Awards and Recognition

Each year, Student Life recognizes the exceptional achievements of outstanding students, faculty and staff through awards like the Partners for Student Success Award, Sue Follon Exemplary Service Award and the Student Leadership Awards.

Partners for Student Success Award

The Partners for Student Success Award (formerly known as the Helping Students Succeed Award) was created to acknowledge key partners in other divisions who contribute to the success of students through their collaboration with Student Life to help students succeed.

2023 Recipients
Janine Baeza, Associate Director of Freshman Recruitment & Access, Admissions
Kathy Peters, Academic Advisor, Academic Advising

2022 Recipients
De’Carlos Anderson, Director, Educational Talent Search, Waterloo
Sarah Harms, Administrative Assistant to Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations
Joellen Hatchett, Orientation Coordinator, Student Success and Retention

No awards were distributed in 2021 due to COVID-19

2020 Recipients
Fabio Fontana, Department Head & Professor, Kinesiology
Oksana Grybovych-Hafermann, Department Head & Associate Professor, Health, Recreation & Community Services
Wilfred (Mickye) Johnson, Director, Classic Upward Bound
Kristin Peiffer, Assistant Director, Scholarships & Communications, Financial Aid

2019 Recipients
Jenny Connolly, Academic Advising Manager, College of Business Administration
Juana Hollingsworth, Assistant Director, Diversity Recruitment, Admissions
Lukas Nelson, Accounts Receivable Accountant, Business Operations

2018 Recipients
Tim Bakula, Interim Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships
Sam Barr, Information Technology Coordinator, IT-Client Services
Stacia Eggers, Assistant Athletic Director/Academic Services

2017 Recipients
Ken Atkinson, Professor, History
Brenda Bass, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs
David Saunders, Department Head and Professor, Biology
Robert Smith, Executive Director, Educational Opportunity Programs & Special Community Services

2016 Recipients
Celeste Bembry, Student Recruitment and Retention Coordinator, College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences
Pat Geadelmann, Special Assistant to the President for Board and Governmental Relations
Linda Reardon-Lowry, Recruitment/Advisor, Technology
Mike Waggoner, Professor, Educational Leadership and Postsecondary Education

2015 Recipients
Jan Hanish, Assistant Vice President for Administration and Financial Services
Deirdre Heistad, Director of the Liberal Arts Core and Associate Professor
Inez Murtha, Director, Academic Learning Center
Jean Neibauer, Director, Academic Advising

2014 Recipients
Gloria Gibson, Executive Vice President and Provost
Michael Licari, Associate Provost/Dean of Graduate College
Kristin Moser, Senior Research Analyst, Institutional Research
Douglas Mupasiri, Professor, Mathematics

2013 Recipients
Ben Allen, President
April Chatham-Carpenter, Professor, Communication Studies
Victoria DeFrancisco, Professor, Communication Studies

2012 Recipients
Annette Lynch, Professor, School of Applied Human Science
Dave Zarifis, Director, Public Safety

Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award recognizes employees who have contributed to the success of the Division of Student Life and their individual departments through their use of personal initiative, analytical and critical thinking skills, and problem-solving capability. This individual is successful in moving a team toward goals that are consistent with the vision of a department, group, committee or University organization. Nominees have a minimum of one year of service but less than five years in the Division of Student Life.

2023 Receipients

Cathryn Baumgartner, Mental Health Case Manager, Student Health Clinic
Natalie Earnest, Career Coordinator for CSBS, Career Services
Tiffany Dodd, Assistant Dean of Students, Student Accessibility Services

2022 Recipients

Dacia Carter, Retention and Mentoring Coordinator, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
Sarah Behrends, Assistant Director Nursing, Student Health Clinic

Sue Follon Exemplary Service Award

The “Sue Follon Exemplary Service Award” is named in recognition and appreciation of former Vice President for Student Affairs Sue Follon who served the University from 1985 to 1998. This award recognizes individuals who are committed to quality and excellence and whose efforts and achievements are worthy of emulation as staff work to carry out the mission of Student Life.

Past recipients of the award are listed below.

2023
Matthew Nuese, Associate Director, Career Services

2022
Dr. Martha Ochoa, Medical Director, Student Health Center

There were no awards distributed in 2021 due to COVID-19

2020
Steffoni Schmidt, Associate Director of Student Life, SL&ES

2019
Sara Eberle, Manager, Rialto Dining Service, Department of Residence
Jade Horning, Student Success Coordinator, Student Success & Retention
Diana Frost, Clerk III, Counseling Center
Tiffany Gray, Baker, Fresh Beginnings, Department of Residence
Chad Richter, Painter, Department of Residence

2018
Britt Hudson, Assistant Director of Residence Life, Department of Residence
Lisa Smith, Administrative Dietitian/Purchasing Manager, Department of Residence
Brent Denning, Custodian II, Department of Residence
Deb Kinsey, Clerk III, Department of Residence

2017
Sarah Goblirsch, Assistant Director of Employer Relations, Career Services
Dawnell Johnson, Assistant Manager Dining Services, Department of Residence
Andrew Martin, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, Recreation Services
Clint Korte, Facilities Mechanic III, Department of Residence
Jenny Murphy, Secretary III, Center for Multicultural Education

2016
Terry Hogan, Vice President for Student Affairs
Kristi Marchesani, Associate Director for International Recruitment and Admissions
Cathy Wylam, Technology Coordinator for Department of Residence
Lynne Lemert, Secretary II
Henderson Thomas, Custodian II

2015
Jenny Connolly, Asst. Director/Outreach, Admissions
Kristin Woods, Asst. Dean of Students/New Student Programs, Office of the Dean of Students
Tammi Dean, Clerk II, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
Andrea Krafka, Cleark III, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
Pam MacKay, Record Analyst II, Office of the Registrar

2014
Matt Copp, Assistant Manager of Dining Services, Piazza
Paul Sapp, Admissions Transfer Coordinator, Admissions
Linda Bengston, Custodian II, Panther Village, Department of Residence
Judy Hammer, Custodian II, Lawther Hall, Department of Residence
Janet MacTaggart, Secretary II, Lawther Hall, Department of Residence

2013
Jo Loonan, Associate Director of Admissions, Admissions
Cathy Moore, Bakery and Commissary Manager, Fresh Beginnings
Mark Rowe-Barth, Associate Director/Student Wellness, WRS Health Education
Pam Creger, Secretary II, Maucker Union

2012
Marilyn Even, Custodian, Campbell Hall, Department of Residence
Shelly Grant, Piazza Food Services Supervisor, Department of Residence
Denise Parks, Clerk III, Financial Aid
Tim Bakula, Associate Director, Financial Aid

2011
Deb Bartels, Assistant Director/Loans, Financial Aid
David Schmid, Residence Life Coordinator, Rider Hall, Department of Residence
Ruther Dixon, Secretary, Bartlett Hall, Department of Residence
Darla Smith, Custodian, Dancer Hall, Department of Residence

Student Leadership Awards

Each spring the University of Northern Iowa recognizes outstanding student leadership through a series of awards presented to students and student organizations.

‌Learn More About the Student Leadership Awards