The University of Michigan School of Information has announced the 2024 UMSI Staff Awards. Each year, these awards celebrate the remarkable contributions of staff members who advance UMSI’s mission and strengthen the school community. 

UMSI presented six awards in four categories: the Outstanding Staff Recognition Award, Emerging Impact Award, MUMSI: Collaboration and Service Award, and Innovation Excellence Award. The staff awards committee received nearly 70 nominations across these categories from UMSI staff and faculty.

All honorees were recognized at the UMSI Faculty and Staff Community Meeting on Sep. 17. Individual honorees will receive a $2,000 award, and team honorees will receive a $5,000 award to be divided evenly among members.

Outstanding Staff Recognition Award

This award is given annually to a UMSI staff member who has contributed outstandingly to advancing the UMSI mission. This may be accomplished in various ways, such as exhibiting exemplary work qualities, solving challenging problems, demonstrating a willingness to go the extra mile or fostering the collaboration of others.

Awardee: Sarah Regan, associate director of online programs 

Sarah Regan's leadership in launching critical initiatives, including the new on-ramp to the Master of Applied Data Science program and EAB Advising Software, demonstrates her exceptional problem-solving skills and dedication to UMSI's mission. She is known for her ability to nurture strong, cooperative relationships and to tackle complex challenges head-on. Regan consistently goes above and beyond, fostering a supportive environment for her team and always seeking the best outcomes for students and the school.

Emerging Impact Award

The Emerging Impact Award recognizes individuals who, within their first three years at UMSI, have made a remarkable impact. Nominees for this award are rising stars within the UMSI community who have made substantial contributions that align with UMSI's mission and goals, demonstrating a keen ability to adapt, innovate and contribute meaningfully. 

Awardee: Jordan Hansen, assistant director of undergraduate career education
In just over a year, Jordan Hansen has made remarkable contributions to student career education and advocacy. She independently managed the BSI Peer Coach Program, stepped up as an instructor for two sections of SI 300: Career and Internship Studio, and fostered faculty partnerships. Hansen's leadership and inclusive teaching strategies have earned her trust and recognition from colleagues and students alike.

Awardee: Brian Schmidt, senior administrative assistant
Brian Schmidt has had a significant impact on UMSI in a short time, contributing to key projects like documentation for the American Library Association accreditation and taking charge of the faculty awards process. His proactive approach, attention to detail and eagerness to learn have greatly enhanced the efficiency of processes he manages. Schmidt's dedication and adaptability make him a standout contributor to the UMSI community.

MUMSI: Collaboration and Service Award

Taking its name from UMSI’s mascot, MUMSI the squirrel, the MUMSI: Collaboration and Service Award recognizes an individual who has positively impacted the UMSI community, while building partnerships across U-M and beyond to advance UMSI’s priorities. This person forges new relationships and fosters connectedness, enhancing the experience of students, faculty and/or fellow staff. 

Awardee: Sandra Lopez, DEI educational outreach program manager
Sandra Lopez has made a lasting impact on students’ lives through her leadership of UMSI’s Community College Summer Institute and Information Changes Everything Camp, increasing pathways to the Bachelor of Science in Information program. Her strategic partnerships with colleagues across UMSI, community colleges, libraries and national organizations have broadened UMSI’s reach and fostered educational opportunities for students. Lopez’s efforts in forging new relationships and bridging gaps exemplifies the spirit of service and dedication. 

Innovation Excellence Award

This award honors individuals and teams whose pioneering solutions have addressed significant challenges at UMSI, showcasing exceptional innovation and problem-solving methodologies, along with a willingness to take informed risks to enhance the school's operational landscape. 

Individual Awardee: Violet Shreve, senior software developer
Violet Shreve’s innovative work in developing automation tools has transformed UMSI’s operational efficiency. Her groundbreaking API client for Coursera has saved countless hours of manual work, while her other contributions, including a system for populating Slack channels based on MCommunity groups and academic integrity enhancements in Jupyter+nbgrader  environments, showcase her commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

Team Awardee: Academic Programs and Student Life Team
Katy Peters, Shannon Gass, Josh Lee, Allison Sweet, DeAndre Caldwell, Libby Jones, Allie Prough and Kelli Lance
This team has been honored with the Innovation Excellence Award for their development of the "Continuum of Care" process, an innovative system for managing and supporting student concerns through the UMSI Student Care Report. The team’s dedication to developing effective workflows and best practices has made UMSI a leader in student support, handling over 260 Care Reports since the process launched in March 2023 and awarding nearly $15,000 in emergency funding to students referred through Care Reports. The efforts of the Academic Programs and Student Life Team have significantly improved UMSI’s ability to address critical student issues with a holistic and timely approach.

Congratulations to all the award recipients and nominees!

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