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Recognizing Excellence

At Auburn, we deeply value the contributions and dedication of our employees. The Spirit of Excellence program celebrates outstanding efforts by our employees and acknowledges their commitment to Auburn's mission.

Each month, Auburn University recognizes as many as four employees with the Spirit of Excellence award. Employees are recognized from each of the following groups: Service/Maintenance, Office Administration, Technical, and Administrative/Professional.

FAQs

Auburn University employees can be nominated for the Spirit of Excellence award. The following employee groups are not eligible:

  • Temporary employees

  • Student employees (graduate and undergraduate)

  • County agents and extension specialists

  • Faculty (tenure track and non-tenure track)

Employees must also:

  • Have at least one year of continuous employment with Auburn University

  • Have a performance evaluation rating that meets or exceeds expectations at the time of nomination

Nominees should consistently exceed expectations, contribute to exceptional service and elevated quality, and/or positively impact Auburn’s culture of excellence.

Anyone -- even non-employees -- can nominate an Auburn employee for Spirit of Excellence. 

Complete this nomination form. (The form is also published below the FAQs.) Be sure to answer this question thoroughly:

Please share why you believe this employee deserves to be a Spirit of Excellence recipient. In your response, describe and give examples of how they have consistently exceeded expectations, contributed to exceptional service, elevated quality, and/or positively impacted Auburn’s culture of excellence. 

Recipients will be selected from nominations submitted in the last 12 months. Nominations should be submitted by the 15th of each month to be eligible for the following month.

They receive a certificate and a gift from Employee Relations. They will also be recognized in Auburn News.

Each monthly winner of the Spirit of Excellence Award will be considered to receive one of four Employee of the Year awards.

The winners will be announced and recognized at the annual Employee Recognition Award ceremony which is held in the spring.

Nominating an Employee

Recent Recipients

October 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Elizabeth Chmura

Career Discovery and Success

Office Administration

Charnita Wright

Classroom Building Management

Service/Maintenance

Kristine Ball

Human Resources 

Admin/Professional 

Yinbo Chen

Physics (COSAM)

Technical/Paraprofessional

September 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Lana Beason

College of Architecture, Design and Construction

Office Administration

Sharon Smith

Custodial Services

Service/Maintenance

Gregory Konietzky

Aerospace Engineering

Admin/Professional 

Chelsey Hooper

Auburn University Libraries

Technical/Paraprofessional

August 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Katherine Calloway

COSAM

Admin/Professional 

Alexander Hedgepath

Landscape Services

Technical/Paraprofessional

No nominee

Office Administration

No nominee

Service/Maintenance

July 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Daffny Pierce

Air Force ROTC

Office Administration

Willie Trimble

Floor Maintenance (Facilities)

Service/Maintenance

Allison Stadler

Academic Support 

Admin/Professional 

Jonah Lasley

Auburn University Libraries

Technical/Paraprofessional

June 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Candace Konietzky

Office of the Registrar

Office Administration

James Stillwell Jr.

Automotive Shop (Facilities)

Service/Maintenance

Stacy Taylor

Residence Life (Student Affairs)

Admin/Professional 

José Ortiz Rodriguez

Auburn University Libraries

Technical/Paraprofessional

May 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Ariel Rocker

Learning Resource Center (College of Education)

Office Administration

John David Gowan

Industrial Design (College of Architecture, Design & Construction)

Service/Maintenance

Holly Davenport

Engineering Administration

Admin/Professional 

David Crane

Auburn University Libraries

Technical/Paraprofessional

April 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Anita Smith

Office of the Registrar (Provost)

Office Administration

Dora Moore

Custodial Services (Facilities Management)

Service/Maintenance

Samantha Allbrook

Engineering Administration

Admin/Professional 

Sedrick Jefferson

Auburn University Libraries

Technical/Paraprofessional

March 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Melanie Hall

AU Bookstore

Office Administration

Nathan Phillips

Facilities Management (Zone 3)

Service/Maintenance

Melissa Gore

Entomology and Plant Pathology (Agriculture)

Admin/Professional 

Nabeel Rawajfih

Engineering Administration

Technical/Paraprofessional

February 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Mary "Kim" Johns

NCAT

Office Administration

Vaness Jerido

Facilities Management

Service/Maintenance

Katharine Hardy

Engineering Administration

Admin/Professional 

Caroline Whiting

Biosystems Engineering

Technical/Paraprofessional

January 2024

Recipient

Department

Category

Kaylen Anderson

Admin - Pharmacy

Office Administration

Morgan Smith

Athletic Department Admin

Admin/Professional 

Kelly Price

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Technical/Paraprofessional

December 2023

Recipient

Department

Brandon Gann

Contract Services (Facilities)

John Martin

Automotive Shop (Facilities)

Yvette Stone

Honors Program

Tyler Davidson

Information Systems Support

 

November 2023

Recipient

Department

Kimberly McCadden

Navy ROTC

Trenton Berry

Automotive Shop (Facilities)

Lindsey Johnson

Business and Finance HR

Kenneth Lindsey

Information Technology

 

October 2023

Recipient

Department

Katherine Lenkner

Property Management (Student Affairs)

Mikenna Babbs

Research Security Compliance 

Jessica Gammons

Clinical Sciences

 

September 2023

Recipient

Department

Sarah Beckum

School of Kinesiology

Jeffrey Dyal

Landscape Services

Perry Wood

Maintenance

Thomas Jon Bell

Office of Information Technology

 

August 2023

Recipient

Department

Teresa Jernigan

Cooperative Education

Courtney Martin

Tax Compliance

Joshua Jones

COSAM - IT

 

July 2023

Recipient

Department

Zandi Foss

ACES - Dale County

Elizabeth Campbell

Mechanical Engineering

Hayden Helms

Provost and VP Academic Affairs

Thomas Billingsley

School of Fisheries, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences

 

June 2023

Recipient

Department

Julie Rodiek

Auburn MRI Research Center

Jackie Bailey

Office of Information Technology

 

May 2023

Recipient

Department

Kecia Hill

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Branden Farmer

Industrial and Systems Engineering

James Johnson

Biosystems Engineering

 

April 2023

Recipient

Department

Brandy Tucker

University Human Resources

Brooke Bailey

Communications and Marketing

Daniel Nunes

Office of Information Technology

 

March 2023

Recipient

Department

Carla Story

College of Engineering

Janice Reese

Student Affairs (Property Management)

Amanda Hanks

College of Engineering

Janet Bandy

Libraries

 

February 2023

Recipient

Department

Nina Hollingsworth

Facilities (Access Control)

Brandon Hudson

Student Affairs (Property Management)

Ross Bearden

Student Affairs (Recreation and Wellness Center)

Philip Stephens

Office of Information Technology

 

January 2023

Recipient

Department

Teresa Westbrook

Office of Information Technology

Gwendolyn James

Student Affairs

Nicholas Head

Student Affairs

Carla Nelson

Engineering

Last updated: 10/15/2024