Posted on May 12, 2023 by College of Sciences

#CollegeNews
awardees

College of Sciences Announces Nominees for the Annual Staff Appreciation Awards Ceremony

By Ryan Schoensee

The UTSA College of Sciences (COS) held a staff awards ceremony to recognize the achievements of COS staff which ranged from innovation and excellence to leadership and collaboration.

The annual ceremony was held on Wednesday, May 10 from 11 am to 1 pm in the BSE Atrium with lunch provided. All COS staff and friends of the college were invited to attend and celebrate the achievements of their colleagues.

During the ceremony, which included remarks from David Silva, Dean of the College of Sciences, and Tracy Beasley, Assistant Dean for Operations, staff were recognized for their outstanding leadership and accomplishments. Nominees were chosen by the college's staff via an electronic survey sent to all employees.

Below are the 2023 nominees:

Outstanding Customer Service
The Outstanding Customer Service Award will be given to a BSC staff member who has demonstrated an exceptional ability to foster collaboration, communication, and cooperation among colleagues, in the pursuit of outstanding customer service. The staff member's actions have significantly improved or increased customer satisfaction for specific UTSA and COS customers; significantly improved a work process or system; or significantly increased the productivity and efficiency of an operation or work unit.

  • Carmen Sepulveda, BSC Specialist II

Roadrunner Award for Innovation
Presented to a staff member who has demonstrated exemplary service and commitment to the college, as well as the achievement of its goals, through his or her actions throughout the year. This individual has significantly increased productivity and efficiency for colleagues or customers by developing creative solutions; providing outstanding and ongoing excellence in services to faculty, staff, students, and/or other UTSA customers. This is the highest honor a COS staff member can receive for his or her service to UTSA and the COS community.

  • Daniel Ramirez-Escobedo, Director of the COS Student Success Center

Staff Excellence Award
The recipient of the Staff Excellence Award is a staff member who has promoted departmental and College mission and goals through actions and job performance; who have demonstrated exceptional leadership ability; who has fostered a positive and motivating work environment; who has maintained open communication lines within the department and throughout College of Sciences; who has encouraged professional development; and who has demonstrated fairness and equity in resolving employee and workplace conflicts.

  • Veronica Castellanos, BSC Specialist II

Leadership Award for Teamwork & Collaboration
This award recognizes a staff member who contributes to and demonstrates a commitment to the College's mission by demonstrating strong leadership qualities, encouraging professional development, and cultivating an excellence culture in their department/team.

  • Cheryl Negrete, BSC Specialist III

Honorable Mention: Wanda Guntz, Senior Academic Administrative Manager, NDRB

Unsung Hero
The Unsung Hero Award honors a staff member who has taken the initiative to contribute to the success of the college through outstanding contributions at work. Extra efforts are evident in their accomplishments, timeliness, and follow-through, willingness to assist other departments/coworkers, and ability to provide good customer service with creativity, dedication, cooperation, and dependability. He or she has performed above and beyond normal job requirements, resulting in the advancement of the department's and COS's goals and mission.

  • Hector Escobar, Administrative Analyst, Integrative Biology

Honorable Mention: Patty Ramirez, Web Specialist, COS Dean's Office

— College of Sciences