Awards

Staff Awards

Recognizing the extraordinary contributions and service of Fisher’s staff community. 

Fisher staff awards are distributed each spring at the faculty and staff Recognition Luncheon, where the Fisher community also celebrates milestone work anniversaries, student-nominated undergraduate instructors, the Fisher Inclusion Champions and college committee chairs.

Awards

The Coykendale Rising Star Award  - named in honor of Cindy Coykendale, who provided more than 35 years of dedicated service to the college - is presented to a staff member with fewer than five years of Fisher service, while the Coykendale Service Excellence Award is reserved for a staff member with five or more years of Fisher service. Award winners demonstrate commitment and contribution to one or more of the core values of the college: integrity, empathy, diversity, inclusivity, social responsibility and creativity.  In addition, winners provide consistent and excellent job performance, promote a positive and motivating work environment, and provide outstanding service to all.

The Fisher Diversity Champion Award recognizes a staff member who has five or more years of Fisher service, the Fisher Diversity Champion goes beyond their official job duties to promote and enhance diversity and inclusion in the college. The award winner exemplifies the views that diversity is our strength and that equity in its many forms permeates our culture.

The winner of the Fisher Culture Champion Award is a staff member who serves as an unsung hero, working to support colleagues, often without fanfare or recognition. A culture champion exemplifies servant leadership, making a positive impact on all those around them.

The Fisher Innovator of the Year is a staff member who is not satisfied with conducting business as usual, but rather consistently looks for new and innovative ways to satisfy Fisher’s core mission. The innovator is able to think outside the box and convince others to pursue new paths and take new ventures that help move the college forward.

Culture and community are inextricably linked at Fisher. Fisher employees take active roles in shaping the mission, purposes and values that guide as an institution of higher learning. The Fisher Values Awards recognizes staff members who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to Fisher’s core values. There is one award given for each core value listed in Fisher’s strategic plan. Specifically, staff members who go above and beyond in their roles to incorporate the college’s values found below:

• Lead with integrity. Fisher educates and creates principled leaders and are committed to creating community where our actions and behaviors are consistent, honest and transparent.
• Practice empathy. We treat everyone with dignity and strive in our interactions to understand other points of view.
• Embrace diversity. We recognize the value of diversity in shaping ideas, and we welcome and embrace individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives. This award will be given to a staff member with less than five years of service at the college to offset the Fisher Diversity Champion Award.
• Build an inclusive community.  We share in the responsibility of creating a community in which every member feels respected, supported, valued and encouraged to fully participate.
• Promote social responsibility. We stay informed of issues that impact our local and global communities and endeavor to serve in relevant ways to address them.
• Pursue excellence and nurturing creativity. We set the highest standards and aim to do our very best by resolving to stay curious and seek out innovation and lifelong learning.

2023 Award Winners

Coykendale Service Excellence Award

David Harrison
Senior Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion Student Services and Corporate and Community Outreach

Coykendale Rising Star Award

Lauren Faherty
Graduate Student Engagement Coordinator, Graduate Programs Office

Fisher Culture Champion

Sara Hartman
Manager, Office of Marketing and Communications

Fisher Diversity Champion

Keira Williams
Program Manager, Office of Global Business

Fisher Innovator of the Year

Andrea Evans
Associate Director, Orientation, Undergraduate Program Office

Fisher Values Award: Integrity 

Robyn Scholl

Fisher Values Award: Empathy

Audrey Bledsoe

Fisher Values Award: Diversity

Marlena Harper

Fisher Values Award: Community

Matt Waitkus

Fisher Values Award: Social Responsibility

Laurie Spadaro

Fisher Values Award: Creativity

Nancy Gilbertsen

Past Award Winners

For more information about the awards, contact Melanie DiFeo.