Going Above and Beyond Chapman shines a spotlight on exemplary staff at annual awards ceremony

“There’s just something special about this place. It feels like home.” It’s a sentiment we hear time and again from Chapman University students and alumni, but it’s also a common refrain from the staff members dedicating their careers to creating an exceptional Chapman Experience. That must be why so many of them stick around for so long, making Chapman University not just a place to work, but also a place to belong and find community.

On Thursday, June 7, staff members gathered in the Chapman Auditorium in Memorial Hall for the Staff Appreciation Awards Ceremony. The ceremony was a highlight of the University’s Staff Summit Week, an annual tradition featuring workshops, wellness activities, and a mid-week brunch to honor and celebrate Chapman employees.

Each year, Service Awards are presented to staff who have reached milestone employment anniversaries at Chapman University. This year, 112 staff members received Service Awards, representing more than 1,200 years of service to the University.

The President’s Award, the University’s highest staff honor, was presented to Sherri Akau, associate director of Residence Life and First Year Experience. Sherri was described as “a model of work ethic in her department” and someone who is “well-loved throughout campus.” Her nominators noted that Sherri is “instrumental in nearly every facet of her department’s operations.”

Sheryl Bourgeois, executive vice president of University Advancement, presented Staff Member of the Year Awards to Hallie Nicholson, assistant director of communications, for Strategic Marketing and Communications, and Laura Miller, business analyst, for the Development, Operations, and Career and Professional Development division.

The Four Pillars award, presented by Harold Hewitt, Jr., executive vice president and chief operating officer, went to Marissa Torres, payroll specialist in the Financial Services division. Marissa’s nominators lauded her for “always taking the time to explain how to get things done,” rather than directing inquiries to a self-service form.

Provost Glenn Pfeiffer presented the Provost’s Award to San White, director of administrative operations at Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. Recipients of the Provost’s Award are nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of colleagues.

Receiving Service Awards were: