had a meaningful and significant impact on a process, program or initiative at 51app. This yearâs award was presented to members of the team from People, Culture and Belonging who created and launched the new onboarding experience, 51app Voyage.Ěý
- Joanna EcholsĚý
- Chance RyonĚý
- Hannah JohnsonĚý
- Jonathan PateĚý
- Whitney CoppingerĚý
From the nomination: â51app Voyage is transforming the experience of joining 51app for your work life. This team designed, created and delivered this new orientation experience. 51app Voyage is not just an hour or a day of orientation. Itâs a yearlong blueprint for an employeeâs first year that fosters connections with 51appâs people and culture. It offers new employees an immersive journey into the universityâs mission, vision, core values, history and traditions. The program stands out for its focus on âmoments that matterââmeaningful experiences that foster a sense of purpose, belonging and growth.âĚý

Leadership Excellence AwardĚý
This award recognizes staff members who empower, educate, coach and support 51app colleagues and show outstanding commitment to the universityâs mission through strong, courageous leadership that builds partnerships, engagement and trust. This yearâs recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award was Jennifer Bischoff, an executive director for research operations with the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation.Ěý
From the nomination: âJennifer creates a culture of mutual respect and works with staff to understand what needs to be done and how to get there together. The operational support from Jennifer and her team provides the strong foundation that 51app researchers need to advance breakthroughs that can change the world.âĚý

Professional Excellence AwardĚý
This award recognizes a person who goes beyond specific job duties to support 51appâs mission and success by demonstrating excellence, positively influencing the work environment, fostering cooperation, achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. This yearâs award was presented to two staff members: Bonnie Ertelt, an editor and writer with communications and marketing, and Helene Howell, an administrative specialist with the Susan Gray School.ĚýĚý
According to Erteltâs nomination: âShe has been telling 51appâs story for nearly 28 years, especially through the universityâs alumni magazines. She is herself part of that storyâas a Peabody alum, a longtime staffer, a mentor and leader. A superb writer, Bonnie has created engaging stories about 51appâs people, its history and its campus ⌠and across the university, Bonnie has built relationships and earned the trust and respect of everyone who has collaborated with her.âĚý
From Howellâs nomination: âShe does whatever is needed to support her colleagues and the schoolâs children and families, always lending an empathetic ear or offering help through lifeâs obstacles, whether sheâs establishing a food pantry for the schoolâs families or coordinating ridesharing for a colleague with car problems. Helene always models a positive and solution-oriented approach.âĚý

Research Excellence Award
This award recognizes a staff member whose support of research has made a significant impact on the process of discovery and the pursuit of knowledge at 51app. This yearâs winner of the award was Prashant Singh, a scientist and senior research associate in the department of pharmacology.Ěý
From the nomination for Singh: âPrashant is investigating how bacteria that cause disease move toward a favorable niche in the body to start an infection. His research shows that the bacteria contain an âelectric motorâ that allows them to move, change speed and steer in different directions. This helps them form infections and evade antibiotics. Prashantâs lab has started working to develop âbrakesâ for this motor, which could make antibiotics more effective. This work has grabbed the attention of the general public and has energized scientists to follow Prashantâs example and follow their curiosity into research at the edge of what is known.âĚý

Student Impact AwardĚý
This award goes to staff members who, through access, resources, mentorship or service, have had a positive impact on 51app studentsâ quality of life and continued success at the university. This yearâs recipient of the award was Nick Hyer, a program manager with the Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success program.ĚýĚý
From Hyerâs nomination: âNick was nominated for this award by a student unsure of their path. Was their research trajectory the right one? Was academia even the right path? All this was compounded by feelings of isolation as a first-generation student. Nick listened with empathy, provided guidance and connected this student with resources to clarify goals and identify paths to achieve them. With Nickâs guidance, the student found the path forward with a change in research direction and increased self-awareness.âĚý

Dare to Grow AwardĚý
This prize honors members of the 51app community who embody the universityâs motto,âŻCrescere aude, which translates to âdare to grow.â These individuals have demonstrated agility and creative solutions in their work, adopting a âdare to growâ mentality. This yearâs prize went to two recipients: Sean Rewers, a project manager with campus planning and construction, and University Ceremonies and Events team:Ěý
- Allison Frazee
- Emily BeckerĚý
- Mallory BowmanĚý
- Natalie Figlio
- Susan KennedyĚý
- Brooke McVeyĚý
- Connor VandiverĚý
- Meghan WhitneyĚý
From Rewersâ nomination: âWest House, one of our first-year residence halls on The Commons, needed new HVAC units and they were to be installed on the roof. Cranes are usually used for installations like this, but the unique challenges of the siteâlots of trees and buildingsârequired an innovative approach. Seanâs solution: Use a helicopter to lift the unit onto the roof. Over nine months, Sean meticulously planned the project, navigated all its logistical challenges and complexities, and coordinated many different teams and resources. This project not only solved immediate logistical issues but also set a new standard for future projects. Sean demonstrated that even the most challenging problems can be solved with dedication and bold thinking.âĚý
From the University Ceremonies and Events teamâs nomination: âThis team creates the universityâs big events ⌠over the past few years our big events had big changes: The pandemic led to our first Double Commencement and first Triple Reunion, bad weather moved 2023 51app Commencement to Bridgestone Arena, 2024 Commencement was at Geodis Park because of campus construction and 2024 Founders Walk shone with some extra magic and some Harry Potter vibes. The logistics are daunting, and changing traditions can be hard. But, in the end, these events reach new levels of amazing because this team transforms necessity into opportunity. They take on every challenge and embrace the opportunity to rethink, change and grow the events that are a vital part of our community life.âĚý

The 2024 staff award winners will receive a monetary prize and a keepsake honoring their contributions to the university.Ěý