Staff members honored for excellence in research, service during 2024 Fall Staff Assembly

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.

Community Impact Award

The Community Impact Award recognizes a full-time staff member or team that represents Vanderbilt through community engagement, service, leadership or other outreach and creates a better understanding of the university among external audiences. This year's winner was Jessamyn Davis, who oversees emergency preparedness with Vanderbilt Public Safety's Office of Emergency Management.

From Davis's nomination: "Because 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."

Community Impact Award: Jessamyn Davis (center) poses with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (left) and Vice Chancellor of People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

Innovation Excellence Award

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 Vanderbilt. This year's award was presented to members of the team from People, Culture and Belonging who created and launched the new onboarding experience, Vanderbilt Voyage.

• Joanna Echols
• Chance Ryon
• Hannah Johnson
• Jonathan Pate
• Whitney Coppinger

From the nomination: "Vanderbilt Voyage is transforming the experience of joining Vanderbilt for your work life. This team designed, created and delivered this new orientation experience. Vanderbilt Voyage is not just an hour or a day of orientation. It's a yearlong blueprint for an employee's first year that fosters connections with Vanderbilt's people and culture. It offers new employees an immersive journey into the university's mission, vision, core values, history and traditions. The program stands out for its focus on 'moments that matter'-meaningful experiences that foster a sense of purpose, belonging and growth."

Innovation Excellence Award: Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (far left) and Vice Chancellor of People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion (far right) pose with award winners (left to right) Jonathan Pate, Whitney Coppinger, Joanna Echols, Hannah Johnson and Chance Ryon. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

Leadership Excellence Award

This award recognizes staff members who empower, educate, coach and support Vanderbilt colleagues and show outstanding commitment to the university's mission through strong, courageous leadership that builds partnerships, engagement and trust. This year's 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.

From the nomination: "Jennifer 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 Vanderbilt researchers need to advance breakthroughs that can change the world."

Leadership Excellence Award: Jennifer Bischoff (center) poses with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (left) and Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

Professional Excellence Award

This award recognizes a person who goes beyond specific job duties to support Vanderbilt's mission and success by demonstrating excellence, positively influencing the work environment, fostering cooperation, achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. This year's 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.

According to Ertelt's nomination: "She has been telling Vanderbilt's story for nearly 28 years, especially through the university's alumni magazines. She is herself part of that story-as a Peabody alum, a longtime staffer, a mentor and leader. A superb writer, Bonnie has created engaging stories about Vanderbilt's 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."

From Howell's nomination: "She does whatever is needed to support her colleagues and the school's children and families, always lending an empathetic ear or offering help through life's obstacles, whether she's establishing a food pantry for the school's families or coordinating ridesharing for a colleague with car problems. Helene always models a positive and solution-oriented approach."

Professional Excellence Award: Helene Howell (center) poses with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (left) and Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

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 Vanderbilt. This year's winner of the award was Prashant Singh, a scientist and senior research associate in the department of pharmacology.

From the nomination for Singh: "Prashant 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 "electric motor" that allows them to move, change speed and steer in different directions. This helps them form infections and evade antibiotics. Prashant's lab has started working to develop "brakes" 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 Prashant's example and follow their curiosity into research at the edge of what is known."

Research Excellence Award: Prashant Singh (center) poses with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (left) and Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

Student Impact Award

This award goes to staff members who, through access, resources, mentorship or service, have had a positive impact on Vanderbilt students' quality of life and continued success at the university. This year's recipient of the award was Nick Hyer, a program manager with the Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success program.

From Hyer's nomination: "Nick 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 Nick's guidance, the student found the path forward with a change in research direction and increased self-awareness."

Student Impact Award: Nick Hyer (center) poses with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (left) and Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

Dare to Grow Award

This prize honors members of the Vanderbilt community who embody the university's motto, Crescere aude, which translates to "dare to grow." These individuals have demonstrated agility and creative solutions in their work, adopting a "dare to grow" mentality. This year's prize went to two recipients: Sean Rewers, a project manager with campus planning and construction, and University Ceremonies and Events team:

• Allison Frazee
• Emily Becker
• Mallory Bowman
• Natalie Figlio
• Susan Kennedy
• Brooke McVey
• Connor Vandiver
• Meghan Whitney

From Rewers' nomination: "West 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 site-lots of trees and buildings-required an innovative approach. Sean's 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."

From the University Ceremonies and Events team's nomination: "This team creates the university's 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 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."

Dare to Grow Award: Chancellor Daniel Diermeier (far left) and Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion (far right) pose with members of the University Ceremonies and Events team (left to right) Meghan Whitney, Natalie Figlio, Brooke McVey, Mallory Bowman, Susan Kennedy, Connor Vandiver and Allison Frazee. (Harrison McClary / Vanderbilt University)

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

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