The university’s Staff Senate named its first-ever Outstanding Staff Award recipients on June 8, with President Amiridis delivering opening remarks.
Award recipients are:
- First place - Ruth Patterson, assistant dean for student services in the College of Engineering and Computing.
- Second place - Beth Powell, administrative coordinator in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
- Third place - Kim Truett, photographer and digital asset coordinator in the Division of Communications and Marketing.
What they are: The awards, initiated by outgoing Staff Senate President Rushondra James, mark the launch of a universitywide staff recognition program.
How they were chosen: Recipients were chosen from among more than 30 nominees. Staff senators Chris Burkett and Melissa Kupfer served as chairs of an awards committee and an awards evaluation committee, respectively.
What they’re saying: “Our hope with these awards is to recognize some of the unsung heroes at the university level. We wanted to honor those whose work is impactful, yet so seamless — almost magical — that it may sometimes go unnoticed. Staff comprises nearly 60 percent of all employees here at USC, which means their work is essential to university operations.” — Rushondra James